Pomperaug Just A Little Too Much For Bunnell in Boys T&F

On Friday April 30th the Bunnell Bulldogs hosted the Pomperaug Panthers in South West Conference boys track and field action.

It was also Bunnell’s Senior Day where all seniors were honored in a pre-meet ceremony and a traditional walk down the “stretch” towards the finish line with their family members. Assistant Principal and Bunnell announcer Frank Tatto took to the microphone for the ceremony. Seniors are recognized for their accomplishments in the sport and for their plans in their next ventures in life.

The windy weather wreaked havoc throughout the meet with cool northerly winds gusting over 40 miles per hour. Skies were partly sunny, temperatures started out in the mid 60’s dropping quickly into the lower 50’s by the meet’s end.

Leading the meet off on the track was the 4x800 Relay. Pomperaug sent out the team of Michael Connelly, Michael Fillippelli, Joshua Fromowitz, and Drew Rosenheim. Bunnell matched up with Vincenzo and Armand Fabrizi, Dominick Puzzo, and Mario Oliva.

Pomperaug took the opening event with a time of 9:09 to Bunnell’s 9:39.

The next event was the 4X100 Relay. Bunnell’s Mikail Francis, Matthew Stewart, Maurice Neri, and Jonathan Gulish, overcame a lead by Pomperaug’s Gregory Grom, Lucas Cohen, Eddie Alarcon, and Robert Vagnini as Gulish took the lead for good in the last thirty meters finishing in 47.6 seconds. Pomperaug finished in 48.0 seconds.

The 110 Hurdles saw Bunnell’s Neri in first place at 18.8 seconds. In second was Pomperaug’s Grom at 21.1 seconds followed by teammate Austin Zold at 21.9 seconds.

The 100 Meter dash saw a three way finish line battle. Bunnell’s Matthew Stewart along with Gulish and Pomperaug’s Grom finished less than a second apart. Stewart in first place at 11.65 seconds, Grom in second at 11.69 seconds, and Gulish in third at 11.74 seconds.

Gulish went on to take the 400 Meter race finishing first in a time of 53.9 seconds. Second was Pomeraug’s Vagnini at 58.5 seconds. In third was Bunnell’s Guido Llanos at 60.9 seconds.

In the Javelin, Bunnell’s Jakub Olechno again took first place with a launch of 123’-5”. Second place went to Pomperaug’s Rosenheim at 101’-0”. In third was Pomperaug’s Aiden Gilchrist at 97’-5”.

Pomperaug’s big break in the meet was in the 1600 Meter race with a clean sweep. In first Timothy Monahan at 4:45, second went to M. Fillippelli at 5:01, and in third was Hunter Cucuruto at 5:02.

Making things interesting for Bunnell in the Discus Event was Llanos. Llanos took first place with a throw of 73’-0”. Second was Bunnell’s Sam Harrington at 67’-0”. Pomperaug’s Gilchrist in third at 66’-7”.

In the 300 Hurdles, Pomperuag’s Grom came in first at 47.0 seconds. Second was Pomperuag’s Zold at 47.9 seconds and Bunnell’s Neri at 49.2 seconds.

Pomperaug took the lead for good in the 800 Meter race as they went on a sweep in the event and a twenty point lead. First, was Rosenheim at 2:08. Second,was Fromowitz at 2:18. In third, was Curcuruto at 2:19.

In the Long Jump, Bunnell’s Stewart was top’s with a distance of 19’-4”. Pomperaug’s Andrew Clark took second at 17’-3” and in third teammate Noen Jian at 16’-3”.

The 200 Meter race saw Gulish and Stewart continue their season of first and second place finishes in the sprint events as Gulish this time took first with a time of 23.2 seconds, Stewart second at 23.3 seconds. Pomperaug’s Todd Brown in third at 26.8 seconds.

Bunnell’s Olechno, in the High Jump, grabbed the top spot with a jump of 5’-2”. There were no second or third place finishers.

In the Shot Put, Pomperaug’s Gilchrist was first with a heave of 31’-7”. Bunnell’s Harrington was second at 25’-7” and Llanos was third at 25”-6”.

The Pole Vault event saw Pomperaug’s Lucas Cohen in first place with a vault of 9’-0”. Bunnell’s Puzzo is second at 8’-6” and Ryan Ortega is third at 8’-0”.

The Triple Jump event saw a clean sweep for Pomperaug with Andrew Clark first at 36’-1”, second Jian at 32’-1”, and in third was Brown at 31’-10”.

The most interesting race of the day came in the grueling 3200 Meter race. Eight laps of strategy that came down to inches. Race fans, athletes, and coaches were looking forward to the field of eight, most notably Pomperaug’s Benjamin Kania, a sophomore, and Bunnell’s Mario Oliva.

Both racers have won in convincing manner in their previous meets.

As the race took off it was four runners out in front of the pack, M. Oliva, Kania, adding in Pomperaug’s Michael Connelly and Christopher Koobatian. While circling around, the strategy was who was going to draft off of who, at times they formed a diamond.

Lap seven saw Oliva grab the lead albeit small. Kania in second, Connelly in third, and C. Koobatian holding fourth. This was going to be an all-time classic finish. Excitement building throughout with teammates at each corner of the track urging their runners on.

In the final turn, with one hundred meters to go, Oliva holding the slightest of margins lead over Kania, Connelly clearly third (10:52), C. Koobatian in fourth (11:11).

Kania and Oliva now trading strides with only feet to go, the wind howling and the crowd the loudest it was all day, officials at the finish line gearing up to make the call, watching as Kania snuck in first with a time of 10:48.02. Oliva second at 10:48.88.

The final event of the afternoon, the 4X400 Relay, saw the Pomperaug team of Grom, Cohen, Vagnini, and Brady Anderson hold off the Bunnell team of A. Fabrizi, Guido Llanos, Ortega, and Francis with a time of 3:55. Bunnell’s time was 4:12.

Although Bunnell did manage nine out of eighteen first place finishes, when the totals were added up the back fill numbers for Pomperaug, a roster of 52, were too much for Bunnell, a team of 24, with the final score Pomperaug 82 Bunnell 64.

Bunnell evens their win/loss record at 2-2.

Up next for Bunnell, at Bethel against the Wildcats, Monday May 3rd, at 4:00 pm.