By Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp

In honor of MySportsResults celebrating 25 years of covering Connecticut high school track and field and cross country, we look back at 25 of the best athletes over the past quarter of a century at the beginning of each season. We continue from Part One with some of the top girls who have made an impact on our sport since the winter of 2000!

Precious Holmes, Hillhouse, Class of 2013

Aggressive, brave and fast are three words to describe Precious Holmes. She simply dominated her era, winning almost every race she ran and often setting records whenever she stepped on the track. Her junior and senior years she won the 600m, 300m and 4x400m at the State Open in still-standing meet record times of 38.56, 1:31.23 and 3:57.92. Holmes also still holds the current state and New England meet records of 38.22 for 300m and 1:30.79 for 600m. At the national level she also excelled winning the 400m in the CT record of 53.43 and part of the 1600m Sprint Medley Relay with a record time of 4:00.58. As a further display of her range, she was also a part of a one time state record 4x800m team that ran 9:14.91 to finish 4th at the Millrose Games with an additional time of 25.32 in an early December 200m race of her senior year that still ranks in the top 10 in the CT all time list. 

Emily Savage, Weston, Class of 2013

Emily Savage was a three time State Open scorer who still holds the all time state records in the event for over ten years with a height of 12-09 set at the Vault-Mania PV Meet at The Barn in Warwick, NY. At Nationals she finished 8th, clearing 12' 4.75. Also an Open qualifier in the high and long jumps. 

Sarah Gillespie, Northwest Catholic, Class of 2013

The early to mid 2010s were a Golden Era of CT girls distance running and Sarah Gillespie was one of those athletes who shined the brightest. She was the State Open and New England champion and finished 5th at Nationals in the mile with a time of 4:52.53, currently ranked #6 in CT history. She was also the State Open 1000m champion her junior year, taking 2nd at New Englands. The previous year, she was New England champion in the 1k and finished 2nd at the Open. In 2012, she was 7th at Nationals, breaking the state record with a time of 2:11.16. Her winning 1000m (2:51.3) time at New Englands her junior year was once the CT record as well. 

Claire Howlett, Westhill, Class of 2014

Within a three year period, almost all of the current girls distance state records were set mostly because there was so much talent to push each other. Claire Howlett held the state 3200m record (10:28.56) for 10 days when she beat Hannah Debalsi for the FCIAC title and it was taken away from her in another close race when Debalsi turned the tables running 10:19.2. She also broke the state 1600m record when she ran 4:53.07, but unfortunately finished 3rd in the State Open behind Danae Rivers and Debalsi. She just missed Crevoiserat’s record in the 5k when she ran 16:58.35 to take 3rd at NBNI. While her name is no longer at the top of the record lists, she is remembered for being a vital part of many record setting races. 

Hannah Debalsi, Staples, Class of 2016

Debalsi has a rare accomplishment of being the only four time New England champion in the 2-mile. She was pushed by Howlett her sophomore year and then Danae Rivers the remainder of her high school career where she finished 2nd to her three straight years in the 1600m. While Rivers had superior footspeed over the last lap, no one could match Debalsi’s strength as she won four straight 3200m Open titles. At the national level she earned All American with her distance medley relay teammates when Staples set the indoor state record of 11:45.79 to take 3rd at NBNI. Debalsi finished 3rd in her senior year at NBNI, setting the CT 5000m record of 16:32.26.

Danae Rivers, Wilbur Cross, Class of 2016

If Debalsi ruled the distance events in the mid 2010s, there is no doubt Danae Rivers was queen of the middle distance. She pulled off the tough 1000m and 1600m double at the Open junior and senior years, setting State Open records of 2:50.26 and 4:52.29 in 2016. She even put a scare into Holmes' state record in the 600m, running 1:31.20 at the Armory Track Invitational. Rivers took 4th at the NBNI 800m, becoming the first CT girl under 2:10 indoors when she crossed the line in 2:07.54. She broke another barrier her junior year, becoming the only girl in CT history to break 2:50 for the 1000m, running 2:49.68. While in her sophomore year Rivers helped her team to a runner-up finish at NBNI in the 1600m SMR, just missing the state record by two seconds with a time of 4:02.68.

Jessica Drop, Coginchaug, Class of 2016

With all these great distance stars to contend against, Jessica Drop aimed at some of the best in the nation and eventually reached their level. She was good her sophomore and junior years qualifying for New Englands both years, but it was in her senior year when she reached national class along with Debalsi and Rivers. She missed the State Open that year but still got 5th at NBNI in the mile, running 4:46.57, a time only Ceci Hopp had bettered over 40 years prior. Drop finished 2nd at the Millrose Games and Eastern States in the mile and earned All American in the DMR with her 6th place finishing time of 11:55.36, helping Coginchaug to become only the 3rd CT team under 12 minutes. 

Cassidy Palmer, Bloomfield, Class of 2017

A team’s success of winning 13 straight Class titles provides a couple of names on the list of greatest athletes of the past 25 years. Cassidy Palmer stole the show as she led the WarHawks to their first State Open title by winning the 55m (6.99), 300m (39.96) and 4x200m. At New Englands, she helped with the 4x200m and was 2nd in the 55m. Moving onto NBNI she broke a 20 year old state record in the 60m, running 7.61 and at the North Shore Pre-National Invitational she ran 24.76, still the 5th fastest time in state history. 

Brittany Jones, Bloomfield, Class of 2017

Another major contributor to Bloomfield’s State Open championship reign was Brittany Jones. She won every invitational and swept the Class, Open and New England titles her senior year in the shot put. At the CCC championships, she set her PR of 45-8.25, the second best throw in state history and was the third CT girl to go over 50 feet in the indoor weight throw with her winning distance of 50-09.75 at the North Shore Pre Nationals meet. While in her junior year Jones also claimed the Class S and State Open shot put titles and finished 4th at NBNI Emerging Elite section in the weight throw. 

Aisha Gay, Hamden, Class of 2018

Better known as a long sprinter, Aisha Gay dropped over a tenth of a second to take runner-up in the 55m dash at the State Open and ran a leg of the winning 4x400m. She won the SCC, Class LL and Open 300m titles with a PR of 39.56, the 5th fastest time in state history. At New Englands she grabbed the runner-up spot in the 300m and broke the state record in the 200m (24.56) to win Eastern States.

Emily Philippides, Greenwich Class of 2018

One of the best middle distance runners in the nation her junior and senior years and one of the best anchor runners on many relays. She won the Open and New England 1000m championships her senior year with a best of 2:52.30, #2 All Time in CT history. She also anchored the winning Open SMR and took 2nd in the 4x400m. At Nationals, she became the 2nd CT girl under 2:10 for 800m placing 7th in 2:09.82. Her junior year she helped her team take All American honors and break the CT record in the 4x800 placing 4th in a time of 9:10.08. She followed that up with an individual medal at NBNI crossing the line in 6th place. She was State Open 1k champion her junior year after claiming the 600m title her sophomore year to claim three straight individual wins. Her 600m PR of 1:33.32 is still #4 in CT history. 

Paige Martin, Norwich Free Academy, Class of 2020

Paige Martin owns the current State Open pole vault record of 12-6 (CT all time #3), was 3rd at Eastern States and competed at the Millrose Games. Martin won all championships junior year and was 4th at the Open sophomore year. Martin missed Nationals senior year due to the Covid pandemic but had attained a #23 national ranking.

Tess Stapleton, Fairfield Ludlowe, Class of 2021

Covid put a real dent into the resumes of thousands of athletes, but Tess Stapleton built up enough credentials to make this list before the first mask was purchased. While she competed well in several meets as an unattached athlete her senior year, all her best performances were from the winter of 2020. The Falcon swept all the major championships her junior year, setting meet records in the 55m hurdles at the Class LL (7.96), Open (8.04) and New England (7.88). All were under the 22-year old meet record. She was no stranger to the winner’s circle before that as she won the Open and New Englands in the 55m hurdles as a sophomore while taking 2nd in the Open in the long jump. As a junior she won the Open long jump at 19-6 before gaining the New England title with her leap of 19-6.5. Even as a freshman she won the hurdles at the Open and took 3rd at New Englands. 

Photos courtesy of John Nepolitan

Alanna Smith, Danbury, Class of 2022

We have seen plenty of great athletes who come from other sports and excel in track and field, but Alanna Smith is probably the first cheerleader in CT to have such success after cheering from elementary school up until her senior year. In one year of indoor track, the daughter of baseball Hall of Famer Lee Smith, she either set or tied the CT state records in the 55m (6.96), 60m (7.53), 200m (24.31), and 300m (38.22). The Hatter won the State Open and New England 55m and 300m titles, tying the New England meet record in the longer event. An injury in the prelims at NBNI prevented her from getting a medal in the 60m or 200m, even though she was ranked 14th and 9th nationally. 

Rachel St. Germain, Somers, Class of 2022

Another first time indoor runner, Rachel St. Germain went undefeated her senior season including a win at Nike Indoor Nationals 5000m in 16:59.44 to become the fourth CT girl to break 17 minutes for 5k. In the 2-mile NIN Championship she was pushed the entire way and ran the 2nd fastest time in state history, 10:21.36 for the silver medal. Locally, she won every race she ran including a 1600m/3200m double at the Open and the New England 2-mile title. 

Honorable Mention 

The rich history of athletes over the past 25 years made selection of 25 performers an impossible task. Since CT indoor track and field fans can argue about why some names were not selected, our list below also recognizes several more athletes for their outstanding careers over the past quarter of a century.

Allison Bradshaw - Class of 2002, Pomperaug - Shot Put

Tahari James - Class of 2004, Branford - Long Jumper

Natasha Harvey - Class of 2005, Career - Hurdler/ Jumper

Kerri Lyons - Class of 2006, Wilton - Distance

Nora Miller - Class of 2006, Middletown - Jumper/ hurdlers

Sashawna Stewart - Class of 2006, Weaver - Hurdles

Heather Stephens - Class of 2008, Ridgefield - Distance

Kellie Davis - Class of 2013, Hillhouse - Distance

Patricia Mroczkowski - Class of 2019, Berlin High - Jump

Alliya Boothe - Class of 2020, Bloomfield - Thrower

Trinity Cardillo - Class of 2020, Southington Thrower

Terry Miller - Class of 2020, Bloomfield - Sprinter

Chelsea Mitchell - Class of 2020, Canton - Sprinter/ jumper

Leah Moore - Class of 2021, Hillhouse - Thrower

Leonaya Knox - Class of 2024, Hillhouse - Hurdler

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