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

Regular season dual, tri and quad meets aren’t normally places where athletes produce all time performances or even state leading times or marks but there were a couple of recent meets where a few performances deserve some special attention. 

Bethel, Bunnell, New Milford, Weston Duals

RESULTS

At Bethel High on Wednesday Jayson Vanterpool of Bunnell and Bethel’s Luke Richardson put another chapter on their story book rivalry that began during indoor track when the Bulldog defeated Richardson, the defending champion in the 55m at SWCs and then took the Class L title from him as well. But on the bigger stage of the State Open, the Wildcat turned the tables and grabbed the crown. Both had PRs of 6.34 at different meets which is the 6th fastest time in state history, only .11 seconds from the state record. 

On Wednesday, Vanterpool defeated Richardson, by a scant .02 seconds in the 100m, winning in a time of 10.56, the 8th best time in state history and the fastest time in New England for 2025. Richardson is a competitive athlete and got his revenge in the 200m. He easily won with a time of 21.43 with Vanterpool nearly three quarters of a second back. His time is not only the New England leader, it is also the 14th fastest time in state history. 

Bunnell also ran 42.76 in the 4x100m which put them as one of the top five times for the season in CT and also put them about a third of a second off their school record set seven years ago. 

In the girls events at the same meet, Weston junior Alexis Banks continues the Trojan tradition of great javelin throwers. She popped off a 16-foot PR, throwing an incredible toss of 136-6 to take over the state lead and move into the number 10 spot on the CT all time top performance list. Interestingly she is the 3rd Weston girl to make the list behind Kate Joyce’s 149-7, 4th place at New Balance National Outdoor and Shea Greene’s state record of 161-6 at the American Javelin Fest. While she has a ways to go to break the javelin school/state record, she was able to break the school record in the shot put with her throw of 34-4.75. She is now ranked 2nd in New England, only three feet away from defending New England javelin champion Alessandra Forgione of Peabody Veteran Memorial, MA.

Rockville vs Coventry and Innovation

RESULTS

The boys javelin all time best performances also saw an impressive mark by Rockville’s Thomas Bannon as he unleashed a PR toss of 203-0 last week in his tri-meet on his home field. The State Open champion’s huge improvement upon his previous best season performance of 198-4 propelled him up to #6 on the all time performance list.

Old Lyme vs Coginchaug vs East Hampton

RESULTS

Across the state, Lyme Old Lyme has been having a resurgence with multiple school records set this year. Zoe Eastman-Grossel was last year’s Class S champion in the 100m and 300m hurdles but this year she has had more success in the flat races. She was All New England in the 300m and won Adidas Indoor Nationals in the 400m. In her first hurdle race of the year on Wednesday she knocked off nearly four seconds off her school record from last year to run the 300m hurdles in 42.67. She took over the New England lead from last year’s champion D’Asia Duncan who battled Kareema McKenzie last year and who currently holds the state record of 42.02.

On Tap this Weekend:

The 93rd Greater Hartford Invitational

@ Bill Baron Track at East Hartford HS, East Hartford, CT

Meet Info: https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/562527/info 

57th Annual Glenn D. Loucks Games 

@ White Plains HS, White Plains, NY

Results: https://results.leonetiming.com/?mid=7864

9th Froshmore Invitational 

@ Willowbrook Park, New Britain, CT

Meet Info: https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/580435/info 

Old Saybrook Runnin' Rams Invitational 

@ Old Saybrook HS, Old Saybrook, CT

Meet Info: https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/584257/info 

And The Ivy League (College) Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Yale, New Haven, CT with meet website at https://ivyleague.com/feature/25OTFchampionships 

Foss Running Camp

Will take place August 14-19, 2025 at Camp Wah Nee in Torrington, CT

Visit their website at fossrunningcamp.com for more information and to apply for 2025.