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

Meet Info: Sunday June 1st, Field Events at 4:00 p.m, Running Events at 4:30 p.m.

The Entry Lists for the CIAC Class Championship Meets are available on Athletic Net:

CIAC Class M Girls Championship

CIAC Class M Boys Championship

LIVE RESULTS: https://live.nestiming.com/meets/48741

Boys Defending champions: Sheehan, Runners up: Ledyard

Girls Defending champions: Bloomfield, Runners up: Sacred Heart Academy

Boys Teams to Watch: Sheehan, Cromwell, Nonnewaug, Weston

Girls Teams to Watch: Bloomfield, Montville, Nonnewaug, Woodland

Boys Events to watch:

Killingly’s Everton Brown took the 2024 100m dash at 10.87, and now owns the current #2 spot (10.84) behind Ceijae Rivera of O’Brien Tech at 10.34. Also seeded at 10.84 is Angel Dominguez of Wolcott, promising a rivetingly close race in a race where hundreths of a second can make all the difference. 

In the longer 400m sprint competition, several of the top seeds are within a second of each other led by top ranked Eli Hamann-Shay of Haddam-Killingworth in 49.08. A few tenths behind is Cromwell’s Nassyr Andrade (49.47), Weston’s Nicholas Masters (49.52) and Ansonia’s Jose Rodriguez (49.60). This is one of those races where the finish line camera will come in handy to determine the outcome.

In races that could have an impact on team standings tight competition is predicted in this year’s 1600m as well, with Tyler Deme of Sheehan ranked #1 at 4:20.47, with Tolland’s Dillon Stoeffler and Rocky Hill’s Daniel DiTunno coming in next with times of 4:22.34 and 4:22.90, respectively. Additionally, Cromwell’s Dylan Bathrick (4:23.29) and Griswold’s Tycen LaBelle (4:23.45) could make for an exciting finish.

Always a tough decision about doubling in the 1600m/800m but if the top two seeds in the 800m race return after running the 1600m to compete, then top ranked Stoeffler (1:54.08) and Bathrick (1:54.73) will also need to be wary of 3rd ranked Markus Soennichsen of Weston only a few ticks behind in the seeding.

DiTunno is ranked as the current top seed in the 3200m at 9:27.24, with Deme behind 9:46.34, Woodland’s Gabriel Diamente (9:48.12) and LaBelle (9:49.44). These athletes will be ones to keep track of in the longest of the championship events.

Action in the hurdles features top ranked Hagen Drake of Stonington in the 110m at 14.66 and the 300m at 39.06, after his 2024 performance that earned him third (40.49). Right behind him in both events is NCCC champion Dylan Calsetta of Ellington 15.04 for the shorter and 39.35 for the longer race. Plainville’s Theodore Orzol has worked his way up the ranks since last year and is now seeded in a top 3 spot for the 110m hurdles at 15.36. 

Liam Sweeney of Bacon Academy took last year’s discus throw (159) while Mathew Perea of Griswold is currently listed as Class M #1, with a throw of 166-2. Sweeney is ranked second with 159 feet while ranked as the top seed of the shot put with a toss of 57-1, almost a whopping 5 feet ahead of his next competitors, Haddam-Killingworth’s Trevor Dixon (52-6.5) and Montville’s Enzo Valenti is seeded third at 51-3. Valenti also sits in third in the discus with a throw of 155-1, and will be a name to watch out for along with Sweeney and Perea.

There is something special about watching athletes as they rise to the top through hard work and commitment to excellence. After placing 7th last year and clearing 12-06, Seymour’s Zachary McKirryher returns to the pole vault with loftier heights, taking the number one rank at 15 feet. As the indoor Class M and Open champion McKirryher faces Sheehan’s Dylan Vazquez is seeded #2 at 14-7, while Ian Rush of Waterford is ranked third at 13-6.25. This year’s pole vault will be a thrilling event to watch, packed with potential and talent up and down the runway. 

Returning Defending Champion and Performances from last year

Discus Throw - Liam Sweeney, Bacon Academy - 159-00

Girls Events to Watch

The Class M championship offers the opportunity to watch a lightning fast lineup in this year’s sprinting events, with Bloomfield athletes firmly in the spotlight as they return to add another title to their storied history. 

Sophomore Saphyr Brown of Bloomfield returns to defend her 100m title at 12.09, currently seeded at 12.12. Also seeded with this time, however, is Plainville’s Tamia Chapman, who will surely put up a good fight for this year’s first place spot. 

Bloomfield's Janiya Barclay holds the 2024 200m title at 25.12 but is ranked 6th behind three top seeds at 25.24 including Chapman and teammates Brown and Nacquelia Fletcher. 

Bloomfield swept the top 3 places last year in the 400m led by Barclay in 56.79 and she returns this year as the top seed with 57.61 followed close behind by teammates Caleah Baker (57.82), Deanna Spears (58.07), Fletcher (58.25) and Soleigh Dixon 58.34. Chapman comes in with her 58.34 as well. This one event alone could net the Warhawks a possible 33 points!

With this talented group of athletes, the final 4x400m should be one to watch to see if Bloomfield will improve on their CT#1 time of 3:57.69 set earlier this season at the Loucks Games.

Bloomfield girls claim the hurdling events as their own as they come back for another round of victories in both the 100m and 300m hurdles. D’Asia Duncan earned gold and a meet record with her 2024 performance in the 100m hurdles at 14.32, and returns this year with a force, seeded at an even quicker 14.03. Teammate Vannessa Agyemang holds onto #2 with a time of 14.39, while Isabel Northrop of Montville is listed in the third spot at 15.94. Duncan set another impressive meet record last year in the 300m hurdles when she ran 44.05, and forms a familiar pattern as she returns faster yet, seeded at 43.4. A duel is in store for the second place spot, with Ellington’s Jenna Luoma at 45.05, and Agyemang at 45.38. Fans should remain attuned to these difficult events for what is sure to include close finishes and new meet records.

With a notable win by Woodland’s Faye Carnemolla in the 2024 400m (2:16.89), Madeline Garguilo of Nonnewaug has earned this year’s top spot, seeded at 2:21.57. Not far behind are Stonington’s Molly Musselman (2:22.83) and Weston’s Abigail Winslow (2:22.91) respectively, who will ensure a very tight competition and an exciting event all the way to the finish line.

In the other longer track events, the 1600m shapes to be fierce competition between a trio of juniors led by top seeded Katie McMorrow of New Fairfield (5:10.87) who won the SWC title, Hand’s Annecy Vlieks (5:12.50) and Mackenzie Spooner of Sacred Heart Academy. If they decide to return for the 3200m later in the day, Vlieks is the top ranked at 10:59.04 followed by McMorrow at 11:21.45.

In the field, there is much to look forward to with a mix of returning athletes and emerging talent. Maya Quaranta of Sacred Heart Academy took the discus last year with a throw of 121-08, while Bloomfield’s Payton Sirdine holds the current #1 spot at 132-5. Quaranta looks to defend her title as the top seed in the shot put with a mark of 42-2 that is more than 3 feet further than her 2024 win (38-11) and ahead of 2nd ranked Sirdine at 38-8.5. 

Weston’s Alexis Banks returns to the javelin after a victorious throw last year (118-09) and is poised to defeat opponents once more as she finds herself in the #1 seed at her PR of 136-6 that is also a CT#1 this season.

Since Jordan Carr of Joel Barlow has moved to the Class MM meet and took last year’s pole vault title clearing 12-07, Montville’s Brenna LaBranche and Kamryn Plikus are set to battle it out for this year’s gold, both seeded at 11 feet. 

Familiar names arise when looking at this year’s top jumpers. Bloomfield’s Saphyr Brown took the 2024 long jump victory with a leap of 17-1, while teammate Vannessa Agyemang is seeded as the current top performer at 19-2. Brown takes the long jump second place seed this year at 18-8, while Indya Norman sits in third, at 18-2. Norman is expected to take the triple jump, seeded at an impressive 37-2, with teammate April Nathaniel close behind at 36-10.5. 

Returning Defending Champion and Performances from last year

100m - Saphyr Brown, Bloomfield - 12.09

100HH - D’Asia Duncan, Bloomfield - 14.32 (meet record)

200m - Jahniya Barclay, Bloomfield - 25.12

300IH - D’Asia Duncan, Bloomfield - 44.05 (meet record)

400m - Jahniya Barclay, Bloomfield - 56.79

800m - Faye Carnemolla, Woodland - 2:16.89

Discus Throw - Maya Quaranta, Sacred Heart Academy - 121-08

Javelin Throw - Alexis Banks, Weston - 118-09

Long Jump - Saphyr Brown, Bloomfield - 17-10.00

Pole Vault - Jordan Carr, Joel Barlow - 12-07.00

Shot Put - Maya Quaranta, Sacred Heart Academy - 38-11.00

View our Free Fan Guide for the 2025 CIAC Outdoor T&F Championships 

If you are not able to attend in person then you can view the any of the championship meets on a fee basis at the NFHS Network at https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/associations/ciac 

 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.