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

Meet Info: Monday June 2nd, Field Events at 10:00 a.m Running Events at 10:30 a.m.

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

CIAC Class S Girls Championship

CIAC Class S Boys Championship

LIVE RESULTS: https://live.nestiming.com/meets/48742

Boys Defending champions: Bloomfield, Runners up:  Bolton

Girls Defending champions: Old Lyme, Runners up: Thomaston

Boys Teams to Watch: Bloomfield, Coginchaug, Portland, Lyme Old Lyme

Girls Teams to Watch: Lyme-Old Lyme, Coginchaug, Haddam Killingworth 

Boys Events to watch:

A key to whether Portland can dethrone Bloomfield will rest on the legs and in the heart of Samuel LaMalfa. The multi talented runner is the top seeded in the 400m with a CT#1 time of 47.22 and the 200m with another CT#1 clocking of 21.14. Since he only gets to compete in 3 events the decision to use his talents in the 800m with the top seeded time of 1:56.13 or their 4x100m or 4x400m relays. 

The 100m dash is headlined by a pair of Holy Cross teammates in Dae’Sean Graves at 10.70 and Mason Rountree at 10.82 who had to forgo the NVL championship meet with a slight injury. But there are a few others, including Stafford’s Javon Stingler and Bloomfield’s Tri-kel Delaire where hundreths of a second improvement could make all the difference for a spot on the podium.

The preliminary rounds of the 110m hurdles will feature defending champion Delante Senior of Bloomfield who leads teammates Shaun Lazenby (14:46) and Jessie Singleton Jr. (14.78) with Derby’s Jaylen Titus as the only other seed under 15 seconds. A sweep of the top 3 places in this event as well as the relay events will go far in determining whether Bloomfield will defend their team title against Portland and Coginchaug.

Senior of Bloomfield returns in the 300m hurdles a second faster this year than his winning time of 39.80 in 2024 but the Warhawk will need every hundredth to get past top seeded Javon Stigler of Stafford at 38.72. Third seed Charles Dalles of Coginchaug will be nipping at their heels with his seed of 39.03 that won the Shoreline championship.

As the last of the longer track races, the 3200m is highlighted by Hale Ray’s Matthew Kraszewski and Oxford’s Joseph DeLuise. The pair are no strangers to each other as they have dueled in the steeplechase this season with Kraszewski gaining the best of DeLuise in both the 2k and 3k distances. But with no barriers in their path top seeded Kraszewski (9:28.55) also has a slight edge over defending champion DeLuise (9:30.67).

The order of events that features the 1600m first followed by the 800m three events later plays a huge part determining whether athletes will double in their efforts to help their team score points or just to gain a medal. The 1600m race features Berkshire League champion Kyle McCarron of Housatonic Valley (4:22.30) challenged by East Hampton’s Evan LoPresti (4:26.70) and Kraszewski (4:26.70).

Fast forward to the 800m led by top seed LaMalfa followed by Kraszewski (1:57.11), LoPresti (1:57.60) and McCarron (1:58.84) and it's anyone’s guess as to who will toe the line let alone cross the finish line first.

Bloomfield’s Khile Francis was the Class S 2024 shot put champion as a sophomore and he returns this season with a 4 foot advantage of a 54-0 seed over another junior, Tyler Cann of Lyme-Old Lyme. As the #2 seed in the discus, Francis is only an inch behind #1 seed Zane Baton of St. Bernard with his mark of 161-10. Don’t overlook 3rd seed Cann who is a PR toss away in challenging the top two seeds. 

During the meet the excitement in the north end of the stadium will be heightened by competition in the both horizontal jumps as top seed Patrick Lynch of Lyme-Old Lyme (22-8.5) headlines the top four contestants with seeds over 22 feet that includes the CT#1 Jessie Singleton Jr. of Bloomfield in the triple jump with his PR of 47-5.

Returning Defending Champion and Performances from last year

110HH - Delante Senior, Bloomfield - 14.63

200m - Brennan McCabe, Immaculate - 21.66

300IH - Delante Senior, Bloomfield - 39.80

400m - Brenan McCabe, Immaculate - 48.00

800m - Davin Duffy, Bolton - 2:01.45

3200m - Joseph DeLuise, Oxford - 9:33.00

Shot Put - Khile Francis, Bloomfield - 50-05.50

Girls Events to Watch

This year’s hurdling events lineup includes a powerhouse stack of athletes who promise close competition. Zoe Eastman-Grossel of Lyme-Old Lyme took last year’s 100m hurdle (14.62), while Shepaug Valley’s Christianne Pearson is currently entered as first at 15.24. On her heels is Kayla Berning of Canton, seeded at 15.90, and guaranteeing a duel at the finish line. Eastman-Grossel returns to the 300m hurdle, looking for a second consecutive win after her 2024 performance (46.2) with her current top seed at an improved 42.23. Those two events plus her inclusion on their top ranked 4x100m relay should help the Wildcats to defend their title from last year.

Adding to the Wildcat's expected point gains will be junior Chase Gilbert, who recently made an early commitment to UVA, is the top seed in the 1600m at 4:53.84. While Briana Belanger of Thomaston was last year’s 800m victor (2:20.57), Gilbert is ranked #1 this year with a time of 2:11.38. Wheeler’s Kaitlyn Kumpf takes #2 (2:22.91) and Belanger is set at 3rd at 2:24.30. Gilbert is also the top ranked in the 3200m (10:53.84) with sights set on repeating last year's victories in the 1600 and 3200m. 

Gwyneth Romanzi of Thomaston returns to the high jump after a win last year clearing 5-02. She is top seeded this year at 5-3, along with Elieana Lonkin at the very same height, with Canton’s Lucy O’Conner close by at 5-2. This year’s high jump will be an exhilarating watch as these top athletes push one another to loftier heights throughout the event. 

2024’s pole vault title was claimed by Kamryn Plikus of Montville (10-06) whose team has since moved to class M. This year's lineup includes Laurelin Boyer of Lyman Memorial as #1 at her season best of 10 feet, while Bolton’s Grace Osborne is ranked second at 9-6. Three athletes are currently entered at 9 feet, including Lynn Hall (Cromwell), Lynette Martinez (Derby), and Molly Merritt of Stafford. With so much potential, these athletes are sure to challenge one another as the event unfolds, and promise spectators a thrilling battle at the north end of the stadium.

Also competing at the north end of the stadium is top seeded Annika Morange of Lauralton Hall in the long jump (16-10.5) against Thomaston’s Hannah Zuklie with the same seed mark. Morange is also the top ranked in the triple jump at 34-6.5 as both Caroline McGinnis of Windsor Locks and Vanessa Colla of St. Bernard will challenge her with their bests only a foot less.

Don't forget to check out the throwing competition in the field to the north of the stadium as the top seeds in the 3 events seek to claim titles - Faith Anderson of Derby in the shot put, Maragaret Thuma of Lyme Old Lyme in the discus and Alis Oberg of Windsor Locks in the javelin.

Returning Defending Champion and Performances from last year

100HH - Zoe Eastman-Grossel, Lyme-Old Lyme - 14.62

300IH - Zoe Eastman-Grossel, Lyme-Old Lyme - 46.20

800m - Briana Belanger, Thomaston - 2:20.57

1600m - Chase Gilbert, Lyme-Old Lyme - 5:01.58

3200m - Chase Gilbert, Lyme-Old Lyme - 11:17.75

High Jump - Gwyneth Romanzi, Thomaston - 5-02.00

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.