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

The event start lists posted by Northeast Sports Timing are available on AthleticNet https://live.nestiming.com/meets/54162 . The same site will be used for live results on Saturday.

Check out our recent FAN GUIDE for more meet information.

It is an honor for any state athlete to qualify for New Englands. Not only do you have to be talented, you have to go through the rounds of Class meets and then finish top six at the State Open. Let’s take a look at a few of the top events that should thrill fans of New England track and field.

100m

This is just Lisa Raye’s world and we are just living in it. The junior from West Warwick, RI has gone undefeated in New England, claiming a dozen New England titles and won five New Balance Nationals titles indoor and outdoors. She is so good, she has decided to forego her senior year and join her sister Xenia at the University of Georgia next year. As the top seed this year she will face junior Lauren Quarm of Methuen MA who ran her PR of 11.73 to take 2nd at the MIAA Meet of Champions who is seeded 2nd. The only other challenger seeded under 12 seconds in the 100m is Nina Kyei-Aboagye of Sharon MA seeded 11.82. All that means is that Raye will have to dig a little deeper since she has already run a 11.30 at the Arcadia Invitational. Perhaps this trio will push each other to break Samirah Moody’s four year old MA state record of 11.51. Manchester junior Samiya Eady of Manchester was the CT State Open champion has a PR of 12.04 and will be looking to go under 12 seconds and Lauren Kropo of Naugatuck won’t be running the 100m and will focus on the 400m/200m and possibly run a leg of their 4x100m relay. 

100m Hurdles 

We could be on meet record watch in both girl’s hurdle events. Emmanuella Edozien of Natick is only entered in the 100m hurdles and has already gone under 14 seconds for the 3rd time this year with a season best of 13.57 at the MIAA Meet of Champions. Bedford’s Anika Scott currently holds the record of 13.94 and there is a possibility two girls could go under that mark on the same day. Bloomfield’s D'Asia Duncan has been running low 14s and has a best of 14.00 at the State Open with everyone over a half second behind her at the finish. With added competition, the WarHawk could become the 2nd CT girl under 14 seconds. Duncan’s teammate Vanessa Agyemang could make the finals as well along with Joel Barlow sophomore Phoebe Cora Smith.

1600m

Even without New Balance National Indoor mile champion Brooke Strauss entered in the 1600m, there is a good chance Katie Bohlke’s meet record could go down. CT State Open runner up finisher Chase Gilbert of Lyme Old Lyme comes in as the top seed only .03 off the 4:46.43 record. She will still face plenty of competition from Kiley DeFusco of Cumberland who has been one of the top Rhode Island finishers for a couple of years. But she has really improved this season as the senior gets ready to move onto the College of Charleston. At the Rhode Island State Championships she broke 4:30 for the 1500m and 2:10 for the 800m. Third Place MA Meet of Champions (MOC) finisher Ciara Evans of Newton North has run 4:50 at the BSR Elite Scholastic Meet and could also go under 4:50 with NHIAA MOC’ winner Haley Kavanagh could also add depth and run a low 4:50. Maine’s Laurel Driscoll was a New England medalist this winter in the mile, but popped off a ten second PR of 4:54 to win the Class A Outdoor Track State Meet

400m

The Baystate’s Breanna Braham has gone undefeated in the 400m this spring and was 2nd indoors at New Englands in the 300m. She comes in with the top seed at 53.70 which isn’t far off Sydney Segalla’s meet record of 53.27. She will face defending champion Xenia Raye of West Warwick in her last New England appearance before she heads to the University of Georgia. Paige Wilson of Windsor popped off a huge full second PR to become the surprise State Open champion last Saturday. If she can duplicate that performance she can move up from her 6th place performance last year. But don’t forget about Lauren Kropo of Naugatuck. She was the New England 600m champion this winter and will be able to focus on her favorite event after having only 10 minutes recovery between her winning 100m final at the State Open and the 400m. She may run the 4x100m for her team but she will have at least 7 heats of 400m to recover and won’t have to run trials. 

300m Hurdles

Last year D’Asia Duncan was unknown after moving back to Connecticut from Florida. But after pushing Kareema McKenzie to the CT record in the 300m hurdles at the State Open, the Bloomfield WarHawk finally got a chance on the victory stand but she had to break the New England meet record to do it. Last year as a sophomore she not only defeated her rival but she ran the 2nd fastest time in CT history. At the State Open she set her PR with a 42.38 but she will be shooting for McKenzie’s state record of 42.02. Just like the 100mm hurdles, she will face her teammate Agyemang and Joel Barlow sophomore Phoebe Cora Smith who finished 2-3 at the CT State Open. 

800m

After putting in a state record effort in the 1600m at the CT State Open, All American Brooke Strauss of Glastonbury had to go against Mercy’s Sarah Roberts who tried to steal the race, by taking it out hard in the 800m. Eventually Strauss caught up on the back straightaway of the last lap and the pair went stride for stride all down the homestretch until the Guardian pulled ahead over the last few meters and Roberts fell to the track and had difficulty getting up. Strauss is swapping the 1600m for the 4x800m which should give her more recovery time and Roberts is once again scheduled to go into the 800m fresh. But Kiley DeFusco of Cumberland is entered in both the 1600m and 800m events. Three sub 2:10 girls could face each other in this race which could be another thrilling finishes 

High Jump

The opening height in boys high jump is 6 ft. Ella Palisano of Mt Anthony Union, VT cleared that height which would have put her 2nd in the boys New England qualifying competition. That ranked US #2 and would have qualified her for NCAA DI National Championships and she is only a junior. She also won the event at New Englands this winter so you know she can handle the pressure against strong competition. But the high jump is a fickle event and 5-6 is just as likely as 6 feet. If Palisano isn’t on her “A” Games Danielle Bater of Timberlane, New Hampshire cleared a PR of 5-8 to win her state meet and Eloise Mulready of Glastonbury won the CT State Open at 5-7 and there are a few more girls over 5-6 this season.

More Events to Watch with CT top seeds:

Pole Vault - Kaylin Diglio, Guilford, 12-00 - Top Seed

4x100m - Windsor, 47.95 - Second Seed

200m - Samiya Eady, Manchester, 24.33 - Second Seed

4x800m - Glastonbury, 3:56.61 - Second Seed

Shot Put - Maya Quaranta, Sacred Heart Academy, 42-06.50 - Second Seed

Discus - Maya Quaranta, Sacred Heart Academy, 128-04 - Second Seed

Javelin - Lauren Smith, New Canaan, 132-04 - Second Seed