Girls Track Expect To Do Well At SWC

The girls outdoor track team enters the championship season on a high.

Newtown finished the season at 11-3 and swept its last two meets. The Nighthawks last tasted defeat on May 3 when they barely lost to host Bunnell but defeated two other teams.

They have many young qualifiers performing in the South-West Conference meet and next week's Class LL meet.

"I'm excited," said Newtown Coach Doug Russell. "We're a young team and I think we'll do well. The younger girls have stepped it up and done well in practice. This is a committed and dedicated team and they have set goals and worked hard to better themselves."

Two top Nighthawk performers include junior hurdler Lauren Pettinelli and freshman sprinter Reagen Cerney. Pettinelli is dominant in the 100-meter high hurdles and 300-meter intermediate hurdles.

Cerney won the 100-meter dash and 400 meters in her most recent meet and has dominated those events this year. She also did well in her third event, the long jump.

"I've been staying calm before the races and I don't think about them," said Cerney. "I have fun with them."

Also competing in the hurdles for Newtown are senior captain Melanie Isola; junior Lily Rodriguez; and freshmen Melanie Buccino, Lydia Beiter and Zoe Eggelston. Junior Maggie Korth and sophomore Kyra Murray will join Cerney in sprinting events.

Expecting to score points in distance events are junior Anne Martino and sophomores Erin Begg, Katie Burns and Jenny Van Veen.

The Nighthawks won't have any throwers, which may cost them, but they will be well-represented in jumping events with sophomore Lauren O'Connell leading in the long jump and pole vault.

Cerney and freshman Lisa Klarides will also compete in the long jump and senior captain Becca Castegnar, juniors Abby Keough and Lily Kohrman-Glaser will compete in the pole vault.

Korth leads Newtown in the high jump and will be joined by sophomores Cortney Beckett and Brianna Hart. Sophomores Katie Shirley and Anna Hodge will compete in the triple jump.

"I would love to finish in the top four, which we did in the past," said Russell. "We're very competitive and I'm surprised with how well we did, considering we're a young (team) and it was the first time many of them did track and field. The hurdlers will have to do well and getting seconds and thirds are important. Cerney can get first in the 100 and 400."

Despite being a freshman, Cerney remains composed heading into SWCs.

"I have to stay focused and relaxed at SWCs so I can perform my best," she said.