Bulldogs Duo Appear at 2019 T/F CIAC State Open

On Monday June 3rd the Bunnell Bulldogs boys track and field team sent two to represent them in the CIAC State Open Championships at Willow Brook Park in New Britain, Ct.

On a sun splashed day, with whipping winds at times, thousands were on hand where over 60 high schools gathered to compete in the best of the best. This as a result of the class division championships from last week.

Bunnell’s medal winning long jumper Tyreek Smith and the highly decorated sprinter Christ N’Dabian were seeking a bid to the New England Regionals being held in Saco, Maine on Saturday June 8th.

Smith, ranked 15th in the state, would have to overcome a season long nagging leg injury. It was obvious today during warmups and run-throughs that same injury would hamper him as he prepared to challenge the top flight jumpers.

Smith’s first jump would be his best jump on the day as he landed in at 19-07.75 feet.

For N’Dabian, the 100 meter dash had him seeded in the 7th spot. Greenwich’s Ryan Raybuck was 6th seeded. The top seed was Christopher Pigatt out of Hamden. The 8th seed was Freshman Malcolm Beckford out of Bloomfield. The 10th seed was Mike Rodia out of Shelton. But at the sound of the starter pistol you can throw the seedings right out the window. And that was the case this race day.

Raybuck would take the top spot at 10.77. Pigatt in second at 10.86, Beckford and Rodia had to go to the thousands of a second for third and fourth. Beckford at 10.873, Rodia at 10.880.

N’Dabian raced to a ninth place finish at 11.09.

Next up for N’Dabian was the 200 meter dash. He was seeded in the 22nd spot. Apparently N’Dabian had different ideas on where he wanted to be ranked. He would climb his way from the 22nd spot to the 8th spot when this event was concluded by racing his way to a 22.42 finish.

The end of the 200 meter race also saw the end of a four year stellar high school career for N’Dabian.

Smith is looking forward to his senior year at Bunnell.

Up next, season over.