NWC Runner Gillespie Shatters Record

Sarah Gillespie ran across the finish line and didn't slow down. She just kept on going like somebody out there might be gaining. When Gillespie finally tapped the brakes at the New Haven Track & Field Center, she seemed shocked.

Gillespie, a sophomore, was not surprised she won the 1000-meter run at the recent CCC indoor track meet, her coach said. Or that she set a record. Or that she defeated Glastonbury’s Lindsay Crevoiserat, either.

“Sarah had this look of shock on her face because she thought she had another lap to go,” Northwest Catholic coach Patrick Williamson said. “She said the bell didn’t really register with her until she was halfway down the backstretch. She said she had enough for another lap.”

Gillespie won the Jan. 29 race in 2 minutes, 55.18 seconds, shattering the meet record set in 2005 by Emma Perron (2:57.59).

Crevoiserat, the defending meet champion and all-everything runner whose indoor titles this season include the girls Millrose mile, New Balance Grand Prix 1500 meters, Yale Classic 3000 and the CCC 3,200, finished second in 2:56.70. Glastonbury teammate Cara Dorris (2:57.45) also beat Perron’s mark.

“Sarah was thrilled to beat [Crevoiserat], but that was her goal going into the race and she wasn’t shy about it,” Williamson said. “She definitely looks at the type of high school career that Lindsay has had and wants to be able to emulate her. I know they’re friendly with each other, and they exchanged congratulations after the race.”

Gillespie’s time was a school record and the eighth-fastest in the country. She will defend her Class S championship Thursday and figures to vie for the State Open title Feb. 19 with Crevoiserat, Dorris and Nonnewaug’s Jackie Nicholas.

Gillespie also anchored the 800-meter leg of the winning girls 1600 relay (Gabrielle Giangreco, Emily Janusko and Jenna Jordano) in a NWC-record 4:20.40, more than 5 seconds ahead of Simsbury.

Gillespie and Kellie Davis of Hillhouse, who won the SCC title last weekend in 2:58.77, hold the second- and third-fastest 1000s in the nation for sophomores.

“When you get into the 2:50s those are really elite times,” Williamson said.

Gilliespie started leaving her calling card as a freshman, when she won Class S and was ninth at the Open. She also excelled outdoors, winning the Open and New England 800-meter titles.

“She’s pretty comfortable running in big races,” Williamson said.

The CCC 1000 was down to three after about 15 seconds, said Williamson, in his first season as head coach after three years as an assistant.

“Sarah’s strategic goal was to go out fast, and I’m quite sure that Lindsay and Cara wanted to do the same thing,” Williamson said. “From about 100 meters into the race, the three of them were gone. It was a race for fourth for everybody else.”

Crevoiserat was leading Dorris and Gillespie after three trips around the 200-meter flat track.

“Sarah sat on her outside shoulder. No real moves were made, but they were going at 34-, 35-second laps [on a 2:55 pace],” Williamson said. “Then finally, and this has been Sarah’s strength so far, she unleashed a heckuva kick with about 180 meters to go.”

Crevoiserat, who holds the fourth-fastest 1000 in the country this season, and Dorris couldn’t respond.

“She just made a move to the outside on the backstretch and simply ran away with it,” Williamson said.

And Gillespie, with polished fingernails flashing NWC green, kept on running, apparently oblivious that the race was over.

“Sarah’s one of, if not the hardest-working runner that we have,” Williamson said. “And to put that type of work ethic with her natural talent, now we’re starting to really see some phenomenal results.”

The Glastonbury girls scored 120.50 points and the boys scored 75.00 to sweep the CCC team championships (full results).

In other highlights:

• NWC's Brian Poirier won the boys 1000 in 2:39.53, and Jeff Lipsman was third. Poirier also anchored the winning 1600 sprint medley (school record 3:47.31) with Anthony Carter, Aaron Wilson and Jack Peterson. NWC was fourth in the boys standings.
• Carter, Wilson, Jared Delane and Luis Rosado gave NWC a second-place finish in the boys 4x200. Delane was second in the boys 300 and third in the boys 55 dash.
• Hall’s Elena Jay set a school record in the girls 3200, helping Hall to a fifth-place team finish. Jay finished fourth in 11:29.33, shaving 8.67 seconds off the Hall 3200 record set in 2007 by Jenna London.
• Conard’s Luke Perron was second and Edward Wilson third in the boys 3200.
• Hall (Lipsman, Xavier Ruiz, Joel Pally, Eli Shakun) and Conard (James Gustafson, Ethan Davis, Ronan Lucey, Brendan Rossmeisl) finished second and third in the boys 4x400 relay.
• Hall’s Alyssa Venora, Perri Silverheart, Megan O’Brien and Emily Holzman were second (1:52.72) in the girls 4x200 relay.
• NWC’s Jalen Lollar was third in the boys long jump (20 feet, 10 inches). Hall’s Kodi Udeh, competing in her first indoor season, was third in the girls shot put with a season-best 33-10.