Old Lyme girls capture first track title in program history
May 29—NEW BRITAIN — When Jan Merrill-Morin first took over as head coach of the Old Lyme High School girls' track team this season, she found two of her star runners, distance great Chase Gilbert and hurdler Zoe Eastman-Grossel, both coming back from injuries.
Neither competed in the postseason during indoor track.
Eastman-Grossel, who suffered a back injury in December, went four months just exercising on an elliptical machine.
"It was tough," Eastman-Grossel said. "I was determined to get back. I had to have a lot of faith and just push through it."
On Wednesday, Gilbert and Eastman-Grossel won two events each at the Class S state championship meet at Willow Brook Park, leading Old Lyme to its first state title in program history, scoring 76 points to finish ahead of Thomaston (58) and Coginchaug (55).
Merrill-Morin, herself, last won a state title in 1990 as the head coach of the Waterford girls, which triumphed in Class M.
A former Olympic finalist in the 1,500 meters at the 1976 Games in Montreal who has had a lifelong affinity for running and now for coaching, called Wednesday's win "one of those days I won't forget."
The Old Lyme girls brought nine athletes to the meet.
Gilbert took the 1,600 in 5 minutes, 1.58 seconds and the 3,200 in 11:17.75. Eastman-Grossel, hurdling for just the third time this season, won the 100 hurdles in 14.62 and the 300 hurdles in 46.20. The two combined with Serena Mazzi and Kathleen Walsh to finish second in the 4x400 relay (4:07.35).
Walsh ran a personal-best time of 2:24.74 to finish second in the 800, Mazzi was second in the long jump (16-7) and Margaret Thuma was second in the discus (102-7).
"I would say we didn't talk about (the championship) a lot, but everything came together where it was all clicking," Merrill-Morin said. "We had some big breakthroughs. I was really proud of everyone."
Gilbert suffered a hip injury during cross country season. She's raced sparingly this spring to make sure she's ready for the postseason. On Wednesday, she cruised to a victory in the 1,600, just fast enough to hopefully qualify for the fast heat at Monday's State Open.
"I totally think I'm back 100%, you know?" said Gilbert, who was last season's State Open champion in the 3,200 and finished fourth in New England.
"The times I've been running this year, comfortably, didn't feel so comfortable at this time last year. I feel a lot better than I did last year. I feel back right into form."
Merrill-Morin, having previously coached boys' track at Old Saybrook High, in the Shoreline Conference along with Old Lyme, knew Gilbert before the opportunity arose to coach her this season.
Gilbert and Eastman-Grossel, juniors, are thrilled to now have Merrill-Morin on their side.
"She's amazing. She's so knowledgeable," Gilbert said. "She's very meticulous with me. We have a plan. It's been working. I'm so grateful to have her."
Other highlights on the girls' side belonged to Lyman Memorial's Emily McKelvey, first in the 100 meters (12.33) and second in the 300 hurdles (47.48) and Montville's Kamryn Plikus, first in the pole vault (10-6) and third in the high jump (5-0).
Old Lyme's Jacob Volkerts, a senior who has committed to run at the University of Rhode Island, won the boys' 100 meters (10.77) and was second in the 200 (21.95) after missing the indoor season with a back injury.
"It's been a roller coaster of emotions," Volkerts said. "I've just been focusing on decreasing my time. I'm aiming for lower times. I just want to make sure I can improve gradually."
Bloomfield won the boys' championship with 135 points. Old Lyme was the top local finisher, fifth with 43.
Other top local girls' finishers were Wheeler's Kaitlyn Kumpf (2nd, 1,600; 4th, 3,200), St. Bernard's Uliana Pokutnia (2nd, triple jump), Lyman Memorial's Hazel DeLucia (3rd, 1,600), Montville's Isabel Northrop (3rd, 100 hurdles), St. Bernard's Vanessa Colla (3rd, triple jump), Montville's Brenna LaBranche (4th, pole vault), Montville's Kiera Paradis (5th, javelin), Old Lyme's Mazzi (6th, 200) and Lyman Memorial's Laurelin Boyer (6th, pole vault).
Other top local boys' finishers were Old Lyme's Tyler Cann (2nd, shot put; 6th, discus), St. Bernard's Theodore Burrell (2nd, 300 hurdles), St. Bernard's Zane Baton (2nd, discus), Lyman Memorial's Kyle Franchi (2nd, pole vault), Old Lyme's Patrick Lynch (2nd, long jump), Old Lyme's Ryan Ortoleva (3rd, 800), St. Bernard's Colin Britner (4th, 1,600), St. Bernard's Oakely Garrison (6th, 100) and Lyman Memorial's Nicholas Zaprianov (6th, 300 hurdles).
