NEW HAVEN – The Bloomfield High boys needed to get a fourth place in the 4×400-meter relay at the State Open indoor track meet Saturday afternoon to beat Lyman Hall for its first state title since 2020.
Lyman Hall, the defending champion which had four competitors – senior twins Aaron and Ethan Rich and two pole vaulters – was leading Bloomfield by three points after 13 events.
Bloomfield coach Garfield White, sitting trackside, was a little nervous.
“My wife went in one corner, another coach went into another corner, and I just sat down right here and watched,” he said, laughing.
Bloomfield got fourth in the relay, edging Lyman Hall, 41-40, and the Warhawks were able to join their girls team, which won its third State Open title in the last four years, in celebration.
“Lyman Hall did a great job,” White said. “They went above and beyond what they were scheduled to come in and do and I was like, ‘Wow. Those twins are champions.”
Aaron Rich won the long jump with a meet record 24-4 ¼ while his brother Ethan finished third (23-1/4). Ethan won the high jump (6-8) and Aaron finished third (6-6). Aaron also got second in the 300 (34.60).
While the boys coaches were stressing out, the Bloomfield girls won easily, with 76 points and Greenwich was the runner-up with 55.
“This is a very talented senior class,” Bloomfield girls coach Anne Burrows said. “Probably the best senior class I’ve ever had. Probably the most talented team all-around I’ve ever had. They had all the confidence in the world they were going to get this done today.”
The Bloomfield boys only had one winner – shot putter Khile Francis, who had won three Class S titles but never a State Open championship until Saturday. This year, he finished second to Bacon Academy’s Liam Sweeney in Class S but Saturday, he came in seeded second and won with a throw of 58 feet, 2 inches. Sweeney finished third (57-1/2).
“He had a good performance in Class S and I didn’t throw as well,” Francis said.
Because every point counted for the Warhawks, Francis’ victory was big.
“It was huge,” he said. “That was crazy. I’m ecstatic. We’ve haven’t won since 2020 so it feels good. Everybody contributed.”
Ethan Rowe and Jesse Singleton Jr. went 2-4 in the high jump and Shaun Lazenby and Javonni Reynolds went 3-4 in the 55 hurdles while Singleton Jr. was sixth in the long jump for Bloomfield.
The girls had multiple winners, including junior Saphyr Brown (55 meters, 4×200) and senior Vanessa Agyemang, Brown and senior April Nathaniel went 1-2-3 in the long jump for the second straight year, all jumping over 18 feet.
Brown was disqualified last year in the 55 after a false start. This year, she won in 7.05 seconds.
“This year I wanted to come back and win,” she said. “I just want to keep PRing.”
Windsor’s Simpson breaks meet record
Shelldon Simpson, who ran at East Hartford, still holds the meet record for the State Open 55 meters (6.23), set in 2000. His son, Windsor senior Shelldon Simpson II, won the titleSaturday in 6.30. He also won the 300 in 33.90, breaking the meet record set by Weaver’s Daundre Barnaby (34.10, set in 2009).
And he was the leadoff leg for the 4×400 relay, which also set a meet record (3:23.93), breaking Hall’s 2023 record of 3:24.28.
“That 55 – I wasn’t really expecting that, because I’m not a 55 athlete but that 300 – that 33.9 – I knew I could get a 33 because of what I’ve been doing in training and my consistency on the track,” Simpson II said.
“Usually in the 55, I’m catching people. I got out in front of everybody in the prelims and the finals, I’m very shocked about that and proud of it.”
Windsor coach Kelvan Kearse said that they were working on starts as late as Friday night to get ready for the meet.
“He’s been working consistently harder in practice,” Kearse said. “He was always coming back in his 55s. I told him, ‘We got to get you out in front.’ We were doing drills. 7, 7:30 last night and you saw it right there – the fruits of his labor. He got right out. I was like, ‘Damn, race over.’”
Simpson II said he plans to try to break his dad’s record at the New England championships.
“He told me after I ran that you still haven’t beat me, so I don’t think he thinks I can get it,” Simpson II said. “I know New Englands, there’s more competition, there’s a very good chance I could beat that record. We’ll see though.”
More meet records broken
Hand’s Sean Arms won the pole vault title and tied the meet record set by Hall’s Liam Wright of 15-6 Saturday. … East Hartford’s Davion Johnson set a meet record in the 55 hurdles (7.22), breaking a record from 2005 (7.26, Myles Bradley, NFA). … Glastonbury’s Lauren Parrett broke an 11-year-old meet record in the 3,200 set by Hannah DeBalsi of Staples (10:40.55), winning the race in 10:40.36. … Manchester’s Samiya Eady won the 300 title (40.06).
For complete meet results, go to www.casciac.org.