DANBURY – Zachary Carifa scored 21 points in individual events and fellow senior Andrew O’Donnell had 18 points to lead Greenwich to the team title at the 2022 FCIAC Boys Outdoor Track and Field Championship on May 24 at Danbury High School.
Carifa and O’Donnell both had a victory and a runner-up finish.
Carifa placed first in the 110-meter hurdles (15.66), second in the high jump (6 feet, 2 inches) and fifth in the long jump.
O’Donnell won the 200 with a time of 21.6 and placed second in the 100-meter dash (11.19).
It was Greewich’s first FCIAC championship since 1990 when the Cardinals tied Staples and both teams were co-champions. It was the first outright team title for the Cardinals since 1976.
They won this year’s championship by quite the slim margin, just four points more than defending champion Danbury. Greenwich finished with 110 points and Danbury had 106.
Trumbull (67 points) placed third by just one point ahead of Norwalk while Darien (63) was close behind in fourth place.
Also coming through with big points for Greenwich’s Cardinals, Zachary Jelinek won the 1,600 in 4:18.95, Gianluca Bianchi was runner-up in the 400 (49.57), Harrison Goldenberg took third in the 400, and those three teamed up with and Isaac Davres to win the 4×400 relay (3:25.42) for 10 more pivotal team points at the end of the meet.
Kyle Thomas and Christian Jolly, a pair of seniors, led Danbury by scoring 16 individual points apiece with a victory and third-place finish.
Thomas won the 100-meter dash in 11.05 and placed third in the 200 (22.65), while Jolly was first in the 300 intermediate hurdles (42.1) and third in the 110 high hurdles (16.09).
Danbury also received runner-up finishes from Joshua Morales in the triple jump (41-8) and Jayden Leroy in the long jump (20-3¼)
Trumbull distance runner Mohammed Abunar won the 3,200 (9:38.69) and placed third in the 1,600 (4:20.38). Trumbull’s Mike Prizio (131-10) and Niko Konstantinidis (123-0) placed first and second, respectively, in the discus. Trumbull’s Evan Dadson was second in the 110 high hurdles (15.73).
Steven Ditelberg of Fairfield Ludlowe won the pole vault with an outstanding vault of 14 feet, 6 inches and his teammate, Bennett Hemphill, cleared 14 feet to place second.
Also Ludlowe, Tyler Bartlett was runner-up in the 800 (1:57.81), Ethan Carty took second in the 3,200 (9:41.47), and those two teamed up with Nathan Cramer and Kristofer Mellor to win the 4×800 relay (8:09.7).
The other boys individual champions included Norwalk’s Chance Teel in the triple jump (41-9) and Duke Quermorllue in the high jump (6-4), Wilton’s Ryan Johnson in the long jump (20-9), Brien McMahon’s Marques Singleton in the shot put (47-6), Will Harmon of Staples in the javelin (150-5), Darien’s Kyle Bloomer in the 400 (49.37), and Ridgefield sophomore Steven Hergenrother in the 800 (1:56.29).
The other runner-up finishers included Wilton’s Malcolm McCormick in the 1,600 (4:19.28), Deandre Duncan of Warren Harding in the 200 (22.6), Norwalk’s Zion Paul in the 300 hurdles (42.11), Ridgefield’s Liam Nguyen in the shot put (45-10), and New Canaan’s Javier Perez-Soto in the javelin (149-5).