Derby’s Bukalo Sets State Record

Even though no teams from the Valley were crowned champions Saturday, track is building itself a bright local future. 

Teams that haven’t scored, or for that matter, competed, in previous seasons, showed positive at the Class S championships at the New Haven Athletic Center.

Bukalo Leads Derby

Derby High made a name for itself in boys indoor track by scoring 11 points to finish 13th. 

In years past, Derby didn’t have an indoor track team.

Red Raider senior captain Enis Bukalo is singlehandedly responsible for this by not only winning the shot put (55 – 7), but setting a state record in it as well.

All the hard came together and it was a matter of putting everything together,” Bukalo said. It feels great, especially coming from a small town like Derby.”

Overall, seven Derby athletes qualified for Class S. Sophomore Hector Vazquez and seniors Carl McElya, Xavier Pyle and Adrian Roberts scored the team’s other point by leading the 4×200 meter relay team to sixth place (1:39.48).

We did very well,” Red Raiders Coach Nick DiLuggio said. It was a breakthrough because Enis broke the state record. It’s a big deal for the town and a big deal for Enis.”

Bukalo said, We haven’t done this in a long time. We’re starting a new program on the right note.”

The season is far from over for Bukalo. Next week, he will be the top-seed in the State Open and if he does as well as he’s projected to, he will compete at the New England championships on March 5.

I hope to break my personal record and break the record again,” Bukalo said.

Seymour

One team that has recently experienced success – the defending Class M champions Seymour High boys indoor track team – didn’t do as well at Class S. 

Although Seymour put out a great effort, it proved that track is the one sport where quantity is just as important as quality. 

The Wildcats lost Josh Roman, Tony Pastore and Garrett Sharnick (all on the Class M champion 4×200 meter relay team) and didn’t have the depth they had last year. 

Nevertheless, Seymour had two athletes who stood out and finished tied for sixth with Old Saybrook with 28 points.

It’s disappointing after winning last year,” Wildcats Coach David Willadsen said. We lost a lot of depth and graduated some top seniors.”

Seymour senior captain Jacob Drozd said, This year was a rebuilding year.”

Drozd scored 18 points for the Wildcats, starting with a win in the high jump by leaping 6‑feet, 9‑inches, surpassing his seed (6 – 8).

I just stayed relaxed and I focused the whole time,” Drozd said.

Also grabbing a win for Seymour was senior captain Ryan Luby in the pole vault (13 – 6).

I just stayed calm and I focused on what I usually do,” Luby said. I focused on my form.”

Drozd took second place in the shot put (49 – 9).

I just threw it hard,” Drozd said.

The Seymour girls indoor track team finished tied for 21st place with Woodland with 3 points but feels its performance was an accomplishment. Last year, the Lady Wildcats didn’t score.

Juniors Taylor Tema and Kim Ferris, sophomore Emily Dieckman and senior Kristiann Kassay led the 4×800 meter relay team to fifth place with a time of 10:38.76, beating its seed time (10:52.60) by over 10 seconds. In the pole vault, junior Kayla Bleau (8 – 6) took sixth. Senior Kelsey Hull almost scored in the 55-meter hurdles and finished seventh (9.59), .05 second out of sixth place.

The girls did well,” Willadsen said. To score this year is a step in the right direction.”

Other Valley Scorers

Ansonia High senior Bobby Kinnebrew was seeded fifth in the 55-meter dash but placed third (6.76) to give the Chargers 6 points and in a four-way tie for 21st place. Oxford High senior Deven Diaz took fifth in the shot put (47 – 3.5) to give the Wolverines two points and in a three-way tie for 29th place.

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