City track teams finish in top 10 at FCIACs

The Brien McMahon girls track team and the Norwalk High boys track team both notched top-ten finishes Thursday evening during the 2011 FCIAC Indoor Track Championship meet at the New Haven Athletic Center.

Sprinter/hurdler Shellyann Lindo led the Senators, who finished in seventh with 25 points, by securing first in the 55-meter dash, third in the 300, and second in the 55-meter hurdles. Lindo will go on to compete in all three events at next week's Class LL Championship meet.

"Shelly did very well in all of her events," McMahon head coach Jeff Brenston said.

Referring to her times of 7.38 in the dash and 42.82 in the 300, he added, "Those were both personal bests for her."

"I need to stay low over the hurdles and run faster between them," Lindo said of adjustments she will make before the Class LL meet.

"And I need to continue to get my knees up in the dash. But I hope I can win."

Shot putter Kim McElveen (sixth, 28'7") grabbed a point for the Senators and teammate Kamri Yarborough (seventh, 28'6") finished just outside scoring range.

Brenston said distance runner Dana Bradley executed two noteworthy performances in the 1600 (13th, 5:48) and the 3200 (19th, 12:58), while sister Megan Bradley competed in the 3200 despite lingering illness.

The McMahon boys team did not have any scoring athletes or relays in the FCIAC meet.

For the Norwalk Bears, the one-two punch of Adam Robertino (8.09) and Billy Reyes (8.24) in the 55-meter hurdles accounted for more than half of the Bears' 26 points on the way to their eighth place finish.

"The boys had a great day," coach Pat Moffett said.

"Before the race [Billy and I] both had our minds set," Robertino said. "We always try to be the first ones to the first hurdle....Then really slowly, I just started to creep out. When I crossed that line I was relieved."

Robertino said he feels "pretty confident" headed into the Class LL Championship meet and said he remains seeded first.

"That was my best race so far," Reyes said. "I was pumping from the beginning. Getting second surprised me."

Reyes said his goal for the season is to move on from the Class LL meet to the State Open.

The Bears' 4X800-meter relay team locked down a fifth place finish with an 8:58 clocking.

"They were seeded seventh," Moffett said. "So to go from seventh to fifth was a big accomplishment."

Isiah Bell (6') grabbed third for the Bears in the high jump.

On the girls' side, sprinter/hurdler Ivy Chen secured fourth (9.54) in the 55-hurdles, good for six points, while teammate Katie Pachkovsky (9.65) finished in fifth, helping the Bears come in 12th with 15 points.

"They both ran personal best times," Moffett said.

"It didn't really feel that fast," Chen said. "I was aiming for third. My goal now is to try to make it to the Open."

Moffett also praised the performances of underclassman Crystle Hill, who finished fifth in the 55-meter dash (7.65), and Claire Turner, who grabbed sixth in the 600 (1:43).

"Freshmen and sophomores getting points at the FCIAC meet is awesome," he said.

The indoor track season will continue for the Bears and Senators next Saturday with the Class LL Championship meet at the New Haven Fieldhouse.