Staff Report
The Springfield High School Track & Field team hosted their first home meet since the Marble Valley League (MVL), now known as the Southern Vermont League, championships of May 2019. On that now-distant day, the Springfield boys placed second to Thetford ahead of 13 other teams, foreshadowing their historic first runner-up result at Division 3 States two weeks later.
And there have been many changes since.
“COVID-19 has changed how we train, compete, and host a meet.” said Springfield head coach Jim Fog. “We’re adjusting to a substantial number of students working fully-remote or through a hybrid model, while others reengage as much as possible. We’ve also graduated two classes since our last competition, but we’ve retained a motivated core group of leaders, recruited some new talent, and this year both our boys’ and girls’ teams look poised for success!”
The Cosmos faced Division 1 powerhouse Brattleboro and Division 4 upstart Leland & Gray in their first contest. Around 100 spectators spaced themselves along the grassy bank overlooking Springfield High School track, in one of the largest school-related gatherings since the pandemic hit
Among Saturday’s highlights, senior multi-event veteran Anna Ondre won high jump with a best of 4 feet, 9 inches, placed second in the 400m at 1:15, and placed fourth in the long jump. Junior Alicia Ostrom won the girls 3000m run with a 14:44, and sophomore Angelina Woychosky placed second with a 14:48. Junior Chloe Jerman-Brown, who started the winning 4x800m relay, also placed second individually in the 800m. Senior Hannah Dolloff placed sixth in the 100m. Woychosky and Ostrom finished fourth and fifth in the 1500m respectively. The Cosmos girls’4x800m relay consisting of Jerman-Brown, Ostrom, Woychosky, and Ondre won with a time of 12:25.
Senior Captain Haley Gibbons won girls’ triple jump with a jump of 28 feet, 2 inches, placed second in the high jump at 4 feet, 5 inches, second in the long jump at 12 feet, 9 inches, and second in the shot put with a throw of 22 feet, 3 inches.
“Coming back after two years was definitely an adjustment, but I think our team did beautifully,” Gibbons said. “We have many returning athletes, several of whom got Personal Records(PRs) Saturday, while our first-year teammates seem to have found their footing.”
“Haley could’ve been overwhelmed when they called three of her events at once, but she managed to do well anyway,” said assistant coach Samantha Metcalf. “Anna looked great considering her long hiatus.”
Freshman Hannah Zierfus took third in shot with a personal record throw of 20 feet, 5 inches. Junior Olivia Howard placed fourth, Junior Gabby Anders fifth, and Senior Captain Skyler Congdon sixth.
Congdon, who won the girls’ discus crown at the 2019 MVL meet, also won that event on Saturday with a best of 59 feet, 8.5 inches, while Anders placed second with 49 feet, 9.5 inches. Howard placed fourth and Zierfus fifth.
“It’s exciting to see that I haven’t gotten too rusty after missing a year,” said Congdon, who injured her knee last summer. “My injury kept me from training as I normally would, but I’m starting to get my strength back. I prepared by icing and heating my knee prior to the meet, and that allowed me to bring home the win for my team.”
Gabby Anders won javelin with a promising best throw of 67 feet, 8 inches. Anders and Howard joined track and field for the first time this season, and Zierfus hasn’t competed since Riverside, making those performances all the more impressive.
“Well to be honest I felt quite surprised that I placed first and second due to the fact it was my first meet,” said Andres when asked about her success in throwing. “It was exciting to find out that I placed higher up and I’m pumped for the next track meet.”
Junior Chris Jeffers won the long jump with a personal record of 18 feet, 2 inches, placed second in the high jump with a personal record of 5 feet, 6 inches, and second in the 100m at 12.81, then ran first-leg of the 4×400 relay.
“I just focused on doing the best I could in every event,” Jeffers said. “The training in practice really helped with that. This season I want to push myself and everyone else to get better.”
Junior baseball crossover Sam Presch took advantage of a break in his game schedule to compete in his first track and field meet, placing second in the 400m at 59.47, fifth in the 100m at 13.14, and anchoring the Cosmos boys’ 4x400m relay.
Junior Captain Aidan Donahue won shot put with a personal record throw of 37 feet, 8 inches, and also took third in disc.
“It’s surreal having last thrown here as a freshman to return as a junior and captain,” Donahue said. “I never stopped training despite a football injury last fall, and I feel lucky that I’ve progressed so much. I hope I can fulfill my responsibilities as Captain and present a valid role model for our younger athletes.”
Sophomore Cole Wright finished fourth in disc and threw 28 feet in shot for a personal record.
Senior Donavin Smith won javelin with a dramatic 15-foot personal record of 112 feet, 7 inches, and got third in shot with a personal record of 32 feet, 3 inches. Junior Caleb Roby, another baseballer, placed fourth in shot and sixth in javelin in his first-ever meet.
“Coach Fog and I have been preaching form over force in the early season, and especially for the newer throwers,” said Volunteer Throws Assistant Deacon Watson. “We’ve also hammered away at rules and expectations for meets. Looks like they’re learning.”
Junior Timmy Amsden took third in the 400m while freshman Marshall Simpson got fifth, and also threw a personal record of 24 feet, 1 inch in shot. Freshman Dylan Magoon got fifth in javelin and threw a personal record of 20 feet, 9 inches in shot. Besides placing second in the 800m with a personal record of 2:23, sophomore Damian Stagner placed fourth in the 1500m. The boys’ 4x400m relay consisting of Jeffers, Amsden, Stagner, and Presch took second place with a time of 4:25.
“We had a great atmosphere and team camaraderie,” said coach Stephen Lawrence. “It was exciting to see our student-athletes get back to competition, I think that a lot of rust was shaken off, and we will see more big personal records soon!”
“It was a beautiful day for our first meet of the season,” Dowman said. “Our athletes performed extremely well despite taking a year off, and I was very proud to see so much support for both fellow teammates and athletes from other schools, demonstrating that true Cosmos spirit!”
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