Danbury Flyers Run Well At Youth Track Meets

DANBURY, Conn. -- The Danbury Flyers recently competed in two track and field meets.

Danbury Flyers girls exchange the baton during a relay race at the meet. The Danbury Flyers recently competed in two track and field meets.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

05/03/2016 3:15 p.m.

On Friday, April 15, the Flyers competed in a middle school meet held in Ridgefield, where the fifth-eighth grade Flyers girls and boys teams competed against the New Fairfield Flash, Scotts Ridge Middle School and East Ridge Middle School.

The Flyer girls dominated the competition, taking first, while the smaller Flyer boys took third, behind Scotts Ridge and New Fairfield.

Individual running event winners at the middle school meet included Valerie Fox in the 1600m (6:07.4) and Greta Gilbert in the 800m (2:51.3) and in the 100m (13.84).

The Flyers had three relay teams finishing in first, including the girls 4x100m relay team: Briana Gilliard, Aaliyah Novas, Sofia Whelchel and Kimberleigh Williams (57.23), the boys 4x100 relay team: Eric Civitella, Jesse Mboya, Zahir McLean Felix, Thomas Schoelkopf (1.00.1) and the girls 4x400 relay team: Briana Gilliard, Aliyah Novas, Sofia Whelchel and Kimberleigh Williams (4:52.7)

Finishing first in field events for the Flyers were Zahir McLean Felix in the shot put (24' 9.5") and Greta Gilbert in the long jump (13' 11") and in the high jump (4' 6").

The Flyers' second track and field meet of the break was a developemental meet held on Sunday, April 17, at Bloomfield High School in Bloomfield. Despite the large number of competitors, the Flyers had several first place finishes as well.

Finishing first in individual running events were Eric Civitella in the (boys 15-16) 800m (2:49.5), Julian Mendez in the (boys 7-8) 80m hurdles (17.89) and Gabriella Teixeira in the (girls 13-14) 1600m (5:55.5) and in the (girls 13-14) 800m (2:41.6).

Additionally, the Flyers had a winning relay team in the (girls 13-14) 4x400m: Gabriella Teixeira, Vivian Mendez, Valerie Fox and Danae Sherman (4:55.3).

Field events were also a strong suit for the Flyers. The team earned two first place finishes: Nick Manfredonia claimed first in the (boys 9-10) shot put with a throw of 10' 8" and Marianna Teixeira finished first in the (girls 11-12) long jump with a jump of 11' 8".

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