On Jan.3 Coginchaug’s boys track team finished with 70 points, only behind Old Saybrook (88), in the first Shoreline Conference Meet. This is a strong start for the back-to-back defending outdoor track Shoreline Champs– one that senior leader Hayden Rovelli is proud of.

“To place second in your first meet, it feels good…,” Rovelli said. “We got a lot of support from our senior class, which is to be expected, but some underclassmen stepped up, and that’s what really pushed us to second.”

Coginchaug only finished three points ahead of East Hampton (67).

Hayden Rovelli went on to say, “We’re starting in a good place, and we believe the best is yet to come. Our team has potential, and that’s getting us all excited for the rest of the season.”

Coginchaug’s next meet is Saturday, Jan.12. Quickly followed by the Old Saybrook Qualifier Monday, January 14th.

Team captain Tim Arcari said, “We want to see personal improvement because personal improvement means team improvement. We’re all focused on getting better, and that’ll lead to the success of the team.”

On the 3rd, three Coginchaug athletes stood out. Senior Ryan Genest helped Coginchaug win points in three events, finishing 7th in the 55 Meter and 2nd in the 300 Meter and was a solid base for the 4×200 team who also finished 2nd.

Rovelli said, “It’s great having an athlete like Ryan on the team. He’s tall and fast; he fits the build for the track star… Combine that with his throwing ability, and he really helps the team gain points.”  

Another Coginchaug standout was Arcari who placed 1st in High Jump, second in Long Jump and 4th in the 55 Meter 39’’ Hurdles. Arcari, a multisport athlete, has a lot of abilities that make him an integral and versatile part of this team’s success. Combine this with his leadership abilities, and he makes for another cornerstone of Coginchaug’s indoor Shoreline Championship hopes.

Lastly is Pole Vaulter Hayden Rovelli. Although he only competes in one event, he’s damn good at it. Every meet, Coginchaug can basically pencil in 10 points for the consistent first place finisher. To go along with this, he brings experience and leadership to the indoor team. While this is only the outdoor captain’s first indoor season, there’s no reason to believe he cannot compete at the same high level he competes at in outdoor, having concluded his spring 2018 season at New Englands.

All upcoming indoor events are held at the Floyd Little Athletic Center.

Notable Results (Top 10 Finishes) by Event

Points are accumulated through all events and then added together. Points are given to the top 8 finishers in each event.