Canton's Chelsea Mitchell prevails in emotional 55-meter showdown with Bloomfield's Terry Miller; Glastonbury captures girls team title and Bloomfield boys rebound with dominant effort, led by Sean Dixon-Bodie, to secure crown

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

NEW HAVEN, CONN. – Conard’s Gavin Sherry wasn’t sure how he’d respond.

After anchoring the 4x800-meter relay to a sixth-place finish in 8 minutes, 11.46 seconds – valuable points for a team podium finish – Sherry was uncertain how he’d feel when he toed the line at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in the 3,200-meter race Saturday at the Connecticut State Open Indoor Track and Field Championships.

His response? Record-breaking.

Sherry and fellow sophomore Aidan Puffer of Manchester put on a clinic, lapping the entire field on their way to sub-nine minute performances, the first two ever produced in state history.

Sherry won the event in 8:54.47, a U.S. No. 1 time, breaking the Open record of 9:07.63 set in 2014 by Christian Alvarado of Fairfield Prep. Puffer was runner-up in 8:59.25, also under the previous mark.

RESULTS | PHOTOS | INTERVIEWS

“The second that gun went off I felt just amazing,” Sherry said. “That was such a fun race, Aidan was pushing me that entire time.”

Although he ran 9:02.58 in a full 2-mile race Jan. 18 at the New Balance Games, Sherry’s performance also broke the overall state 3,200 record 9:06.06 he set last weekend at the Class LL meet. Puffer’s time was a personal best by 10 seconds and currently U.S. No. 6.

“I felt so great,” Puffer said. “Sub-9 was my goal all season.”

The sensational sophomores set a fast pace from the first lap and ran together for most of the 16-lap race. It wasn’t until the final 600 meters when Sherry found another gear with his signature kick and created a gap that Puffer couldn’t close.

“I got caught in the lactic those last three laps,” Puffer said. “I kind of got demotivated but I saw the time and I was like, ‘I need to break nine.’”

Sherry, who is running in his first indoor season, is making the most of it. Conard finished in a tie with Glastonbury and Haddam-Killingworth for fourth place with 18 points.

“I mean it’s incredible to think about, two sophomores in the same state? It’s just so much fun,” he said. “I mean, it’s so exciting to have this experience. Not a lot of people get to experience this. It’s what I love to do.”

This year, the Bloomfield boys left no doubt who was the best team. The Warhawks scored an impressive 56 points to win the Open crown, with Wilbur Cross and Bristol Central tying for second with 20 points.

“Last year we were seeded No. 1 and I think we came in overconfident, the meet woke us up,” Bloomfield head coach Garfield White said. “We waited 365 days for another chance.”

Bloomfield was led by Sean Dixon-Bodie’s win in the high jump (6-4) and second place long jump (22-1.50) and was part of the runner-up 4x200 relay (1:32.52). Senior Michael Campbell won the shot put for Bloomfield (59-4.50), and the 4x400 ended the meet winning in 3:29.87.

“Goals (were) primarily just to help my team go for a State Open Championship,” Dixon-Bodie said.

Despite the win, Dixon-Bodie said there is room for improvement in his performances, and motivation heading into New Balance Nationals Indoor in March.

“I love them for that,” White said of his team acknowledging the room to grow and improve. “They always want more; that’s a great character that they all have. I like to smile when I hear that.”

Fairfield Ludlowe’s Tess Stapleton was on the long jump runway when she saw the 55-meter hurdle preliminary races getting ready to start.

“Today was a little tricky,” she said with a smile. “I did struggle a little bit today.”

For Stapleton, the struggle was easily turned into a victory. The junior hurdle and jump standout won the long jump title in (19-6) and then powered her way to the hurdle final, where she won in an Open record time of 8.04. Stapleton broke the 8.11 standard that was established in 1999 by Hillhouse’s Keisha Houghton.

“That was one of the longest-standing records that I've taken down,” she said. “That meant so much to me. Having a record as a goal really pushes me.”

Stapleton’s long jump is also currently tied for U.S. No. 6.

The girls team title was won by Glastonbury with 54 points, as the Tomahawks won the 4x200, 4x400 and finished runner-up in the sprint medley relay.

In the field, Norwich Free Academy’s Paige Martin set an Open record in the pole vault, clearing 12-6.

On the track, one of the premier events was the girls 55-meter dash, featuring Bloomfield’s Terry Miller and Canton’s Chelsea Mitchell.

In national news this month, Mitchell is one of three female student-athletes that have recently filed suit in federal court, attempting to bar transgender athletes Miller and Andraya Yearwood of Cromwell from competing against girls in track and field meets.

Mitchell, Selina Soule of Glastonbury and Alanna Smith of Danbury are represented by the conservative non-profit organization Alliance Defending Freedom. The organization argues that allowing athletes with male anatomy to compete has deprived their clients of track titles and scholarship opportunities.

Reporters and photographers from ESPN, NPR and the Washington Post gathered Saturday to witness Mitchell and Miller face off in the 55 dash final.

Mitchell won the race in a time of 7.15, while Kedarjah Lewis of Haddam-Killingworth was second (7.31). Miller, who ran a State Open record 6.95 last year, finished in third (7.37).

“My game plan was just to get out of my blocks, because that’s my big issue and just run my race, really,” Miller said. “For me, it’s not about place, it’s about my time. It wasn’t what I was going for, so I'm kind of disappointed with myself.”

Miller said being on the starting line was difficult.

“I have so much going on, I’m trying to remain focused on the line and it’s kind of pressuring in a way sometimes,” she said. “I’m still proud of myself overall to how I manage it. I mean, I could do things better, but I feel like I’m holding it all together pretty well.”

Mitchell, who also finished second in the long jump (19-0.75) and fourth in the 300 (41.52), said it was emotional being in the 55 dash, but tried her best to keep a clear head.

“It's difficult, but I'm a very focused person,” she said.