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TA Indoor Track Runners Break Records in New Englands

Eight Thetford Academy indoor track athletes traveled to the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston on Saturday, March 2, to compete with the best track athletes in New England.

“We came into the meet with four goals,” Coach Charlie Buttrey said. “One, that the boys 4 x 800 relay team would reclaim its state record. Two, that Layla Hanissian would set a P.R. in the 1000. Three, that Tad Darrah would set a P.R. in the 1000. And four, that the girls 4 x 400 relay team would compete strongly.”

Upon entering the season, the Vermont D-II state record in the 4 x 800 relay was held by Thetford Academy. But then, in December, Vergennes broke the record. But then, at the Dartmouth Relays, junior Tad Darrah, and seniors Eli Kaliski, Bel Spelman and Owen Deffner broke that record and returned it to TA. But THEN, at the state meet, Vergennes broke THAT record. To bring the record back home, the boys needed to run faster than 8:52.11.

This New Englands race was spectacular, according to Coach Buttrey: “Tad threw down an amazing first leg, Owen blew out the second leg, Eli followed with a fabulous third leg, and Bel, the anchor, brought it home.”

Their final time was 8:43.53, which beat Vergennes’ state record by just over eight seconds. Thetford Academy now once again owns Vermont’s best time in the boys 4 x 800 relay.

In the 1000 meter girls race, Layla Hanissian bested her P.R. by nearly six seconds, and finished in 3:21.97, putting her second on the TA record board.

In the 1000 meter boys race, Tad Darrah broke the Thetford Academy record, knocking four seconds off his P.R. and finishing in 2:45.34.

Finally, the girls 4 x 400 relay team — Layla, Hannah Schwarz, Morgan Gaffney, and Samara Spelman, finished in 4:53.72, which placed them on the school record board, with the third-fastest time in TA history.

Top Photo: Owen, Bel, Eli, Tad. Bottom Photo: Morgan, Hannah, Layla, and Samara.

Coach Buttrey continued, “We now say goodbye to a stalwart class of seniors— Anabel Reining, Hannah Schwarz, Bel Spelman, Eli Kaliski, Owen Deffner, and Gabe Gaetz — all of whom leave with at least one spot on the school record board, and all of whom were part of the transformation of this program from a club to a varsity team that earned itself a banner on the gym wall.”

Those interested in watching the races may access them as follows:

Click here and then look on the left of the two screens. The boys 4 x 800 relay starts at 1:25.15. Layla’s 1000 starts at 2:40.30. Tad’s 1000 starts at 2:51.50. And the girls 4 x 400 relay starts at 4:21.20.

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