Track and Field- Girls 4^th, Boys 3^rd (TCIS Tournament)

The Track and Field teams took to the track at Norfolk Academy on Tuesday night for the TCIS Championships, which coincided with Senior Day.  The team did not disappoint, as the seniors led the way to a 4th place finish for the girls and a historic 3rd place finish for the boys.

The boys’ 3rd place finish with 62 points was the highest in school history and was a remarkable feat considering the team scored no points and finished last in 2018.  The team kick-started the scoring started early in what has become signature events for CHC, the long and triple jumps.  Danny Banister continued to excel, taking the gold in the long jump with a school record of 21-2.75, an improvement of nearly a foot over his previous best.  Banister continued to dominate the jumps, setting another school record in the triple jump (40-7), en route to the silver.  The triple jump record had stood since 2004.  Banister later teamed up with Ethan Jones, William Wei, and Carter Ward to edge out the team from NA for the silver in a thrilling 4×100 relay, setting another school record in 46.35.  Banister grabbed 5th in the 100 and 200, while Jones took 6th in the 200.  Carter Ward also set a new school record in the discus with a throw of 95-02, while Ben Scott set a new school record in the 110 hurdles with a time of 19.06.  Not to be outdone by Banister’s night, Owen Richards put his final stamp on what has been an incredible TCIS career.  Richards has dominated TCIS competition for the last three years and Tuesday would be no different.  After anchoring the 4×800 relay team of Landon Clay, Briggs Standing, and Berk Alptekin to the silver, Richards took to the track for the 1600 and 3200.  In the mile, Owen ground his opponents, cruising to the win in what looked like an easy 4:31.  The 3200 provided the same results, as the competition was outmatched, as Owen’s margin of victory was nearly 30 seconds for a comfortable victory and All-TCIS status.

The girls proved the sum of all parts is greater than the whole as they put together an excellent team effort en route to their 4th place finish.  Claire Bingham got the scoring started with two silver finishes in thrilling long and triple jumps.  Both jumps came down to the last jump but did not go the Dolphin’s way.  Bingham rebounded to grab the silver in the 400 with a new PR of 1:01.11 and 5th in the 200m.  After missing last year’s TCIS Championship due to injury, Caroline Beaulieu was determined to shine.  Beaulieu came out and grabbed the bronze in the discus, with a toss of 76-08, a PR of over 4 feet.  Beaulieu then teamed up with Gab Gianascoli, Hannah Gunn, and Natalie Hubbard to take the bronze in the 4×100.  However, the most exciting moment of the night came in the final event, the 4×400 relay.  Entering the event as the 5th seed (with a time of 4:51), Gianascoli set the tone early, staking the team to an early lead.  Gunn continued to keep the team in the top two, while Hubbard race the race of her life, splitting a 69-second relay split to put the team in striking distance of the lead.  Handing the baton off to Bingham, the Dolphins trailed NA by 30 meters.  Within 150m, Bingham had caught the Bulldogs and pulled ahead.  Bingham continued to open her lead, crossing the line in first and giving the 4×400 a TCIS win.  The team’s time of 4:27.46 was another school record, the 5th of the night for the Track and Field program.

The team will have the next week and a half to prepare for the VISAA Championships before traveling to Richmond on May 18.