WHS girls’ indoor track on state tournament run

Five days a week, the WHS girls' indoor track team can be found running the halls of the high school in preparation for CCC competition. Photos by Kathryn Elliott.

Veteran Windsor High School track coach Ron Wilson has a fresh group of determined young women making 2012 the year Warrior indoor track and field burns up the records books. With an unprecedented 18 qualifiers for the CCC tournament and nine athletes headed to States, the team’s strong individual and combined performances are cementing Windsor’s place in high school track history.

“My goal for the rest of the season is to put the team in a position to compete at the CCC Championship and States,” Wilson said. “I would like to take several girls to the New England Championships and compete at Nationals in three or four events. I want the girls to improve on their current times and enjoy the rest of the season.”

Senior captains Medinah Nabadduka, Janae Wilson and Sarah Whalen anchor this year’s team. “My favorite part of the season is competing at out-of-state events like the Rhode Island Classic,” Nabadduka said. At the Rhody Classic on Jan. 7, she qualified for States in the 600M with a time of 1:40:86, and earlier in the season in the 1,600M and 1,000M.

“I expect Medinah to be among the best 1000 meter runners in the state,” Wilson said.

“Janae is a returning state champion in the long jump and could repeat,” Wilson said of own daughter’s accomplishment. At the Rhode Island Invitational on Dec. 28, Wilson qualified for the States in long jump with a distance of 17-9.75, as well as the high jump with a height of 4.10 at the Glastonbury meet held Dec. 22.

At the New Haven invitational on Dec. 16, Whalen qualified for the States’ shot put competition with a distance of 33-00.25. “My personal best is 33.1 from an earlier meet, that was my season highlight,” she said.

Rounding out Windsor’s States qualifiers: Melissa Wolliston, long jump; Samantha Blake, shot put; Jahzmin Cooper, 55M Dash; Vanessa Harris, 55M Dash and 300M; Applelonia Dawes and Courtney Kearse, 300M.

For a full list of WHS girls’ indoor track CCC tournament qualifiers and information on state competition, visit www.casciac.org.