NEW BRITAIN – Last year, Suffield High’s Lourdes Lawson had what she called “a really bad day” at the Class MM track and field championship meet. She had put in a lot of work and was hoping simply to qualify for the finals but did not.
This year was different. Lawson, a junior, had a breakout day Tuesday at the Class MM meet at Willowbrook Park. She won the shot put title with a throw of 37 feet, 11 1/2 inches, almost three feet more than she had thrown all season. Before that, she won the discus championship on her last throw (114 feet).
“I’ve been thinking about this all week,” she said. “I just went to my sister’s (middle school) state meet on Saturday and it really motivated me to do well. I was thinking about my goals for the season.”
Lawson helps coach her sister, Lauren, who finished second in the shot put.
“It also hit my heart because I realized how much I loved this sport and how dedicated I am,” she said. “If you put in work, you’ll get results.”
Class MM track championships: Suffield junior Lourdes Lawson wins the shot put title with this throw of 37 feet, 11.5 inches to go along with her Class MM discus title she won earlier #cttrack pic.twitter.com/xuzTrPmxEi
— Lori Riley (@lrileysports) May 28, 2024
Lawson didn’t start off well Tuesday; her first throw was 101 in the discus, 16 feet off her best.
“Someone was beating me by 10 feet,” she said. “I was like, ‘What do I need to do to get past this?’ so I focused on my technique and I was able to get 114 on my last throw.”
She went into the shot put feeling pretty good and on her third attempt, got her winning throw.
“She has focus, determination and she has put in a lot of work,” said Suffield co-coach Sean McCue, who coaches the throwers. “The discus is more of a hit or miss for her. Her last three meets, she’s been consistent. During the season, it would be foul, good throw, foul, foul.
“She’s been consistent in shot, just not 37 (feet).”
Lawson was surprised to win both events.
“I don’t think it’s kicked in yet,” she said. “My coaches are jumping around more than me.”
Hand boys win title
The Hand boys were second in Class MM in 2021 and ’22. Senior Kyle Hoffman was a member of those teams and he finished second in the 400 meters in the last two years.
Tuesday, Hoffman won (and set a meet record) in the 400 and his team won the state title, edging out runner-up East Lyme, 101-98.33, by winning the final two events.
Hoffman was the anchor for the 4×400, which won in 3:21.35. Hand senior Matthew Kasper won the triple jump (45 feet, 8 3/4 inches).
“Being first feels so much better than being second,” said Hoffman, who ran a 48.23 in the 400, beating the record set by Weaver’s Daundre Barnaby (48.42) in 2008.
“We were confident in our ability as a 4×400 team and Matt Kasper in the triple jump, we were confident in him, too.”
Senior John Daniels also was a winner for Hand, in the 300 hurdles (39.26).
Hillhouse won the girls team title with 73 points and Mercy finished second with 60.
Mercy sophomore wins 800
Mercy’s Sarah Roberts had never beaten Branford’s Lucy Moran, a senior who is headed to Villanova. But Roberts, a sophomore, came on strong at the end of the 800 meters and won in 2:14.08. Moran was second in 2:14.17.
Mercy’s Sarah Roberts wins the Class MM 800 title in 2:14.08 #cttrack pic.twitter.com/isK9rR88ro
— Lori Riley (@lrileysports) May 28, 2024
“She had a good lead on me but the second lap, I was like, ‘I am going to try to get her,’” Roberts said. “I just went as fast as I could.”
Roberts was injured last spring and didn’t compete until May. She won the Class M cross country title last fall but doesn’t run in the winter, opting to play ice hockey.