The 2022 outdoor track and field season saw the Greenwich High School boys team win the team title at the FCIAC Championships and place second at the CIAC Class LL Championships. With a strong nucleus of athletes returning from last season’s championship squad and a talented group of first-year varsity athletes, the Cardinals are hoping to soar to new heights this spring.

“The team is looking really good,” said Greenwich senior Gianluca Bianchi, one of the Cardinals’ senior captains. “We saw a lot of seniors leave last year, but as we’ve seen for the indoor season, the team is really triumphant, especially the sprinters, the relays things, we’ve been doing our thing.”

Bianchi won three individual events Tuesday against Trumbull, leading Greenwich to an impressive 85-65 season-opening win at Cardinal Stadium. Junior Antonio Ciccarelli won two individual events for the Cardinals, who were especially strong in the running events, while making their mark in the field events.

Bianchi won the 100-meter run with a time of 11.17 seconds. Teammate/captain Harrison Goldenberg, a junior, placed second in 11.45 seconds, followed by Cardinals sophomore Caleb You (11.49). Cameron Williams (11.62) and Kaiser Ilker, also sophomores, were fourth and seventh, respectively, in the 100-meter dash for the Cardinals. Greenwich is coming off an indoor track and field season in which it won the FCIAC team championship and placed a strong second at the Class LL Championships.

“We have some really good momentum right now from the indoor season and we’re trying to bring that into the championship season,” Bianchi noted. “It’s going to be very exciting this year – my last year on the team.”

In the 200-meter run, Bianchi crossed the finish line first (22.50 seconds), followed by Goldenberg (23.00), who is optimistic about the Cardinals’ potential.

“I think I’m very confident that we can excel at the state and FCIAC meets,” Goldenberg said. “We have a strong, rounded out team now and we have seemed to fill out some spots in the field events. We have a bigger outdoor team, so I’m feeling pretty confident going into these championship meets.”

You finished third in the 200 meter race (23.61) and Williams took fourth (23.93). Sophomore Noah Steele (24.44) and Ilker (24.61) were fifth and sixth, respectively in the 200.

“I think we’re going to do really well, we have a lot of new athletes and they are bringing a lot to the table, especially with the depth,” You said. I see big things happening for the team.”

Bianchi registered a winning time of 49.01 in the 400-meter run, while Trumbull’s Liam O’Keefe finished second (50.58) and Goldenberg placed third (50.90).

“Definitely a goal of mine this season is a sub 49 in the 400,” Goldenberg said. “Our team is looking very strong. We’ve always had a strong sprint team and the distance team is starting to complement us.”

Ciccarelli won the 800-meter run with a time of 2:03.49 and Ryan Klaiber of Trumbull finished second (2:10.15) and Trumbull’s Matt Wich was third (2:11.73). Greenwich freshman Benjamin Hayes finished fourth in the 800 (2:14.02). The 1600-meter event also saw Ciccarelli earn top honors, as he clocked in a 4:30.52. Matteo Chiesara, a GHS freshman, was the runner-up (4:34.17) and junior captain Christian Zawislack took fourth. (4:37.88) for the Cards.

Trumbull’s David Cardillo was the winner of the 3200 meter race (10:31), while Zawislack posted a second-place finish in 10:06.95). Chiesara was fifth in the event (10:34.54). Evan Dadson gave Trumbull a first-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles (16.45) and Cardinals sophomore Thomas Donovan finished second in 16.72 seconds.

Donovan crossed the finish line first in the 300 hurdles, posting a time of 46.19 seconds. Teammate Alec Cevallos was the runner-up in 46.61.

The 4×100 relay team of You, Ilker, Adonis Rodriguez and Williams teamed up for a winning time of 44.64. Trumbull was second (45.09).

“Being a part of this team is great,” Williams said. “I love coming out here to compete every day. Everyone is so hard working. We have a few new athletes running this year, who are going to help our team.”

Said Ilker: “It’s a great feeling to be on such a successful and talented team. Talking to everyone, making friends and having fun at practice each day – it’s a really great experience for me. It will be a good thing to look back on after four years.”

Junior Aidan Fay, Goldenberg, Ciccarelli and Chiesara gave GHS a winning effort in the 4×400 relay (3:36.65). Freshman Ryan Newcomb, Fay, senior Wyatt Abernethy and sophomore Chase Nizielski were second in the 4×800, which was won by Trumbull (8:36.62).

In the field events, junior Aidan Karson was victorious for Greenwich in the high jump (5’10). Alec Cevallos was second (5-6), while senior Sergot Boone, senior Nicholas Aravides and Joseph Nsereko each had a jump of 5-4 for the Cardinals.

Sophomore David Akkinubi of Greenwich won the long jump (20-5) and teammate Jack Carroll, a sophomore, was fourth (18-9.5). Thomas Donovan, a GHS sophomore, took first in the triple jump (36-7), while Carroll finished third (36-7).

Cevallos, a senior, was the runner-up in the Javelin (127’0) and Michael D’Angelo a GHS sophomore, was third (126’7). Senior Sebastian Parra (97’1) and junior Jaden Scott (81’6) were fifth and seventh, respectively, in the discus for the Cards. Scott was sixth in the shot put with a throw of 31’0.

Cardinals senior Charles Zukauskas placed fourth in the pole vault (7’0).

“We hope to build on a really positive winter, that gave us a lot of confidence to build upon,” You said. “We want to repeat as FCIAC champion like last year and beat Hall (last year’s Class LL champion) in the state meet.”

“The key for us to have a championship season is working together,” Goldenberg noted. “We need to make sure we account for all the moving parts in the season and if we can all get them to go in the same direction, we’re sure to do great.”