Cardinals girls track and field team tops Westhill for second straight victory

By David Fierro on April 24, 2026 • ( Leave a comment )

**Photo by David Fierro:** Greenwich High School senior Eliana Daplyn runs to a first-place finish in the 800-meter run during the Cardinals’ recent home meet against Westhill High School. The Cardinals won the meet.

With numerous athletes excelling in the running events and the duo of Therese Knuth and Juliette Pelham winning three field events apiece, Greenwich High School’s girls track and field team was indeed, tough to contend with for its latest opponent in the form of Westhill High School on April 21st at Cardinal Stadium.

The defending FCIAC and CIAC Class LL state champion Cardinals continued their ultra-impressive start to their 2026 season, winning for the second time in as many meets before their home crowd.

Winning 16 of 18 events, Greenwich outscored Westhill, 124-26, improving its early-season record to 2-0.

“The team has been so good so far, every practice has been fun,” said Greenwich senior Eliana Daplyn, one of the Cardinals’ captains. “We’re looking really good, we have a lot of the events covered, which is always nice.”

**Photo by David Fierro:** Greenwich twin sisters Ella and Riley Barber compete in the 200-meter run vs. Westhill.

Sophomore twin sisters Ella and Riley Barber are a successful running duo for Greenwich, which has speedy competitors in every racing event. In the 100-meter run against Westhill, Ella Barber crossed the finish line first with a time of 12.64 seconds. Right behind her was her sister, Riley Barber, who clocked in at 12.88 seconds. Westhill’s Sanai Malcolm finished third (13.56) and Greenwich junior Alexandra Martinez took fourth (13.72) in the 100.

Ella Barber earned the meet’s top honors in the 200-meter race, posting a time of 26.54 seconds. Riley Barber placed a close second in 26.94.

“I feel like we are really connected, especially coming off a really good indoor season,” Riley Barber said. “We’re all supportive of each other and we work well as a team.”

**Photo by David Fierro:** Greenwich High’s varsity girls track and field team topped Westhill at Cardinal Stadium.

Said Ella Barber: “The whole meet was very fun, but it was windy and cold, which effected my running. I feel like we have strengths in every event, including jumping, this year, which is good. Now that it’s outdoor season, a lot more people are doing long jump and triple jump.”

Senior Juliette Pelham, a member of Greenwich’s 2026 CIAC Class LL state championship basketball team this past winter, swept the jumping events for the Cardinals against Westhill. Pelham won the high jump competition (4’8), then finished first in the long jump (16’6.5, personal-best) and triple jump (33’8.5).

Freshman Rio Sato finished second in the high jump for the Cards (4’6) and senior teammate Orla Muir was third (4’4). Orly Christie, a freshman, was the runner-up for GHS in the long jump (14’5).

Back to the running events, which saw Cardinals senior captain Nina Silver race to a first-place finish in the 400-meter run. Silver registered a winning time of 1:00.4 – a season-best performance. Freshman Victoria Cordero took second (1:05.0), senior Margaret McCooe was third (1:08.1, season-best), sophomore Elizabeth Brezany had a fourth-place finish (1:10.22) and freshman Emma Heavey finished fourth (1:10.4, personal-best) for GHS in the 400.

Photo by David Fierro: It was another winning day for Greenwich’s girls track and field team when it hosted Westhill.

Daplyn, one of the premier distance runners in the state, tested her skills in the 800 against Westhill and thrived. Daplyn won the 800-meter race in 2:20.37 (season-best time). Orla Muir placed second in the 800 (2:21.28), followed by senior Cardinals teammate Gemma Hardwick (2:22.99, season-best time).

“This was my first 800, it was not exactly the start I was hoping for, but I’m still happy to be in the 2:20 range,” Daplyn noted. “The 400 I did on Saturday at New York relays and I felt good.”

Sophomore Sophie Passalacqua took fourth in the 800 (2:25.02, season-best time). In the 1,600-meter race (the one-mile run), freshman Hazel McCauley provided a winning effort for the Cardinals, running to a first-place time of 6:25.16, a personal-best performance in the event. Caitlin Neilon was second in the 1,600 run (6:53.57, personal best) and Greenwich teammate Dylan Shedlin, a senior, placed third (7:37.48, personal-best).

Photo by David Fierro: Greenwich dominated the running events on the way to defeating Westhill High School.

Junior Devin Beiley was the winner of the 3,200-meter race for Greenwich, recording a time of 12:41.95. Senior Margaret McCooe was the runner-up in the two-mile race for the Cards (13:15.90, season-best time) and teammate Siena Zawrotny, a sophomore, was third (13:46.58, personal-best).

In the 100-meter hurdles, senior Maggie Denninger of Westhill was the winner, crossing the finish line in 17.83 seconds. GHS junior Alejandra Martinez was the runner-up in the 100 hurdles (19.36), while freshman Diyanara Correa (20.00) placed third.

Martinez earned a first-place finish in the 300 hurdles, posting a time of 51.76 seconds. Correa was second (56.006, personal best). Greenwich once again, flourished in the relay races.

It was another great meet to start the season for Greenwich High’s varsity girls outdoor track and field squad.

Silver, Sato, Riley Barber and Ella Barber combined for a winning time of 49.65 in the 4×100-meter relay against the Vikings of Westhill, which took second in 51.98.

In the 4×400 relay, Muir, Hardwick, McCooe and Daplyn won in 4:21.95.

“We would love to be LL champions again and FCIAC champions,” Daplyn said of some of the goals the Cardinals have their sights set on this season.

Daplyn will soon continue her track and field career at the Division I level at Columbia University.

Greenwich’s girls track and field team posted victories against Stamford and Westhill to start the season.

Daplyn mentioned the memorable experiences she’s enjoyed from being a member of Greenwich’s esteemed track and field program under the guidance of head coach Peter Watson.

“It’s an incredible opportunity, getting to train with these girls,” Daplyn noted. “They push you so hard. There is so much competition, but it’s friendly competition. It’s such an honor, it’s really good.”

In the 4×800 relay, Ava Passamano, Hailey Stahl, Zawrotny and McCauley ran to a first-place finish for the Cards. They combined for a winning time of 13:16.84.

Picture by David Fierro: Greenwich’s jumpers were on point during their competition vs. Westhill at Cardinal Stadim.

Back to the field events, which saw Knuth, a senior standout, win the shot put with a throw of 38’1 – a personal-best performance for Greenwich.

Knuth was also the discus winner (112’9, season-best effort). Pelham placed second in the discus (71’5).

Knuth easily won the javelin competition (84’3) for the Cardinals. Charlotte Flood of Westhill was the pole vault winner (7’6). Indira Baig, a sophomore, was second in the pole vault (6’0) for GHS and Christie took third (5’6).