By Senior Correspondent Marty Ogden, Editing and Graphics by Ron Knapp

As April showers bring May flowers it also brings us the start of the CT outdoor track and field season. MySportsResults.com begins our 27th season of coverage that includes news, photos, results and records of our state athletes and teams that includes a season kick-off of previews of some of the top returning athletes across the individual events. Here are some of the top girl jumpers and vaulters who are expected to make an impact on the state, New England and even national level.

Girls Jumps & Vault

Some people may have thought we forgot about our next two athletes because we didn’t mention them in the sprint previews. But Bloomfield’s Vanessa Agyemang and Saphyr Brown are both accomplished on the track and even more accomplished on the runway. Agyemang won the last two indoor titles and was 2nd last year in the long jump with an indoor PR of 19-7.0 that makes her the 5th best indoor jumper in state history. Two years ago she was State Open champion in the 55m hurdles but was 3rd this winter. Last spring she was a huge contributor to the War Hawks State Open championship, taking 2nd place in the 100m and 300m hurdles plus the long jump. Up next: West Virginia University

Saphyr Brown burst on the scene two years ago winning the State Open in the long jump with an amazing distance of 19-1.25 which is believed to be a state record for freshman. She followed that up with two runner-up finishes at the Open behind her teammate Agyemang but this winter she added New England champion to her resume. The junior set her PR of 19-5.25, to put her #6 on the CT all time list. She also excels in the sprints as she won the 55m dash at the Open in a time of 7.05 which ties her with Samiya Eady for the state lead this year and #5 on the CT all time list. She was also a member of the State Open champion 4x200m relay. Last spring she was Class M champion in the 100m and 200m and she made All New England in both events.

Never underestimate Jenna Luoma. The Ellington junior is already a two-time indoor State Open champion in the high jump and Class M outdoor champion in the event as well. She also is an accomplished hurdler having scored in both the 100m Hurdles and 300m hurdles at the Class M Championships. She finished 6th last outdoor in the long hurdles to qualify for New Englands. As evidence of her range, this winter she finished 4th in the 600m to qualify for the Open. She has multi event athlete written all over and last year was 7th in CIAC heptathlon.

Kaylin Diglio won the State Open in the pole vault last spring as a freshman and started off her sophomore year on a high note clearing a PR of 12-6 in December, only three inches off Emily Savage’s CT state record. But along the way she had some illnesses and setbacks this winter season, winning Class L at 11-6 and then taking 3rd at the Open with a clearance of 10-6. But while her vaulting wasn’t going quite to plan, she kept dropping her times in the 55m hurdles and made the finals at the Open to qualify for New Englands in that event and the 4x400m relay. But don’t count the Guilford Grizzlie out as she was the only sophomore to compete at Nike Indoor Nationals where she finished 12th with a height of 12-0.5. 

Last spring, Ayden Darvil of Suffield was undefeated in the high jump all the way to the State Open where she finished 2nd place. Along the way she had three clearances over 5-4 with a PR of 5-6. She won NCCC and Class MMs and is the top returner from last year. This winter she was consistently over 5-2 and took 2nd at Class M championships. 

The Class meets and the State Open are great places to set a PR. Sheehan’s Hope Obremski had a nine-inch PR at Class M champions to take the win. Then she returned a few days later to reach a distance of 37-2.5 to claim the State Open title. She also placed 4th at Class M in the long jump and was a member of the Class M championship 4x100m last spring. This winter she was a member of the Class M championship 4x200m, helped set her school record in the SMR and was Class M runner-up in the long jump. 

Gymnastics is the ultimate cross training sport for track and field. It develops on strength, power, flexibility and coordination. Stella Shaw of North Haven is a level 10 gymnast who started track in 8th grade and found instance success. She was 2nd at the State Middle School Championship long jump and qualified for NBNI freshman triple jump in 9th grade. Last year as a sophomore she found even more success, winning Class MM and taking 2nd at the State Open in the triple jump and had a best of 37-0. There could be a great showdown between Night Hawk and Obremski at SCCs and the State Open this spring. 

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Others to keep an eye on include: 

Greysen Thomas - Lakeview, sophomore

April Nathaniel - Bloomfield, senior

Gabriella McDermott - North Branford, junior

Kamryn Plikus - Montville, senior

Aris Roane - E.O. Smith, junior

Megan Kasica - Southington, senior

Iyanna Sheets - Manchester, junior

It’s not too early to think about your plans for summer training that could include attending the Foss Running Camp!