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6:30 PM - 21 Feb 2015
http://www.thehour.com/sports/state...cle_bbb5ad26-68e1-5a89-8e72-a70a2f6f9608.html
NEW HAVEN -- Norwalk's Evan Adams and Brien McMahon's Eric van der Els made Saturday a memorable day for the city schools as they each won titles at the State Open indoor track and field championships at the
Floyd Little Athletic Center.
Adams' throw was more than three feet better than his mark of 52 feet, 10 inches that earned him the Class LL title last Monday.
After his training was disrupted prior to the Class LL meet due to the snow and school vacation, Adams was able to resume his normal workout routine this week.
"I felt like I was better prepared for the challenge at hand," Adams said. "I knew what I had to beat. I was mentally focused, woke up this morning knowing I was going to have a good day."
About two hours after Adams won the shot put with a school record toss of 56 feet, 3.5 inches, van der Els defeated Darien's Alex Ostberg by 0.33 seconds in the 3,200 with a time of9:17:39...
"I was hoping that we would take a solid second and maybe win," Trojans' coach Matt Medve said. "The kids just rose to the occasion. We said, 'you have to stay focused as seniors, it's your last chance.' They made it happen."
Like all of Saturday's top-six finishers, Adams will compete in the New England championships on Friday at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston where he also hopes to qualify for the nationals.
"It's a good feeling (winning the State Open) but I have more to come," he said. "I don't know what I have to throw to get to nationals but I intend on getting there no matter what."
Bloomfield's Paul May, who entered Saturday as the top seed in the shot put at 53 feet, 5 inches, finished second with a throw of 53-8.
"(Adams) got real geared up," Norwalk coach Pat Moffett said. "He popped out a 54-footer in the prelims, then in the finals threw 56 and kind of put the nail in the coffin."
Adams eclipsed the previous school record of 53 feet, 9 inches that he set at the FCIAC championship two weeks ago.
"Just knowing that my legacy will be carried on throughout the years and that people will be chasing me, that's a great feeling in itself, knowing that I left a mark," Adams added.
Adams also left a mark on the football field as he recently signed a national letter of intent to attend Syracuse University.
"He's a good athlete because he can do more than one thing," Moffett said. "He doesn't just hang out on the football field. To be athletic enough to control your body to throw the shot put speaks to his athletic level."
