Sheepshead Bay advances in 4x1
By Christopher Hunt
GREENSBORO, N.C. – They knew it would be like this. The Warwick Valley girls toed the start line in the 4x800 relay as the top seed knowing they’d be chasing the clock.
“Once we knew that Roosevelt wasn’t’ going to be in the race we knew we were going to have to push ourselves,” second-leg Tori Pennings said. “We wanted to run in the low 8:50’s.”
Warwick Valley blew away the field, winning the national title in 8:55.74 at the Nike Outdoor Nationals at Aggie Stadium at North Carolina A & T. The time is a school record and the second-fastest time in the country this season. Maryland’s Eleanor Roosevelt has the nation’s season best of 8:43.12.
Warwick, which ran with Kristen Jados, Pennings, Claire Petit and Lillian Greibesland led the entire way, finishing 13 seconds ahead of second-place Hunterdon Hawks (Voorhees High in New Jersey), which finished in 9:08.51. Ursuline finished fifth in 9:14.22.
Warwick Valley will compete against Roosevelt in the distance medley relay. The team made a bet with coaches Rich Furst and Ryan Candia. If they can manage double-gold, Furst promised to shave his thich mustache and Candia is head.
“They’re gonna look funny,” Pennings said.
Newburgh Elite had a lot more work to do in the boys 1,600 sprint medley relay. In third place with 250 left, Akinto Boone squeezed to the front from the inside when Track Eastern Carolina’s Anthony Hendrix rode too far on the outside of lane 1.
“I think I made the right move,” Boone said. “I knew I had to go right then because I know he has a good kick and it would be harder to get him later.”
Boone went ahead with 200 left but paid for the hard surge. He faded in the stretch. Newburgh Elite finished second in 3:25.03. Track Eastern won in 3:23.76.
“I just couldn’t run anymore,” said Boone, who will compete at Kansas CC next year.
Hills West Track Club (Half Hollow Hills West) placed fifth in 3:29.13. Kellenberg’s Michael Cook, Tom Elnick, Greg Moss and Mike Elnick finished fifth in the boys 4x800 in 7:44.02 coming from the second-fastest of three heats. Warwick Valley’s boys finished sixth overall (fourth in the second heat) in 7:45.87.
Boys & Girls placed fifth in the 4x200 in 1:38.96 with seniors Deandrea Nelson, Nadonnia Rodriques, Meghan Gillespie and sophomore Shamika Morgan. Blazin’ Raiders (Eleanor Roosevelt) won in 1:36.95.
“We’re happy with our time, not our place,” Nelson said. “We got out really, really well. We just lost it at the end. We’ll be back for the 4x400 though.
Colby DelBene of Pawling dropped out with 300 meters left in the boys 2-mile. He said he wasn’t injured.
“I just didn’t’ have my kick,” said DelBene, who will compete at North Carolina State in the fall. “My season was over at states. It was like a flashback. I just didn’t have it today.”
Sheepshead Bay advanced to today’s final in the boys 4x100 with fastest qualifying time of 41.52 with Darryl Bradshaw, Ayo Isijola, John Thomas and Naquan Alexander. It was their second best time of the season despite a shaky first exchange between Bradshaw and Isijola. Bradshaw said the team isn’t feeling any pressure.
“The right word would be comfortable,” Bradshaw said. “Our relay in unique because we don’t come in here serious all the way until with get to the line.”
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.