Sachem sprinters dominated the 100 m. dash finals at Sunday’s Bob Pratt Smithtown Invitational.
Melissa Michels (12:16) and Kelly Gardner (13.02) were heat winners in the semi-finals and Alyssa Leto (12.83) was the fastest non-heat winner qualifier after the semifinal round. The trio warmed up together in preparation for finals. Melissa Michels focused on arm drive.
A Farmingdale boys team sprinter stood nearby commenting to a teammate on Michel’s great mechanics. Leto, working on her own block mechanics, joined Michels for down starting block work in the minutes before finals. Gardner, in the biggest race of her rookie season, worked to put her nervous energy to good use as she warmed up with her veteran teammates. Gardner earned her spot in finals as a heat winner in semis and, while not aware that she was the only freshman qualifier in finals, was in some measure of awe of her race rivals.
As the 100 m. dash finalists were called to the track, Sachem sprinters – representing half of the 100 m. dash finals field – stood in their lanes waiting for the race starter’s commands. Thirteen seconds after the starter’s pistol sounded, Sachem took three of the first 4 spots. Race favorite Melissa won easily. Leto improved on her semis time to take third. Gardner, forgetting about her pre-race jitters as soon as the gun sounded, flew past two rivals by mid-race to finish fourth. Gardner’s times in semis and finals were her two fastest 100 m. times of the season.
Fifteen from Sachem ran the tow-lap 800 meter distance today. One – senior veteran Siobhan O’Gorman was running the first 800 m. distance of her career. Siobhan, a hurdler by training, is not new to distance as she has run XC and the 2000 meter steeplechase. All but one of the rest of the Sachem field ran season-best (SB) times. And all but one of the 13 SBers were also personal-bests (PBs).
Sophomore Elise Ramirez led the squad with her eighth place 2:26.26. Performances like that of Taylor Buechner were typical for the day. Taylor’s 2012 outdoor 800 m. best was a 2:53.6. Taylor ran a 2:46.0 800 m. relay split last month. Her time today eclipsed both marks. Many of Taylor’s teammates showed the same outstanding progression.
The team left today’s meet with a taste of the success the team is capable of with continued hard training as the toughest League II tests lay ahead for the North Arrows in the next two weeks. Competitive invitationals and an exciting post-season will test Sachem in the weeks ahead as well.
FOOTNOTES
- Lap Star Ali Van! – Sprinter Ali Van Sicklin joined the PB squad today with an outstanding race in the 400 m. dash as she crossed the line in 64.90 seconds.
- Reverse 7 Rules! – Rookie frosh discus thrower Kira Audia put her spin move to good use with a season-best 68’ ½”.
- Sachem Lin-Sanity! – Emily Lin had a career day with her first 32’+ triple jump (32’ 6 ½”) and her PB 800 (2:31.86)
- Zoom 100! – 19 of today’s 27 100 m. dashers had season-best times today.