Lewis and Sullivan lead Sachem East in opening meet

Led by senior double scorers Katy Sullivan and Ebonie Lewis the Sachem East Girls Indoor Track team began it’s season in fine style on Sunday at Crossover “A” held at Suffolk West in Brentwood.

Katy was third in the 55 Hurdles (9.79) and 5th in the 300 Meter Run (47.65), while Ebonie Lewis won the 55 (7.54) and grabbed 3rd in the Long Jump (15′ 3.25″) in the 11 team field that included Small School powerhouse Comsewogue.

Also notching a win was Rebecca Carroll, taking the 55 Hurdles with a 9.61 and then following that up with a 10th place finish in the 300 (49.24), and Alex DiCicco who won the 600 with a personal best 1:43.94. Athletes that finished in the top 10 in their events are listed below.

Sachem East graduated a number of top athletes who are now competing on the college circuit. National Champion Holly Lindoe is at Franklin Pierce, Long Island Champion Gabby Trejo at the College of Saint Rose (with All League Shannon Haberkorn), County Champions Brittany Sepe and Diamond Jackson are throwing at Molloy College and Cortland, respectively, County Champion Amanda Zaput is at Ithaca College, and All League Essence Sterling and Ally Figalora are competing for the University of New Haven and Towson in Maryland, respectively. All-Division Pentathlete and Team leader Maddy Egan is also competing for Cortland.

With this many elite athletes having graduated, the East squad will be challenged to rebuild in a number of events. Fortunately, there are a number of strong returnees and talented newcomers that can keep the team amongst the best in Suffolk County. With two League Titles in the last three years, and having placed second at counties last year, the 2013 squad will want to maintain that same high level of excellence.

Leading the charge will be the the distance runners who brought home a 2nd place finish at the Suffolk County Cross Country Championships in November. Shannon O’Hehir, Karli Murphy, Val Romero, Jill Manfredi, Jayda Allen, Nikki Silvestre, Rachel Semetsis and Katie Hempfling will be joined by Cortney Evola and a number of Sophomore standouts that include Alex DiCicco, Chandana Kochath, Kaylie Wessberg and more!. The Racewalk squad will be led by Jaimie Fleming, with Jenn Campbell and Caroline Hanson poised to step up and newcomers like Lauren Harris showing potential.

Ebonie Lewis and Rebecca Carroll lead the sprint crew that features a number of speedy young talents including Lauren Alburg and frosh Marisa Filosa, Janessa Factor,and Jenny Stenby. Lewis and Amanda Sluzewski are the top returning horizontal jumpers, with Amanda Fitzgerald and Sam LoCascio leading a deep group of developing talent. Kayla Garry and Shelby Trentini are top high jump veterans, but again, a number of young athletes are poised to contribute in this event. Taylor Stevenson and Rachel Miller have taken on leadership roles in a very young but hardworking Shot Put squad.

Depth in the middle distance events should be a major asset for this years team. Ciara Murphy, Danielle Curran, Shelby Trentini, Casey Gelderman, Michaela Maertz, Jess DeMeyer, Ashley Lurie and Mikayla Canales are just some of the veterans that will be leading this group. Perhaps the deepest squad on the team is the Hurdle squad, as evidenced by taking 5 of the top 10 positions in Crossover “A”. Carroll, Sullivan, Paige Picascio, and Dana Tyner will combine to make up one of the top Shuttle Hurdle squads in the State, and are backed by Stephanie Kwong, Mikayla Maertz, and deep young raw talent.

Leading the Pole Vault squad will be All County Stephanie Curtin. Veterans Steph Kwong and Rachel Miller along with quick learning newcomers Kerstyn Ciula, Carly DiMartino, and Jordan Messineo could all surprise some people. Their development, along with that of a number of the newer athletes to the program, might just determine how far this team can go this year.

With workouts designed to not only condition the athletes but develop their athleticism, and with a group of focused and positive veteran team members leading the charge, this group could position itself for a “run” at podium finishes at both the League and County Championship Meets.

With over 100 girls on the squad, this weekend the team will be split between the Jim Mitchell Invitational in NYC’s Armory Track and Field Center and Crossover “B” at Suffolk. The staff is made up of Head Coach Joe Coffey, and assistants Dan Schaub, Ashley Ortiz, and Pete McNeill.

RESULTS- Crossover “A”  Suffolk West Community College:

55 Hurdles

• 1. Rebecca Carroll   9.61
• 3. Kathryn Sullivan   9.79
• 4. Dana Tyner   9.88
• 6. Paige Picascio   10.06
• 7. Steph Kwong   10.15