Sachem coaches encouraged team members to approach today’s Individual Championship State Qualifier Meet in the same manner they approached all meets this season. A relaxed squad boarded the team bus as team members exchanged light conversation.
Team members got down to business as warm-ups began a few minutes after arriving at Suffolk West for the final time in the indoor season.
Sachem’s 4×400 meter relay got things started for the North Flaming Arrows as relay members Samantha Sommers, Lauren Driscoll, Nicole Costanzo and Ali Van Sicklin ran Sachem’s fastest relay time of the season in the meet’s first event.
Kaitlyn Okvist kept Sachem’s strong early showing in the meet going as she earned All-County honors with her fourth place finish in shotput. Eighth grader Gabriella Mott excited teammates as she held the lead in the 3000 meter run for the first two laps of her race.
Alyssa Leto continued her outstanding post-season with the fastest time in the semi-final round of the 55 meter dash. Alyssa won her first career county championship in finals with the fastest time – a 7.31 – run by any girl at Suffolk West this season.
Racewalker Katie Michta joined Alyssa as a county champion with her career-best time of 7:53.83. Katie improved her USA #1 mark in her wire-to-wire lead race.
Sunja Joseph had the greatest jumping day in Sachem history as she broke two records and qualified for the NYS Championship meet in both of her jumping events today. Sunja broke the indoor long jump record with her 18’ 2 ¼” leap. She took second in the event and qualified for States. Sunja was not done, though.
Sunja followed up her long jump performance with a spectacular trials and final rounds in triple jump. Sunja broke the school record for the third straight week and qualified for States in her second event of the day.
Nikki Fogarty became Sachem’s fourth NYS Championship qualifier with her career-best 8.66 time in hurdles. Nikki qualified for finals with her heat win in semis. Moments after taking second in finals, Nikki headed off to join her 4×200 meter relay teammates for the most exciting race of the day.
Sachem and North Babylon won their respective heats in semis as the two fastest sprint relays in Suffolk County prepared for their showdown in finals. Sachem looked to defeat top seed North Babylon in the 4×200 by putting its two fastest legs first. Alyssa Leto and Melissa Michels are two of the state’s top sprinters. The duo would give Sachem a strong lead over the North Babylon Lady Bulldogs as the race began.
Fogarty extended the lead with a career-best split a great handoff to anchor Kelly Gardner. Kelly took off with North Babylon anchor D’Jai Baker in pursuit. Kelly is one of Sachem’s top sprinters but D’Jai is Suffolk’s top 200 meter runner.
The two anchors came off the last turn in a dead heat. D’Jai moved ahead of Kelly with less than 50 meters to go. North Babylon edged Sachem by .12 to win the relay.
A long-lasting meet record of 1:46.08 set by Connetquot in 2000 had been broken by two teams.
North Babylon (1:45.42) holds the new record. Sachem (1:45.56) would have to settle for shattering the school record of 1:47.13 set last year at Eastern States.
Following the race, the two relay squads exchanged hugs and words of congratulations in a race that will be remembered as one of the most exciting races in State Quals history.
Sachem looks ahead to more post-season meets at the Long Island Elite Meet and Eastern States as team members continue preparations for the NYS Championship Meet and Nationals.
-Submitted by Sachem coach Alex Young