Sachem North finished the 2013 dual meet season in a three-way tie for the League 2 title with Connetquot and Bay Shore. Bay Shore left League 2 for the 2014 season (school population determines league placement). Sachem bested Connetquot and the rest of League 2 in the current season, capping off an undefeated dual meet season with a 94-51 victory over Middle Country at Newfield High School today.
Team seniors Sunja Joseph (triple jump), Melissa Michels (200 meter dash), Natalie DeQuarto (1500 meter racewalk), Kaitlyn Okvist (shotput) and Gabriella Czerw (high jump) led Sachem’s scoring attack with event wins today. Sophomores Kaitlin Martins (racewalk) and Mara Bigornia (high jump) tied for first with seniors DeQuarto and Czerw in their respective events.
Veteran junior and sophomore team members Jess Humann (1500 meters win), Alyssa Leto (100 meter dash win), Kelly Gardner (400 meters win), Ali Van Sicklin (400 meters 3rd), Samantha Giambrone (800 meters 3rd) Emily Leath (racewalk 3rd), Nicole Costanzo (high jump 3rd), Leah Blackall (long jump win), Nikki Fogarty (long jump 2nd), Kira Audia (discus 3rd) joined seniors Monica Abrams (800 meters 2nd), Dowon Hwang (3000 meters 2nd), Patricia Romano (3000 meters 3rd) and Corri Moran (discus 2nd) in additional team scoring.
Team members always get rousing cheers in post-meet meetings when it is announced that they scored their first varsity points for the Sachem North Flaming Arrows. Such was the case for Audia today. Team freshman-rookies Emily Watson (100 meter hurdles 2nd), Gabriella Mott (3rd place 1500 meters), Samantha Sommers (2nd place 400 meter hurdles) and Chassity Carrion (3rd place 100 meter dash) received the loudest cheers for first-ever varsity points following the meet. Freshman Valerie Goding – enjoying an outstanding rookie freshman season – scored in both 100 and 400 meter hurdles today (3rd place in both events). Goding scored for Sachem in earlier dual meets.
Team spirits were high throughout the meet day as all but a handful of the team’s 118 athletes competed in one event. Cool temperatures, windy conditions and occasional light rain did not deter Sachem from doing its best today. Season-bests by many athletes demonstrated the consistency of effort in training and meets that the team has shown all season.
Outstanding sportsmanship was seen by Middle Country and Sachem athletes alike throughout the meet – positive team spirit and sportsmanship continue to be a hallmark of the Flaming Arrows sports program. Congratulations were exchanged between the two teams at the end of the meet. Sachem enjoyed post-meet cinnamon swirls baked by team parent Mrs. LoSchiavo (daughter Marissa is one of our team seniors) before returning to Sachem for a brief team meeting, meet summary and celebration of a League 2 title.
-Submitted by Sachem coach Alex Young