During the final weekend of February, alumni of the Sachem North Cross Country and Track and Field teams. On the campus of SUNY Brockport, SUNY Geneseo freshman Isaac Garcia-Cassani (Sachem North Class of 2014) and SUNY Geneseo senior Keira Wood (Sachem North Class of 2011) toed the starting line in the SUNY Athletic Conference, commonly referred to as SUNYAC, indoor mile championship race. Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania on the campus of Susquehanna University, Susquehanna junior Colin Eberhardt (Sachem North class of 2012) was looking to capture victory for the second consecutive year in the Landmark Conference Mile Championship race.
Garcia-Cassani, holder of eight school records for Sachem North and a multiple time All-County and All-State runner, was seeded third going into the championship race with a season best time of 4 minutes and 17 seconds.
Going up against a great field of runners, Garcia-Cassani remained focused and determined to follow through on the race plan his coaches had given him. After the gun went off, he settled into a strong early pace set by other runners in the field; with three laps remaining he made his move to the front.
He closed the last 400 meters of the race in 59 seconds, winning the SUNYAC mile championship with a season best time of four minutes and 13 seconds.
“I knew I was up against a great crew of runners who were training just as hard as me, but my coaches told me exactly what to do to win this race,” he said. “At first it seemed difficult, but I took it one step at a time and I came home with exactly what I wanted.”
On the women’s side, senior Keira Wood was looking to defend her 2014 SUNYAC Mile Championship. In her final indoor track and field championship meet, Keira was looking to put the exclamation point on a stellar career that includes All-American honors and multiple SUNYAC Cross Country and Track and Field Championships.
Following her race plan perfectly, Wood used her exceptional speed and outstanding kick to run away from the competition over the final 400 meters. She covered the final 400 meters of the race in 69 seconds and crossed the line in first place with a time of 5 minutes and 4 seconds.
“I was pretty nervous before the race, going in as last year’s mile champion I felt pressure to win again,” she said. “I didn’t plan on leading the race, but ended up leading anyway. With 2 or 3 laps to go two girls passed me and the pace picked up. I knew that I needed to go with them and hung in there until the very end when I gave it everything I had to pass those girls back and reclaim the championship.”
Colin has made quite a name for himself over his 3 years at Susquehanna University. He currently ranks in the top 10 all-time for the college in 5 different indoor and outdoor track and field events and has won the indoor mile and outdoor 1500 meter races at the Landmark Conference Championship meet. Going into the 2015 Championship meet Colin was surprised when his name was left off the meet preview as a contender for the mile race.
After the race, he looked back on that snub and said, “Having won the indoor mile and outdoor 1500 meter last year, I felt somewhat slighted when I wasn’t mentioned in the meet preview. But, I used this as motivation for the race.”
A little motivation was all he needed; Colin ran with the front group of runners for the first 6 laps of the race and closed hard the last 400 meters to win the conference mile championship with an impressive time of 4 minutes and 20 seconds. When asked about his performance after the race Colin responded, “I went out at my goal pace, stayed strong though 1200 meters and closed hard the last 400 meters in around 60 seconds.”
In addition to their outstanding athletic achievements, all three athletes have represented the Sachem Central School District and the Sachem Community with dignity and academic excellence at their respective colleges. Colin Eberhardt, a physics and secondary education major was named a 2014 Division III Scholar Athlete by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association and has been named to the Landmark Conference Honor Roll multiple times during his 2 ½ years at Susquehanna University.
During his first semester at SUNY Geneseo Isaac, who is majoring in physics, was named to the SUNYAC Commissioner’s List and earned All-Academic Team for the 2014 Fall Cross Country season. Keira, who is majoring in math and secondary education, has been named a SUNY Chancellor Scholar Athlete, has been on the SUNYAC Commissioner’s List and the SUNYAC All-Academic Team multiple times and has also been recognized by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association as a Division III Scholar Athlete.