Sachem East wins Suffolk County track title

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Led by senior Alex DeCicco’s double winning performance, the Sachem East girls track team convincingly topped the 20 plus team field at the 2016 Suffolk County Indoor Track Championships earlier this month, amassing 110 points to take the win. Bay Shore (66 pts), and Ward Melville (31 points), finished in second and third.

Amanda Fitzgerald won the Shot Put (35′ 11.5″), and the 4x800m relay squad of Jill Manfredi, Ciara Murphy, Shayna Arrigo, and Shelby Trentini also won (9:41.78), but it was the 4 events where Sachem East not only won the event but followed up the winner with additional scorers that put the meet out of reach. In the first event of the meet, the 3000 Meter Run, Val Romero won (10:19.21), with Rachel Ruggiero 3rd (10:25.62) and Lindsey Dodenhoff 4th (10:47.81). Alex DeCicco then won the 1000 (2:57.53), with Ciara Murphy grabbing 3rd (303.08). DeCicco, Romero, and Ruggiero later came back to go 1,2,3, respectively, in the 1500 (4:50.42, 4:54.16, 4:55.28).

The Sachem East Racewalking squad delivered the knockout punch by grabbing 4 of the 6 scoring positions in the 1500 Meter Racewalk. With Sachem Alumnae and Olympian Maria Michta Coffey urging them on, Lauren Harris captured 1st (6:48.12), Sam Delano 4th (7:23.09), Chelsea Benedict 5th (7:27.02), and Anna Arrigo 6th (7:32.99). Sachem East continued to pull away from the rest of the County with Kaitlyn Famiglietti placing 3rd in the 600 (1:40.63), followed closely by Kaylie Wessberg in 6th (1:42.30). The 4 by 400 relay squad of Wessberg, Famiglietti, DeCicco, and Angela Calabrese placed 3rd (4:09.21), and Weight Throwers Erin Leonard (37’3″), and Christina Artusa (36’7″), placed 3rd and 4th.

One week after the Suffolk County Team Championships were held, the Section 11 State Qualifier meet was held to determine the Suffolk County representatives for the N.Y. State Championships at Cornell University on March 5th. Punching tickets to the State Meet from Sachem East were:

  • Val Romero (3000 Meter Run- 10:16.72, also 4×800 Relay)
  • Alex DeCicco (1000 Meter Run- 2:56.12, also 4×800 Relay)
  • Lauren Harris (1500 Meter Racewalk- 6:54.43)
  • Rachel Ruggiero (1500 Meter Run- 4:51.45)
  • Amanda Fitzgerald (Shot Put- 37′ 4.5″)
  • Christina Artusa (20 lb Weight Throw- 40′ 4″))
  • Erin Leonard (20 lb Weight Throw- 40′ 1.5″)
  • Jill Manfredi (4 by 800 Relay- 9:30.65)
  • Ciara Murphy (4 by 800 Relay- 9:30.65)

Just over a week ago, the 4×800 squad placed 3rd at the prestigious Millrose Games in New York City and just last weekend Lauren Harris won the 1500 Racewalk at the Long Island Championships in the 7th fastest time ever recorded in US High School history (6:42.42). Also winning her event and earning the title “Long Island Champion” was Alex DeCicco, who won the 1500 in 4:43.00. It appears the Sachem East contingent is ready to go!

-Submitted by the Sachem East staff