Sachem Athletes Have Career Days at LI Invitational

Athletes from Sachem East and North competed in the Long Island Elite Invitational this past weekend at St. Anthony’s. Here are recaps from both schools:

Sachem East Recap

The Sachem East Girls Track team stepped it up yet again, bringing home numerous award plaques and personal bests in the Long Island Elite Invitational held at Saint Anthony's High School on Saturday. The meet is a unique collaboration between Section 11 (Suffolk), Section 8 (Nassau), and the Catholic School Athletic League that allows the State Qualifiers from all three associations to get in one more tune up meet before the State Meet, and allows the top non-qualifiers to also compete for Long Island bragging rights. With all the top ranked Long Island teams represented- and the fields both small and elite- the competition was top notch from start to finish.

In the first event of the meet, the Weight Throw, Gabby Trejo led Sachem Easts throwing squad with a 4th place toss of 35' even, good enough to qualify her for Nationals in two weeks. Brittany Sepe was just off her personal best in placing 5th, with Taylor Kern grabbing 6th. Also slightly off her best was Stephanie Curtin, but her 9' 6" clearance in the Pole Vault was also good enough to earn a 6th place plaque. In the 55 Meter Dash, Essence Sterling ran a personal best 7.74 and just missed qualifying for the final as she was only 1 tenth of a second short of making it. Also falling short of the finals were Sam Eng (9.78), and Shannon Haberkorn (10.02) in the 55 Meter Hurdles.

Shannon O'Hehir used a stong kick to place third in a very tactical 300 Meter Run. With the field jockeying for position throughout the race, O'Hehir eventually worked herself up towards the front and pulled away from the pack in the last 200 meters to finish in 10:51.77. Meanwhile, the throwers were back in the circle, only this time they were putting the shot. Brittany Sepe again threw close to her best, as her toss of 36'4" was good enough for fourth. Gabby Trejo and Pam Emengo were not able to make the final and ended up ninth and 10th overall.

Perhaps the highlight of the Sachem East action came in the 1500 Meter Racewalk, where 6 of the 12 competitors in the meet were from Sachem. Kelly Maranchuck of Sachem East and Katie Michta of Sachem North waged a spirited dual, with Maranchuck pulling away on the final lap and holding on for a 1 second win in 7:06.67, as she and Michta posted the second and third fastest times in New York State this season. Also battling to the end was Alyssa Furlani, who kicked past 2 state qualifiers to take the bronze in 7:24.01. Holly Lindoe placed 6th (7:39.54), and Sarah LaPorta stopped the clock at 8:19.91.

The meet concluded with the relays and Sachem East was represented in both the 4 by 400 and 4 by 800 relays. The foursome of Laurie Semetsis (61.7), Nicole Silvestre (63.5), Ali Figalora (63.3), and Mel Notarstefano (60.1) ran aggressively to finish 2nd to Garden City in 4:08.95. Then, in the final event of the meet, Jackie Wasilco (2:28.8), Casey Gelderman (2:28.1), Katie Hempfling (2:33.8), and Danielle Vasquez combined to finish 8th in  the 4 by 800 recording a 10:05.60.

Conspicuous in her absence from the Long Island Elite Meet was Rachel Paul, who is currently in Seattle, Washington for the Brooks PR Invitational. Paul will be facing the nations best middle distance runners in the 800 Meter Run at this premiere meet at the University of Washington. The meet will be webcast live on Flotrack.org, with Paul's race set for 8:30 pm EST on Sunday. Track fans might also watch Sachem Alum and Olympic hopeful Maria Michta, who will be competing in the 3000 Meter Racewalk at the USA National Championship in Alburquerque, New Mexico. This meet can also be found through links at flotrack.org with Michta scheduled to compete at 3:25 EST, also on Sunday. 

Sachem North Recap 

Racewalker Katie Michta and sprinters Melissa Michels and Alyssa Leto had career days at the Long Island Track & Field Invitational held at St. Anthony’s field house today as each had career-best days.  Katie’s second place finish in the 1500 m. racewalk made her the No. 2 all-time indoor racewalker for Sachem.  Katie is only behind current national champion and contender for US Olympic team big sister Maria (Class of 2004) as her 7:07.69 put Katie ahead of All-American racewalker Brenda Genoino (Class of 1998) by less than one second.  Katie is now NYS’s No.  racewalker behind race winner Kelly Maranchuck of Sachem East (7:06.67). 

NYS’s top-ranked racewalker – Molly Josephs of Garden City – placed 5th today in 7:24.85.  Katie, Kelly and Molly will meet again at NYS indoor championships next Saturday at Cornell University’s Barton Hall track complex.

Melissa (7.41) and Alyssa (7.46) were heat winners in their respective semifinal heats of the 55 meter dash.  Both sprinters ran career-bests in the heats and advanced to the finals with the fastest first round times.  Both Melissa and Alyssa held off fast rivals in finals as they finished first and second.  While the finals times were a little off first round times, Melissa (7.46) and Alyssa (7.52) were all smiles as they hugged each other at the finish line. 

“I think it’s the bows and the socks,” Melissa stated just before the awards ceremony.  Melissa, Alyssa and 4x200 relay teammates Sunja Joseph and Nikki Fogarty wore school color ribbons in their hair and decorated black socks with gold-colored “4x200” and happy faces after yesterday’s workout.  Sachem Coaches Young, Stillufsen and Mastrogiacomo analyze the fast times differently but support the fashion statement if the sprinters believe it helps produce fast times.  The 4x200 finished fourth later on in the meet in Sachem’s second sub-1:50 time of the season (1:49.40).

The North Arrows had other outstanding performances today.  Kelly Lavan nearly matched her career-indoor best in a local track star-studded 1500 meter run as she placed 5th in 4:53.97. Kristie Michta placed fourth in high jump with her 5’ 0” jump.  Nikki Fogarty’s 9.17 in the 55 m. hurdles and Natalie DeQuarto’s 8:19.91 in racewalk were close to their season-best times.

Most of the squad will compete again before closing out an exciting indoor season. Kelly will run the two mile and Sachem’s 4x200 will compete on Tuesday (2/28) at the Big Apple Classic, formerly known as the Eastern States Championship Meet, at The Armory. After competing at States next weekend (3/3), Katie will join Natalie in the mile racewalk at New Balance Indoor Nationals (3/9-10).  Melissa and Alyssa will run the 60 meter dash at Nationals as well as run the 1600 meter sprint medley relay with teammates Becca Duffy and Kelly Lavan.