North Boys Track Team Competes at League Championships

 
Last Sunday the Sachem North Boys Winter Track and Field team took to the track at the League I Championships held at the Suffolk County Community College Indoor Track. The boys were seeded to take 5th or 6th place in the league behind several quality teams. They exceeded expectations and finished third overall with 71 points, only 4 points behind 2nd place William Floyd.

The team crowned three individual league champions and one relay league champion. In the high jump senior Rob Yannotta earned league champion status with his leap of 6 feet. A full 6 inches better than 2nd place.

Senior Alex Lazarich defended his 1000 meter league title from last year by leading the 5-lap race from start to finish. Alex ran 2:38.31, just over 3 seconds in front of second place. In the 1600 meter run, junior Anthony Coccia continued his outstanding winter season by leading the field through all 8 laps. He crossed the finish line in a time of 4:43.90, 3 seconds in front of second place. In the last event of the meet, the 4x800 relay team of Ryan Beierle, Jason Karpinski, Anthony Coccia and Alex Lazarich used a late surge from Lazarich’s anchor leg to pulled ahead of Ward Melville and earn League Champion status.

In that same race, the relay team of James Trofa, Dan Stretz, Bryan Runz and Mike Neftleberg ran an outstanding race to finish in third place thanks to a late race sprint by Mike Neftleberg.

The boys team also earned team points thanks to sophomore John Onken’s 6th place finish in the 3200 meter run, junior Mike Kearns’ 2nd place throw in the shotput, Rob Yannotta’s 2nd place finish in the high hurdles and 3rd place finish in the triple jump, sophomore Tyler McNamara’s 6th place finish in the 1600 meter run and the 6th place finish by the 4x200 meter relay team of Marc Richer, James Novak, Conner Urban and Kevin Larson.

On Saturday February 2, the team returns to the track as they compete in the Suffolk County Large Schools County Championship.

This article was submitted by Billy Holl of the Sachem North Boys Winter Track and Field team.