4x200 Shatters Sachem Record at Big Apple Classic

“We’re going to break the record," freshman Alyssa Leto stated the intentions of Sachem North’s 4x200-meter relay to coach Alex Young as she dropped off her meet gear in his classroom shortly before 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday. Leto was excited about the race, like her relay teammates, she was dressed for Sachem North’s first-ever trip to the Big Apple Classic. 

While the meet is in its 75th year, the meet formerly known as the Eastern States Championship Meet, has a new name this year. Leto and teammates Sunja Joseph, Nikki Fogarty and Melissa Michels styled their hair and put on make-up in the same manner and wore race jerseys over black warm-up gear.  

The relay squad was ready to challenge a 14 year old school record. Leto (7.46) and Michels (7.41) went 1-2 in the 55-meter dash at Saturday’s Long Island Track & Field Invitational in career-best times. Along with sophomore Sunja Joseph and freshman Nikki Fogarty, the quartet ran a sub-1:50 4x200 for the second time in the indoor season. A speed session and work to sharpen handoffs at Monday’s practice would prepare the relay for its last race together in the indoor season.   

The time to beat was 1:48.27 set in December, 1998.  The 2012 edition relay came close to breaking the record six weeks ago with a time of 1:48.51 at the January 14 Stanner Games.  Breaking the school record means chasing and passing Sachem track legends Denise Raab, Kristin Eckert, Stephanie Cotsifas and Jeanna Composti. Could a young squad beat a 1998 relay that includes three All-County athletes holding all or part of 16 team records?  The current relay squad of two frosh and two sophomore runners was the youngest relay at the Big Apple Classic tonight. Did the young squad have enough experience and poise to accomplish their goal.?

Following the race, Michels, the de facto veteran of the relay as she is the only non-rookie on the squad, stated that the girls reminded themselves that they were chasing a stopwatch as much as racing to advance to finals in their race.  Making finals was a tall order as top-ranked relays teams from NY, NJ, RI and VT made the 4x200 a national class event.  In fact, the three relay teams in Sachem’s heat were all seeded ahead of Sachem. 

Michels and her teammates would not have a lot of time to think about seed sheets as they were placed in heat one of the event. Leto calmly took her mark as the leadoff leg and had a great start as the starter’s pistol sounded to begin the race. Leto ran a season-best 26.8 leg. The first handoff from Leto to Sunja was great. Sunja ran a season-best 27.9 leg and had an outstanding handoff to Nikki. 

Nikki ran a season-best 27.1 leg and had a superb handoff to anchor Melissa.  Melissa brought the relay home with a season-best 25.8 leg.  The relay – unaware of their splits – looked to the scoreboard to see their time.  The scoreboard flashed 1:47.63 next to Sachem North’s 3rd place line.  And the celebration began.  The athletes exchanged cheers and hugs.  Family members, teammates and Coach Young cheered and high- fived each other in the stands.  There were more hugs and cheers when the relay returned to their team section over the track’s backstretch.  Pictures were taken.  

“I told you we were going to break the record,” Leto quietly reminded her coach after things settled down.  Not too long after setting a new standard, the 4x200 sat together, reflected on their wonderful achievement and began to speak of new goals in meets and seasons to come.

Leto and Michels will be part of one more relay before closing out their indoor seasons as they return to The Armory on March 9 to run the 200 m. legs of the 1600 m. sprint medley relay with teammates Becca Duffy (400 m.) and Kelly Lavan (800 m.) at New Balance Indoor Nationals.