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Sports

Sachem East Girls Capture League I Title

Boosted by scores in every event, Arrows dominate in championship meet.

Fresh off her incredible fifth-place race in the Millrose Games high school mile, the ever-reliable Rachel Paul had been taking care of business in a slew of events at the League I championship meet this Sunday night, winning the 1,000-meter run (3:04.08), anchoring the winning 4 X 800-meter relay team (10:07.42) and placing third in the 300-meter run (43.55 seconds).

Relaxing after her intense 4 X 800-meter performance - the final event of the night, where she shared the honor with lead-off runner Ashley Ayers, Laurie Semetsis and Krystle Grygo - Paul basked in the glory from the other relay runners and teammates, slightly out of breath but still brimming with emotion and energy.

"Even when you couldn't find something, you did," she said of her battle toward the finish line, slingshotting around the final turn to beat runners-up Ward Melville by nearly four seconds. "You heard the cheers and gave it your all. It was up and down this season, but we worked so hard and we wanted this more than anything."

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All that before the final results were tabulated. Then came the screams and shouts from the far corner of the athletic center. Paul hopefully looked up. "Did we win?"

The talent, hard work, dedication and sheer depth of East's girls winter track and field program all pointed to a title that was always well within its grasp. Of course, making it official Sunday night at Suffolk County Community College's Brentwood campus didn't hurt one bit. 

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Scoring a total of 139.50 points, the second-largest team in the county had followed through on its early promise by dethroning the 2010 League I champions.

Longwood placed second by a considerable margin, garnering 102 points.

"People stepped up all over," said East head coach Pete McNeill, addressing his team after it had reassembled in that far corner. "We had scoring in every event, and that was one of our goals."

In the triple jump, Meghan Walsh had landed 32' 6 3/4" on the first attempt. Despite fouling on the second and third attempts, she was pleasantly shocked to emerge the winner.

"I was so mad," she said, as her goal had been to break 34'. "My steps weren't right." Her face brightened: "It doesn't matter so much now."

Kelly Maranchuck paced even with Longwood's Brianna Chorzepa for much of the 1,500-meter race walk, nipping ahead on the last lap near the corner occupied by the East team which shouting and cheering her on. She gathered steam on the turn and carried the momentum into the straightaway, timing 7:27.28 for the win.

In its sweep of the event, East's Amanda Catherall (8:07.58) and Holly Lindoe (8:15.28) took supporting second and third placements. Laurie Semetsis (third place, 1:46.49) and Casey Gelderman (sixth place, 1:50.77) both scored in the 600-meter run, giving East another first-place team score.

Brittany Christiansen (39' 3 3/4") and Brittany Sepe (34' 1 3/4") powered their way to respective second and third-place spots, grabbing an overall second-place finish in the category.

Always hungry for the top spot but appreciative of the bigger win, the hard-working Christiansen cut herself some well-earned slack. "I took second, but I'll be there next season," she said. 

"I did what you said," she added, looking at her father, Ed. "'Go bigger, go bigger.'"

East won the 55-meter dash, with runners Alyssa Genduso (7.58 seconds) and Kristen Bagley (7.70 seconds) finishing consecutively for second and third places. Bagley also grabbed a fifth-place score in the long jump (15' 3 1/4"), strong enough for a second-place team score in the event.

Genduso, who never uses starting blocks in the 55-meter, set a personal record in her first race (7.63 seconds), only to break it with a new personal record in her second race.

"I was really happy," she said, beaming. "I never thought that would happen."

Also competing with Bagley in the long jump, Genduso failed to score with her twelfth-place finish (14' 3/4"). Still, in light of the other victories, she found it easier to put one poorer performance in perspective.

"I was disappointed, but I was tired after my 55," she said. "But on the 4 X 2, I was so proud of the whole team. "

In East's other big relay win, Genduso had anchored the first-place 4 X 20o-meter relay team (1:55.04), led off by Essence Sterling and following with Maddy Egan (second leg) and Amanda DiSalvo (third leg).

The 4 X 400-meter relay team - featuring Ally Figalora, Walsh, Nicole Silvestre and anchor Melanie Notarstefano - finished for third place, timing 4:33.32. In the 1,500-meter run, Notarstefano took third place (5:03.30) and Shannon O'Hehir placed fifth (5:16.21).

At the high jump, three East entrants - Sarah Hansen (4' 8"), Samantha Maurice (4' 6") and Ayers (4' 4") - combined for six and a half points and a third-place overall finish.

In the 55-meter hurdles, Samantha Eng and Shannon Haberkorn finished respectively in fourth place (9.63 seconds) and sixth place (10.04 seconds). In the 3,000-meter run, Danielle Vazquez placed fourth (11:16.41) and Kaitlin DiMartino finished sixth (11:32.82). Grygo also took fifth place in the 1,000-meter run, timing 3:17.83.

Alongside McNeill, East's assistant coaches each took a moment to offer some words of praise.

"As the season starts, we have no idea who our team is," said Dan Schaub. "Be incredibly proud of yourselves."

"Everything you did out there was spectacular," said Joe Coffey. 

"All the other teams must be incredibly jealous," said James Barracca. "The atmosphere today was outrageous."

"I had to hold my ears," said Kathy McNeill, referring to the intense cheering and moral support from teammates. "You all did what we asked you to do, and more than that."

Grygo, a senior, stood up and expressed her gratitude: "I've never been so happy. The 4 X 800 was the most incredible thing I've seen. It make my track career all worth it."

McNeill made it clear that the title was not the end of East's work. Before concluding the post-meet discussion, he informed the team of its practices in the days ahead, doubling as workout days for the teammates who hadn't competed. 

And still after that, for many, the work would continue: "Stay in shape for spring season," he added.

East will return to SCCC Brentwood for the Section XI Large School Girls Championship meet on Feb. 5 at 9 a.m.

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