Sachem Has Strong Contingent at Millrose Games

Many of the best track and field athletes from all over the world gathered at the Armory Track and Field Center in Manhattan Saturday night for the 2012 edition of the Millrose Games.

With most of the media focused on the some two dozen Olympians and the majority of the fans cheering for the record attempts of the likes of Bernard Lagat and LaShawn Merritt, the three Sachem athletes competing in the meet may not have stole the show, but certainly were a part of history as performances in this Olympic year were nothing short of spectacular.

Yes, World Champion Jenny Simpson won the 1,500 in a world leading time. And yes, Lagat set an American record in the 5,000-meter run with Lawi Lalang setting a collegiate record and Edward Cheserek grabbing the high school record in the same race. But in the midst of all the action Jeanna Composti, Jenna Monahan, and Rachel Paul made their own history.

Composti, Sachem Class of 1999, would be running the 400 meter leg in the meets opening event, the Women's Club Distance Medley relay. Competing for the New York Athletic Club, her squad of Leslie Higgins, Katy Hitchcock McManus and former Villanova star Nicole Schappert won in 11:21.94.

In high school Composti had won elite events like the Stanner Games mile and even won a National High School title in the mile. A Cornell Law School grad and currently a Lawyer at the prestigious Manhattan firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, she has slowly and steadily returned to competition and was picked up by the NewYork AC last year after wins in a few local road races. Her return to the track, however, was not completely expected as she was named to the relay squad just two weeks ago.

"I only was able to get in one real quality speed workout, so my goal is just to go out hard for the first 200 and then try to sprint like crazy for the last 200," said Composti before the race.

Afterwards, while reflecting on the win and her 400 meter leg she was clearly excited.

"That was the funnest 400 I've ever run," she exclaimed.

Next up for Sachem was Monahan, Sachem East Class of 2007. A recent Cortland graduate with a degree in physical education, Monahan is also a former National High School Champion and is currently coaching at her alma mater. After a few years away from the sport she returned to Sachem East in the fall to help with the girls cross country team. She started running a little more and then added in some racewalking as she began working with Sachem East's racewalk squad and she, too, was again bitten by the competition bug.

She jumped into a few races and although not yet quite up to the level of Maria Michta, the Sachem alum who is a favorite to make this years Olympic team, Monahan found herself competing well enough to get invited to the Millrose Mile Racewalk. She finished 11th in 8:35.44, just about exactly what she expected based on her training. When asked how it went she responded, "better than I thought. I felt pretty good even though I had to go out faster than I wanted."

Monahan returns to coaching mode Sunday as six of the 12 competitors in the racewalk at the Section XI State Qualifier meet are from Sachem and hopefully one or more, with her guidance, will make it to the State Championships.

Last up for Sachem was current East senior Rachel Paul, who for the second year in a row had qualified for the high school girls mile. With the strongest field ever assembled in high school girls history, jostling, contact, and countless surges became the order of the day in what was a very tactical and just plain strange race.

Tripped up and boxed in throughout the race, Paul found herself near the back of the field when she finally found room to run in the last 300 meters. She surged past a few of her competitors to finish sixth in 4:54.64, about two seconds off her season best, and nine seconds behind her future Georgetown teammate, Sam Nadel of North Shore, who set a meet record of 4:46.19.  

A little frustrated with how the race developed, Paul needed about an hour to process the race in her head and then quickly began to refocus on her next meet, the State Qualifier. When asked her overall summary of the day she was already thinking ahead.

"I can't wait to run real fast [Sunday]," she said. "That race got me real fired up for the rest of the season"

The rest of the season begins Sunday as Sachem East and Sachem North, both boys and girls, compete in the Section XI State Qualifier meet at Suffolk West.