Sachem Wins Multiple Medals at State Track Championships

A number of the Girls from Sachem East and Sachem North traveled to Barton Hall at Cornell University this weekend to compete at the New York State Federation Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Leading the way for Sachem East was state meet veteran Rachel Paul who eared silver medals in both of her events. She started her day breaking her own school record and just missing the Suffolk County record running 2:50.47 for 1,000 meters and placing second to Anima Banks of Mamaroneck.

She returned to the track two hours later to run a decisive third leg to help the 4x800 relay to a second place finish to this year's National Cross Country Champions, Fayetteville-Manlius.

Laurie Semetsis led off the quartet with a well-run 2:23, putting East in fourth at the handoff. Nicole Silvestre then ran a brilliant 2:25 leg that kept the squad up in the mix. Paul then took the baton, running down everyone but FM, her 2:14 split the fastest of the day. Melanie Notarstefano then took the stick and held her position to the finish, running a 2:21 and bringing the team home in 9:24.24, another school record.

In another exciting race Kelly Maranchuck gave her all and took home the bronze medal with her third place finish in the 1,500 Meter Racewalk. Maranchuck clocked a season best 7:06.36, just 2 seconds behind the winner as Molly Josephs of Garden City held on in a sprint finish to the line. Fab Frosh Stephanie Curtin made the most of her first appearance at the State meet, handling the pressure like a veteran and placing 12th with a jump of 9' 9" in the Pole Vault. A few hours later Morgan Genoino competed in the boys session at the meet and ran a season best 36.85 to place 24th.

The Indoor Track season will conclude next weekend with the National Scholastic Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Armory Track and Field center in Manhattan. Sachem East will be competing in a variety of events, having qualified for the Distance Medley, Sprint Medley, 4 by 800, and 4 by 55 Hurdles. In addition Sachem East Girls will be competing for All American status in a number of individual events including the 5000 Meter Run, 1500 Meter Racewalk, 2 Mile Run, and 20 lb Weight Throw. The meet will be webcast on armorytrack.com, the meet schedule will be posted there later in the week. 

Katie Michta places sixth at States

The 1,500-meter racewalk Battle of Long Island did not disappoint championship meet spectators.  Long Island placed four athletes in the top six race finishers.  In her first trip to States, Sachem North’s Katie Michta placed sixth in the race in a time of 7:18.60.  Michta stayed with the lead pack of Long Islanders Molly Josephs (Garden City), Annica Penn (Westhampton Beach) and Maranchuck (Sachem East) for the first half of the race.  She maintained a strong pace and outstanding form in the second half of the race and she earned a place on the NYSPHSAA award stand (fifth place) and Federation Championship podium (sixth place).