The United States Marine Corps became the official sponsor and host of the Marine Corps Holiday Classic held at The Armory in 2005. Sachem North has not missed one of the meets. Sachem’s tenth consecutive trip to the revamped Holiday Classic produced some of the top times ever by North Flaming Arrows athletes. The new (and improved) Holiday Classic eliminated many of the relay events run in past years and features more open events. Sachem turned in great performances in open events and relays.
Senior Elise Ramirez won the Varsity 800 meter run in a personal-best 2:24.26. Elise ran a tactically brilliant race as she let race leaders set a fast pace while she settled comfortably in the back of the main pack of the fourteen runner seeded section of the race. Elise moved into mid-pack position on lap two and made a decisive move on her third lap to challenge the race leader. Elise charged to the lead with 150 meters to go in the race and defeated 2nd place runner Cayla Coleman (Largo High School, MD) by more than one second in a time of 2:24.26. Elise’s time is the #6 all-time indoor 800 ever run for Sachem North.
Sachem qualified two runners in invitational events. Senior Alyssa Leto placed fourth in the 300 meter dash in a personal-best 41.96. The time is the #4 fastest time in Sachem history and the fastest since Denise Raab’s 41.89 in 1998. Junior Jess Humann became the second Sachem runner to ever compete in the indoor mile steeplechase. Jess placed third in the invitational field as she passed two runners on her last lap in a time of 6:38.72.
Triple jumper Leah Blackall had her strongest jumping day of the season as she took sixth with an indoor personal-best of 37’ 6”. Leah’s distance is current NYS No. 5. Nikki Fogarty led Sachem’s strong hurdle squad today as she qualified for finals and ran a season-best 8.74 to place seventh in finals. Sachem’s Shuttle Hurdle Relay (SHR) squad of Nicole Costanzo, Emily Watson, Kelsey Flynn and Val Goding ran a NYS No. 8 and No. 6 Sachem North all-time mark of 40.47 in their race.
Sachem’s young talent looked strong in the meet as the Frosh-Soph DMR squad placed sixth in 14:05.16. Kaitlyn Licata (1200 meters), Kayla Goodman (400), Krista Goodman (800) and Gabriella Mott (1600) all ran strong legs in the race. Sachem’s highly regarded 4×200 flashed outstanding mid-season speed with a season-best and NYS No. 9 mark of 1:46.71. The time is the No. 5 all-time Sachem mark and the fastest December (or January) sprint relay ever in Sachem history.
FOOTNOTES
- Sachem competed in the weight throw at the Armory for the first time. Danielle Bongiorno, Erin Maryzek and Kira Audia represented the Sachem throws squad with a collective solid series of throws.
- Senior Brigid Rattiger was making a strong move to challenge race leaders with just under 300 meters to go in her 800 meter race when she was knocked down in a collision with another runner. Brigid finished her race, showing the same determination that has made this her strongest track season ever for Sachem North.
- Sachem’s hurdle squad went 5 for 5 in open event season-bests.
-Submitted by Sachem North coach Alex Young