Can you say dynasty? Sachem East did it again
Can you say dynasty? The Sachem East girls’ varsity track and field team won the 2018 Suffolk County League I championship this past weekend at Suffolk Community College Brentwood. The victory is the third consecutive league title for Sachem East, which has now also won seven of the last 11 league championships.
The league meet, the first team scoring meet of the entire winter season, pits each of the nine League I teams against each other with a scoring format of 10 points to first place, eight points to second place, six points to third, four points to fourth, two points to fifth, and one point to sixth in each of the individual and relay events. A score of 136 points (good for ninth all-time in league meet history) out-distanced Sachem East from the remainder of League I’s top teams: Longwood (81 points), Brentwood (58 points), Ward Melville (52 points), and Sachem North (50 points).
Taking home the title of individual event league champions includes: Lindsey Dodenhoff (3,000 meters), Bridget Abraldes (1,000 meters), Rachel Ruggiero (1,500 meters), Margaret Atwood (racewalk), and Michaela Parker (shot put).
The combination of Shayna Arrigo, Bridget Abraldes, Lauren Trejo, and Brooke Papele took home a league title (and meet record) in the 4×400 meter relay not to be outdone by teammates Kaitlyn Famiglietti, Rachel Weber, Melissa Merone, and Rachel Ruggiero who brought home the League title in the 4×800 meter relay.
Adding to the scoring total for Sachem East was Jeilyn Balbuena, Anna Murphy, Sabrinna Mena, Chelsea Benedict, Sam Piezzo, Jasmine Ahmed, Angela Consalazio, and Arya Deshpande.
The League Meet serves as a preview for the Large School Suffolk County Championship which will take place on Sunday, February 4 at Suffolk Brentwood. The meet will include the top teams from League I (East, North, Longwood, Brentwood, and Ward Melville) but will also feature all of League II and a portion of League III, most notably Bay Shore, Smithtown East, Connetquot, Huntington, and North Babylon. The meet is expected to be very tight at the top as the Sachem East seeks to win its third consecutive winter count title.