(Feb. 6, 2015) Several Stephen Decatur indoor track athletes took home Bayside titles after winning their events during the Jan. 28 conference championship meet at the Worcester County Recreation Center in Snow Hill.
The Lady Seahawks finished second overall and the boys’ squad placed third.
“I was hoping for top three team finishes on both sides so I was definitely pleased,” Decatur Coach Jody Stigler said. “The boys did about what I expected. I would say the girls exceeded expectations … I would say that the individual event winners were the most impressive and Justin Longest also had a really good day.”
Senior Jenna Reimer won the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races. She crossed the finish line in 5:44.90 and 12:46.80, respectively.
Junior Rachel Savage earned a victory in the 800-meter event (2:38.82). Emily Cook, a junior, scored a Bayside title in the 55-meter hurdles event (9.67 seconds). Sophomore Christina Romano recorded a high jump of 4 feet 10 inches, good for first place. She took third in the 300-meter dash (45.56 seconds).
Jillian Mitrecic, a sophomore, pole vaulted 7 feet to finish second. Sophomore Bethany Williams placed third in the high jump (4 feet 8 inches).
Junior Alison Alvarado and senior Meya Chilengi joined Reimer and Savage for the 3,200-meter relay race. The girls completed the event in 11:15.20, which put them in second place.
“There are 10 individual events and the girls won five of the 10. This is the most individual winners we have had in the past few years,” Stigler said.
North Caroline won the girls’ competition with 114 points. Decatur scored 102 points and Kent Island finished a close third with 101 points.
North Caroline was victorious in the boys’ championship with 101 points. Wi-Hi placed second with 86 points and Decatur rounded out the top three schools with 81 points.
Parker Harrington, a senior, crossed the finish line first in the 800-meter race (2:04.05). He came up short of breaking the Bayside record by .05 seconds.
Harrington placed second in the 500-meter event (1:10.76) and was followed by senior Jackson Mumford (1:12.26, third).
Sophomore Justin Longest threw the shot put 38 feet 3 inches, good for second place.
“Justin Longest actually tied for first in the shot put, but placed second on a tiebreaker,” Stigler said.
Junior pole vaulter Evan Haas finished in third place with a height of 10 feet.
Sean Velazquez-Alvino, a senior, completed the 55-meter hurdles event in 8.6 seconds to earn third place.
Harrington and Mumford teamed up with senior Tripp Ortega and junior Zach Bernal for the 1,600-meter relay race. The boys took second place (3:49.50).
“I always place an emphasis on winning individual events and we certainly did that this season. We also had five different individuals win events and three of them are underclassmen, so that is definitely encouraging,” Stigler said. “We actually have a fairly young team so the prospects look pretty good for the future.”
Stephen Decatur sophomore Justin Longest participates in the shot put during the Bayside Conference championship meet at the Worcester County Recreation Center in Snow Hill on Jan. 28. He finished in second place.
