Baldwin second in division meet

Treyvon Mask, Kendle Bramble and Pascal Bastien each won two events to lead Baldwin to a second-place finish in the Nassau Division I-B boys’ track and field championships at MacArthur High School on May 14.

Mask, a senior, won the 400 Intermediate Hurdles and the 400 meter dash as well as helping the Bruins capture the top spot in the 4 x 400 relay. Bramble, also a senior, won the Shot Put and Discus, while Bastien, a junior, took the Triple Jump and Long Jump titles.

“We had some great performances,” coach Rich Carroll said. “We had a chance to win the meet, but we were unable to score in four events.”

Valley Stream Central compiled 149 points to finish atop the team standings. Baldwin, which went 9-4 during the regular season, was a strong runner-up with 133.5 points.

Mask, along with senior Budd Brown, were not only high point-getters all spring but acted like assistant coaches, Carroll said. “They’re wise young men,” said Carroll, who served as an assistant coach under Joe Mercado for four years before taking over the program. “They’re remarkable athletes and individuals and really helped me in any way they could.”

Mask won the 400IH in 57.7 seconds and took a hotly contested 400 meter dash in 49.9 seconds. He also ran the second leg of the 4 x 400, following freshman Ralph Cordeau and preceding junior Tyshawn Harris and Bastien.

Bramble, the Nassau County champion in the Shot Put in 2012, came within an inch of the 49-foot mark in the division meet, well ahead of the competition. His margin of victory in the Discus was rather large as he threw 158-8, beating the runner-up by almost 40 feet. “His strength is key in the shot, and his finesse, footwork and timing make him a standout in discus,” Carroll explained.

Bastien’s pair of jumping titles is difficult to accomplish, Carroll said. A personal best leap of 21-feet, 8¼-inches was more than good enough to win the Long Jump, and the winning Triple Jump covered 42-5. “I’m convinced Pascal can do any event,” Carroll said. “He’s got great speed, footwork and work ethic. He came of age in last year’s county meet.”

Brown won the 800 title by a nose over Valley Stream Central’s Cesar Dieguez, 2:00.65 to 2:00.98. “It was a great race and an amazing time for Budd,” Carroll said. “They went back-and-forth the whole way down the stretch, and Budd got a head in front in the final 10 yards.” Brown was also part of the 4 x 800 relay that placed second with seniors Robert McKissick and Joseph Orselli and junior Kevin Atkinson.

Junior Emmerson Felix had a big meet as well, placing second in the 100, sixth in the 200 and anchoring the Bruins’ winning 4 x 100 relay that included seniors Marcelyn Neree, Shaquille Spradley and Rayshawn Walker. Neree finished third in the 100 behind Felix and VSC’s Chad Blaise.