VSN track teams win titles

Valley Stream North’s boys’ and girls’ winter track and field teams finished ahead of their respective packs at the Nassau County Class B championships earlier this month at St. Anthony’s High School.

Coached by Mike Frazer and Tim Boyens, the boys’ team won the 4x800 relay, placed second in the 4x400, and had junior Isaiah Paige capture the 55 Hurdles title on the way to totaling 71 points to outdistance runner-up Hewlett by 20. Meanwhile, the Lady Spartans beat out nemesis North Shore, 87-76, thanks in large part to their performances in the Long Jump and 1500m Race Walk.

Senior Anointing Onuoha followed up a tremendous season last spring by winning county titles in the Long Jump (18 feet, 5 ½ inches) and Triple Jump (37-4 ¼) this winter. Her 20 individual points was topped by junior Elaina Hobbs, who excels in all three jumping events. Hobbs won the High Jump (5 feet, 3 inches), and took third in the Long Jump (16-6) and Triple Jump (34-2), good for 22 points.

Sophomore Angeli Andre also played a key role for the Lady Spartans in three events. She was runner-up to Hobbs in the High Jump, placed fifth in the Triple Jump, and raced to a fourth-place finish in the 300 in 43.4 seconds.

In the Race Walk, North dominated with three of the six point scorers including county champion Allison McConville. The senior completed the distance in 7:36.46. Senior Yasmin Dubissette was second (7:49.99), and junior Chelsea Polanco was fifth in a blink over nine minutes.

Junior Kim Jelich handled the leadoff leg of a 4x400 relay that placed third in 4:21.99, and ran the second leg of a 4x800 that grabbed sixth. The 4x400 included senior Kristen Ray, junior Nanami Ellis and sophomore Emily Martino, while the 4x800 included junior Elizabeth Rossi, sophomore Gabriela Andrade, and eighth-grader Rebekah Buon. Jelich was also a solid fourth in the 600 with a time of 1:45.60. 

Junior Peter Wilk enjoyed a big meet for the North’s boys’ team. He was runner-up in the 1600m with a time of 4:38.27, fourth in the 1000m in 2:43.45, and ledoff a winning 4x800 relay that included juniors Phil Inguanta and Matthew Cinnamo, and sophomore Jake Catalano.

Paige, the Class B champ in the 55 Hurdles (8.23 seconds), joined with junior TJ Magno and seniors Femi Fagbemi and Randy Saint-Vil in a 4x400 relay that finished second. Magno was third in the 600 and anchored a 4x200 relay that took fifth.

Junior Zavier Jean-Charles picked up 14 points for the Spartans by placing second in the Triple Jump (43 feet) and third in the High Jump (5-10), and senior Jomar Pascal was third in the 55 Hurdles and the lead runner in the 4x200.