Collective effort lifts Calhoun to repeat

With only 13 members, the Calhoun girls’ track and field team knew it had hardly any margin for missteps Feb. 7 at the Nassau Class B championships at St. Anthony’s; every Colt would have to harvest points – some in multiple events – for the club to avenge a stinging spring loss and claim a second straight county indoor title.

In a flurry of personal bests, which included two school records, Calhoun – led by senior Sara Manson and aided by calculation as cold as the air outside the Student Center – fended off rival Valley Stream North to win back-to-back winter championships after seizing its first indoor Nassau title a year ago.

Manson, a reigning holder of several spring and winter county titles, set a program record in the triple jump with a first-place mark of 36 feet, 4 ¼ inches in the final; successfully defended her winter title in the 55-meter hurdles clocking a season-best 8.86 in the final; and took third in the long jump falling just shy of first-place teammate Yolina Bastien’s 16-2.5 winning mark.

“We needed everyone to come through because we knew Valley Stream (North) would be tough,” said Colts coach Joe Migliano, whose team finished runner-up in spring to VSN at the county Class AA championships. “Sara’s our cornerstone. She was terrific, a big part of us winning two in a row.”

Added Migliano: “We also had everything planned out, down to each point, so we could take advantage and also stop (VSN) from scoring.”

Helping to carry off of a key Calhoun maneuver, Bastien, a junior, finished fifth in the triple jump behind winner Manson and junior teammate Sophia Hines, whose runner-up 35-2.5 was a personal best. “We loaded up the triple jump,” Migilano said. “Every time our kids beat one of (VSN)’s, it’s a four-point swing. We wound up scoring 20 in that event to their four. It was about taking away from their strength.”

Colts sophomore Taylor Halvorsen took first in the 1500-meter race walk, winning in 8:56.49, while Julia Baguiao set her second school record this season finishing third in the 300-meter dash in 42.57, which qualified the Calhoun senior to run in the New Balance Nationals next month in Boston. Baguiao, who also led off the Colts’ 4x200- and 4x400-meter relays – which placed second and third respectively – ran a program-best 27.04 in the 200 dash last month.

Hines placed second in the high jump with a season-best 4-10, while Colts junior Sofia Zampella missed a win in the 1,000 meters by a second and a half, finishing second-place in a personal-best 3:09.31.

Brooke Cancellarich placed third in the 55-meter hurdles, while fellow Colts sophomore Kaitlyn Stibritz finished fourth in the 3000-meter run.

Along with Baguiao, Calhoun – which won its fifth straight league title at January’s Conference 3 championships – will send Manson in the 60-meter hurdles and triple jump to the nationals, as well as the aforementioned relays. Next up for the Colts is this week’s State Qualifier at St. Anthony’s.

“We set the standard last year,” Migliano said. “Anything less than first now is a loss for us. We’ve really changed the culture here. Just excited to keep it going.”