For the first time in over three decades, the Clarke boys’ track and field team captured a county championship.
Liam Farrell won the weight throw and the shot put and fellow senior Alex Pereira claimed the long jump title and finished second in the 600-meter run as the Rams dominated the Nassau Class C championships on Feb. 7 for their first county title since 1987. Clarke’s victory at the Conference 5 Championships 18 days earlier was also the program’s first in 35 years.
Clarke’s 119 points was 56 better than second-place Seaford (63). Among the other winners at St. Anthony’s High School were Justin Uralil in the high jump, Nikhil Panickssery in the pole vault and the 4x800 relay team of Jayson Emile, Kenny He, Said Reyes and Andres Ventura.
“It was absolutely amazing,” Rams coach Brian Doxey said. “I couldn’t have asked more from them. Everyone stepped up [and] was able to perform under the pressure. They knew what was at stake.”
Farrell improved on his five attempts in the weight throw event, culminating with a toss of 50 feet, 6.5 inches that clinched the title and put him among the top 50 best tosses in the state. Senior Thomas Paleka placed third in the same event with a throw of 32-11.25 on his sixth and final try and junior Kelvin Wang was just behind him in fourth (31-1), both personal records.
“I knew he was a 50-foot thrower since last year,” Doxey said. “Last year, he threw outdoor 46 feet with two or three spins while also in the cold. I knew once he once he was in a warm setting that he would definitely hit 50 feet.”
Farrell also saved his best for last in the shot put with a personal-record 42-8.75 on his sixth and final attempt.
Pereira jumped 19-0.50 feet on his fourth attempt in the long jump and edged out Lawrence’s Angel Bran, who had a jump of 19-0.25 on his second and last try. Bran was competing in the 55-meter dash at the same time and did not return to the long jump in the allotted 10 minutes, prompting officials to fault his second through fifth attempts.
“I’m glad that kid did not have more attempts,” Doxey said.
Senior Kainoa Martin was third at 18-7.75 and he also placed fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 37-1.50.
Pereira clocked 1 minute, 31.70 seconds as the runner-up in the 600-meter final, .53 seconds better than third-place He, who was also a member of the 4x800 relay foursome that won in 9:14.96, over two seconds faster than second-place Wheatley. He, Emile, Uralil and Darren Cao were fourth in the 4x400 relay final.
Uralil won the high jump after clearing 4 feet, 10 inches and fellow senior Panicksessery scaled 8 feet, 6 inches on his first attempt to seal the pole vault title. Panicksessery was the lone competitor in his event.
The Rams will try to carry over that momentum into the spring season and claim their second straight outdoor conference title.
