It was another Nassau County spring track championship for the North Shore’s girls juggernaut – the Vikings’ fifth straight.
As the titles pile up for coach Neal Levy’s squad, the storylines keep getting more compelling. The dramatic star of the May 29 event became senior Madison O’Donnell.
While O’Donnell was one of three North Shore individual county champions at the Valley Stream North track, hers was the most gripping.
During the 400 hurdles, O’Donnell took a couple of horrific tumbles, bloodying her knees and costing her the race.
It appeared O’Donnell wouldn’t be healthy enough to go in the 800 meters an hour after her spills. Except she decided to race and won it in a personal best -- 2:22.48 – for her first individual county title.
“She scraped her knee pretty bad,’’ Levy said. “I wasn’t certain she’d be able to continue. It was the feel-good performance of the meet.’’
O’Donnell never thought about quitting on the 800 despite the pain and burns that looked as maroon as the school’s colors.
O’Donnell had fallen twice – first after missing the last hurdle as she messed up her steps. When she arose quickly to sprint, she stumbled and hit the deck again.
“I was going to race it no matter what,’’ O’Donnell said of the 800. “It was my last counties. It meant a lot. Better to try than not try at all.’’
And somehow O'Donnell flew past the field for her first county championship. Since freshman year, O’Donnell has been on four straight spring county title teams.
“I was dazed but excited,’’ O’Donnell said. “I was very shocked mostly. It was a really big deal to me.’’
O’Donnell, who may be a walk-on trackster at New Haven next year, will compete in June 5’s state qualifier. “I’m pretty marked up, but besides the discomfort, I’m fine,’’ O’Donnell said.
In all, 11 Vikings earned All-County (top 3 finish). The list is topped by North Shore’s newest distance superstar, junior Joanna Kenney, who continued her championship mettle. Kenney won county tiles in the 1,500 and 3,000 meters.
Junior Danielle Demillio won the title in the pole vault and placed second in the discus. The young 4x800 relay captured first place, consisting of seventh grader Tulla Bella Gum, eighth grader Sloane Bonvicino, junior Hannah Checo and sophomore Harper Wilson.
Another sparkler was junior Hannah Sadowski, All-County in the 400 hurdles and 400 meters.
In addition, Jade Feuerborn scored points by her fourth place in the discus. Chloe Connolly, despite being injured much of the season, was second in the 800 meters to her teammate, O’Donnell.
North Shore won the Class B title in a rout with 112 points, with the hosts, Valley Stream North finishing runner-up with 73.
“We had a lot of points in the field events as well as distance events and relays, so it wasn’t a one-size-fits-all situation,’’ said Levy, architect of the girls track dynasty at Sea Cliff/Glen Head school.
