By STEVE SINISKI
Mepham proved it by capturing the Nassau County Conference III championship on Jan. 18. Dan Genn and Chris Parker were the individual heroes, capturing first place in a combined three events.
But it was the strong finishes of a number of other Pirates that ultimately boosted the team past second place Great Neck South (98-81.5) and the rest of the eight-team field. Mepham is now preparing for the Nassau County Championships, scheduled for Feb. 2, at Suffolk Community College's Brentwood campus at 6 p.m.
"Usually it's the first to 100 [team points] that wins," Coach Dave Frazer said. "This year it was 98, which shows how good the conference was."
The 4-by-200-meter relay team of Alix Lamarre, Joe Vasseo, Frank Carbone and Mike Sannella clinched the title with a second-place finish in the final event of the meet, but it was solid performances in nearly every event that kept the Pirates in the top spot. They scored in 11 of the 12 events, and the only one they failed to net a point in was the high jump, which was impossible, because Mepham didn't have an athlete participating in that event.
Genn led the way in the 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter
races, and his strategy in each of the events helped several of his teammates earn valuable points as well. Rather than do his best to dominate the competition at distances few could match him in, Genn and the coaching staff took a more tactical approach. "He set the pace slower so two or three [teammates] would stay closer," Frazer said. "In the mile, he kept the [pace] slow and then ran away."
Genn was 40 seconds off his personal best at 3,200 meters, finishing in 10:35.4, and 27 seconds off his best time at 1,600 meters. The strategy worked, as John Waldron (fifth) and Anthony Roberto (sixth) earned points for the Pirates in the 3,200, while Kevin Sheehan (fourth) and Isaac Degani (fifth) did the same in the 1,600-meter run. A runner from Elmont tried to make a bid for the win at 1,600 meters, but Genn used his closing burst of speed to capture the race. Genn was a member of the 4-by-400-meter relay that earned first place (3:51.6), along with Nick Balsamo, Mike Lawoo and Vasseo.
Parker's strength in the sprinting events helped balance Mepham's point scoring, as he finished first in the 55-meter hurdles (:07.7), second in the 55-meter run (:06.6) and third at 300 meters (:37.8). "Part of his leadership is his work ethic and desire to make himself a better athlete," Frazer said.
Mike Litzner went toe to toe with one of the best shot putters in Nassau County, Calhoun's John O'Sullivan, and finished second with a throw of 41 feet, 10.5 inches. Dan Sechiano finished fourth for the Pirates in the shot put.
"Our goal was to outscore Calhoun in the throws, and we did, 12-11," Frazer said. "Every guy on the team had a task" and accomplished it.
