By TONY BELLISSIMO
Junior Theresa Rush won three events (800, 1,500 and 3,000 meter runs) and sophomore Lauren Dyer had a pair of runner-up (long jump, triple jump) and one third-place (200 meter dash) finish to lead VSN to the county Class A crown at Mitchel Athletic Complex last month.
"Winning the conference in the winter season set the tone for a big spring," Coach Mike Fraser said. "Valley Stream South was the defending champ and had a great deal of seniors, so we approached it as the underdog. We just had the right kids in the right events and they came through."
None more than Rush, who took the 800 in 2-minutes, 18.2 seconds, the 1,500 in 4:43.4 and the 3,000 in 11:04.1. "Theresa is an amazing runner and competitor and one of the best in the state in the 1,500," said Fraser, who noted Rush placed sixth at the state meet indoors in the 1,500. "She ran away with the 1,500 with nobody pushing her and that was impressive."
Rush was one of only four members to compete for VSN's track teams as an eighth-grader. This spring, she was one of 32.
Dyer has "developed into a very committed and talented athlete," according to Fraser and the hard work paid off. She leaped 15-feet, 9-inches in the long jump and 33-10 in the triple jump and went 28.4 seconds in the 200.
Another sophomore, Cassey Esposito, had a fantastic county meet. She placed second behind Rush in the 3,000 with a time of 11:17.2, placed third in the 2,000-meter steeplechase in 7:51.2 and ran the anchor leg in the 4-x-800 relay that scored a point by finishing sixth. "Cassey has a hard-nosed mentality that it takes to compete in the steeplechase," Fraser said. "She represents the heart and soul of our team."
Junior Pauline Badamo, who led off the relay, placed second in the 400 (1:03.3) and sixth in the 800 (2:30.9). "Pauline had a personal-best in the 400 and leaned at the line to get second," Fraser said. "It was a big effort."
The Lady Spartans had two scorers in the 100-meter dash as sophomore Arielle Dorismond finished third in 13.7 seconds and junior Sherese Stephenson fifth in 14.2. Dorismond was also third in the long jump with a 15-5.
Many other underclassmen contributed, including sophomore Dayna Moneta (fifth in shot put) and sophomore Sherry Ali and freshman Nathalie Miranda, who were part of the 4-x-800.
"We've got a very young team and the girls have come to expect success," Fraser said. "Hopefully this title is the first of many."
Rush: 5th in state 1,500
The pace in the girls 1,500-meter run in Saturday's state Federation outdoor track and field championships was fast and furious and Valley Stream North junior Theresa Rush was right in the thick of it.
Defending champion Mary Liz McCurdy of Bay Shore challenged everyone to keep up with her, and surprisingly most did. Rush was in striking distance the whole way but with 300 meters remaining Bellport's Brittany Sheffey separated herself from the pack to win in 4-minutes, 29.41-seconds.
Warwick Valley's Aislinn Ryan was second in 4:28.99 and Rush crossed the line fifth in a personal-best 4:33.64. McCurdy ended up seventh.
"Theresa was incredible," Lady Spartans Coach Mike Fraser said of Rush, who picked up her second state medal in three months as she was seventh in the Federation indoor meet in the 1,500. "She took the fast pace in stride and benefited from running up front. In a big race with so many quality runners it's almost impossible to come from too far behind."
Rush topped her previous best time by nearly five seconds and is among the top 30 high school runners nationally in the 1,500. "She's very pleased and excited about next season," Fraser said.
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