North Shore girls' track Three-Peats

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The North Shore girls’ spring track program has been dominant in recent times but there was a slight worry before the Nassau County Class A championships May 24. 

For the first time in a while, the Vikings were upset in a dual meet, losing to Island Trees. So a county title was not considered fait accompli. 

All those concerns were put by the wayside as North Shore romped to its third straight county title, winning by landslide 30-plus points over runner-up Friends Academy. 

“It was awesome,’’ said senior pole-vault champion Sophia DeMilio. “We actually were (surprised). We didn’t have an undefeated season – which we usually do. We were kind of nervous. We were trying to maximize the points we got.’’

“We didn’t expect to lead that much but in the end we did,’’ said junior star Bella Martocci.

It was never in doubt as the Vikings got a splendid day from Martocci, the middle and long-distance runner. She finished second in her best two events – 3000 and 1600 – and then pulled off a personal best in the 800, placing fifth and scoring points for the team title. 

“I’m a long-distance girl personally,’’ Martocci said. “It’s more my forte.  It comes down to a combination of the training and being in the right mindset on race day.’’ Now that we’ve reached tougher competition it’s a big help in terms of pushing me and bringing out my personal best.’’

The girls have taken its cross-country superiority into the winter and spring seasons too. 

“It’s always exciting to win a championship considering it seems we’re starting a tradition,’’ DeMillio said. “We have history in cross country but now we get to carry that over to our spring track performance.’’

DeMillio didn’t have close to her best day in winning the county title in pole vault after being the winter titlist. 

Two weeks ago, she posted her personal best of 11-4½ . She vaulted a 9 last Thursday - enough to be champion. She’s all but qualified for the state meet in Middletown June 8.

“I had a very bad day,’’ DeMillio said. “I borrowed someone’s pole. I was feeling kind of sick. It was awful.’’ 

We should all be so awful. Her freshman sister, Danielle, meanwhile, was delighted at how things transpired.  The novice finished fourth at 7 feet, scoring team points. 

“(Danielle) just started this year,’’ Sophia said. “(Boys pole-vault champion)  Caden Paradis and I were teaching her.’’

 There were plenty of other notable performances that added up to 102 points. Senior Jill Feuerborn was second in the shot put (31-3). The Vikings excelled in the three relays, finishing fourth in the 4x100, third in the 4x400 and second in the 4x800.

Sophia DeMillio, Sarena Modi, Sidney Lamond and Hannah Sadowski ran the 100 relay. Samantha Nelson, Annika Kaelin Kate Salerno and Joanna Kenney combined for the All-County 4x800 relay team.

In another huge effort, Madeline Bush (2;23.39) became All-County with a second-place finish in the 800. Madison O’Donnell grabbed fourth in the 400-meter hurdles while the maroon was all over the 2000 steeplechase - with Sophia Marchioli finishing second, Joanna Kenney third and Salerno fifth.