Island track athletes crushing it at several events
The weather has finally warmed up and so has the action on the indoor track with only a week to the county championships followed soon after by the State Qualifiers that decides who goes to the State championships.
It’s been a full schedule with the Shelter Island boys and girls teams competing in three meets over the past two weeks, all at Suffolk Community College’s Brentwood campus. The girls ran the Zeitler Relays and the Art Mitchell Meet and League Championships. The boys ran Crossover E, the Freshman/ Sophomore Championships and League Championships.
At the Zeitler Relays on January 9, sophomore Emma Gallagher, senior Francesca Frasco, senior Lindsey Gallagher and senior Isabella Sherman ran the 4 by 200 meter relay in 2:03.08 besting their own school record. They also ran the 4 by 400 meter relay for the first time in 4:49.01, a good starting point.
At the Art Mitchell meet on January 13, which includes schools of all sizes, Frasco ran the 600 meter run in 2:08.60, a personal record (“PR”) and crushed the 1,500 meter race walk school record with a time of 10:19.39 in her first time in the event. Sherman ran the 1,000 meter run in 4:16.10, narrowly missing her personal best.
In the open race, Lindsey Gallagher dropped her 600 and 300 meter season times with performances of 1:43.90 and 43.85 seconds, respectively, earning third place finishes in both. In the sophomore race, Emma Gallagher dropped her 600 and 300 meter season times as well with 1:49.30 and 46.30 seconds, also third place finishes.
At the Girls League Championships on January 21, Frasco PR’d in both the 1,000 meter run with 3:49.08. Emma Gallagher and Gurney ran the 55 meter dash in 8.45 and 8.86 seconds, respectively, while Sherman ran the 1,000 meter run in 4:20.29.
In two very tightly contested races, Lindsey Gallagher earned first place finishes in both the 600 meter and 300 meter runs with her incredible kick, scoring times of 1:39.52 and 43.97 seconds and earned League Champion in those events. Sherman, Emma Gallagher, Frasco and Lindsey Gallagher ran the 4 x 200 meter relay on tired legs to the tune of 2:06.27. The girls team placed sixth as a team.
The boys continue to improve their performances as the season rolls along. At the Freshman/ Sophomore Championships on January 17, which includes schools of all sizes, the Island’s sophomores did very well. Kal Lewis ran to first place finishes in the 600 meter and 1600 meter runs in 1:26.54 (PR) and 4:33.99 (PR) and earned Sophomore Champion in both events. Alberto Morales ran the 55 meter dash and 300 meter dash in 7.49 and 44.63 seconds. Jonas Kinsey ran the 1,000 meter run in 2:58.99 (PR).
For the freshmen, Domingo Gil, Jr. did double duty running the 600 meter and 1.600 meter runs in 1:44.10 (PR) and 5:15 minutes (PR). Tyler Gulluscio ran the 3,200 meter run in 11:49.68. Jason Green and eighth grader Pacey Cronin ran the 1,000 meter run in 3:39 and 3:38. Daniel Schulteis ran the 300 and 600 meter runs in 54.5 (PR) and 2:10.6 (PR).
On January 20, the boys ran their League Championships. Much to the surprise of the 12 teams competing, Shelter Island took an incredible third place finish as a team by winning five of the 10 running events. Senior Joshua Green took first place in the 1,000 meter run in an exciting race with numerous lead changes with a 2:40.15 (PR) besting his own school record. He also won the 600 meter run with 1:28.05 (PR), earning League Champion in both events.
Not to be outdone, Kal Lewis dominated the 3,200 meter and the 1600 meter runs with times of 10:04.80 and 4:41.01, respectively, earning League Champion in both events. Kinsey earned a point for his team by taking sixth place in the 1,600 meter run with a time of 5:02.83.
Lastly, running on tired legs, the Indians took first place in the 4 by 400 meter relay with a time of 3:47.64 behind the power of junior Michael Payano, Kinsey, Lewis and Joshua Green, more than seven seconds ahead of their closest competitor.
The remaining Indians had great performances as well at Leagues. Cronin ran the 300 and 1,000 meter runs with times of 50.37 (PR) and 2:00.11 minutes (PR). Gil and Gulluscio ran the 1,000 meter run in 3:03.26 (PR) and 3:08.44, respectively. Jason Green ran the 600 meter run in 2:02.15. Morales ran the 55 meter dash and the 300 meter run with times of 7.82 seconds (PR) and 43.75 seconds (PR), respectively.
Senior Jack Lang ran the 1,600 meter run in 5:16.08 minutes. Payano ran the 300 and 600 meter runs with times of 40.73 (PR) and 1:36.23 (PR). Cronin, Jason Green, Gil and Gulluscio got their first chance at a relay by running the 4 by 800 meter relay in a time of 10:42.70 minutes.
As the season winds down, we know we will miss the hype, the races and the competition.
This year and last, in a wise cost saving measure by the District, we have been sharing a bus with the combined Greenport/ Southold team to all our meets. Their boys team numbers about 12, their girls team 10. This has been nothing but a win-win situation for both schools, cutting their transportation costs in half. But the bigger gain is what the athletes are getting out of it. Sharing buses, sharing meals, sharing experiences.
Frasco commented that “the rides are always more fun and interesting. Their coach treats us like we are a part of his own team.”
In Lindsey Gallagher’s words “it has led some of us to try new events that we may not have tried had it not been for their resources and coach.”
To Emma Gallagher “it is really nice to meet kids from other schools who share the same interests as us and are willing to support us and help us learn.”
For the boys, in speaking with Coach Toby Green, the two teams have forged new friendships as well, where we cheer for them, they cheer for us and we get each other pumped up.
For the coaches, we have been getting along really well with Coach Mike Gunther, who has coached over 30 years. It turns out we have very similar athlete-centered coaching philosophies and all of us have benefited from our collective experiences by the sharing of techniques and tactics.
