The Bonac boys and girls track and field teams spent April 11 competing in the Deer Park Invitational, where both the veterans and the newcomers made their mark.
It was “more than just a meet — it was a nine-hour test of grit, focus, and heart,” said Sean Knight, the boys head coach. “Our athletes delivered in a big way.”
As a team, the boys scored 14 points to finish 11th out of 19 schools.
Individually, Liam Knight, Marcus Oransky, and Franco Palombino all medaled. Knight ran a 52.81 in the 400 meters, good for fourth place. Knight also ran the 200 meters in 23.46, good for seventh. Oransky ran the 400-meter intermediate hurdles in 63.8, which put him in second. Palombino took third in the shot-put, throwing 44 feet, 2.75 inches.
Among the newer athletes, Adrian Bello set the tone in the field events, leading the jumps with 19 feet, 2 inches in the long jump and 36 feet, 5 inches in the triple jump. At his first-ever invitational, Colton Everett “crushed all his events,” Coach Knight said, running the 100 meters in 12.15, the 200 meters in 24.97, and reaching 17 feet, 7 inches in the long jump. Emmett Schumann also outperformed with a 54.58 in the 400 meters.
Knight called the sprint depth outstanding. “We had a tight pack of athletes all pushing each other to faster times in the 100 meters and 200 meters — Nelvin Suchite (12.01 / 24.84), Aaron Torres-Garcia (12.36 / 24.90), Justin Herrera (12.31 / 25.41), and Vinny Alvarado (12.45 / 25.92). That kind of depth is how teams grow stronger.”
In the longer distances, Max Bellenoue ran a strong double with 5:02.41 in the 1,600 meters and 2:14.38 in the 800 meters. In the 800, Knight said Jatniel Gonzalez (2:16.12) and Joseil Murillo
“We saw a huge number of personal bests and standout performances across every event group,” Coach Knight said. “From the first race to the final throw, our team competed with energy, toughness, and pride.”
Girls 7th Out of 19
It was an even better day for the girls. As a team they finished seventh out of 19, scoring 28.5 points.
In the 400-meter intermediate hurdles, Sara O’Brien ran a season’s best of 68.94, which put her in second place. Sophia Figueroa also ran a season’s best of 76.28.
Laura Martinez won the 3,000 meters in 11:35.47. That was a new personal record.
In the 100-meter high hurdles, C.J. Echavarria finished sixth with a 17.07. Angela Mantilla ran a 21.02, a personal record.
The 100 meters was full of personal records and season’s bests. Sydney Powers (14.16), Lilly Wood-Savarese (14.77), and Flora Jiang (16.77) had their best races of the season, while Emily Alvarez (14.55), Alexis Salazar (15.07), Abby Bermeo (15.42), Mantilla (16.43), and Madison Williams (16.94) all set new personal records.
The 200 meters was also filled with records. Alvarez (30.59), Danett Gonzalez-Alcala (32.56), Ashlynn O’Donnell (32.89), and Bermeo (33.21) all achieved new personal bests. Wood-Savarese ran a season’s best 31.78. Gonzalez-Alcala ran a personal best 5:30.82 in the 1,500 meters. In the 800, Martinez had a P.R. of 2.32.46.
In the long jump, Sierra Stumpf set a personal record of 15 feet, 7.5 inches, and Powers achieved a new season’s best of 14 feet, 10 inches.
All of the girls participating in the discus set new benchmarks. Beth Daniels threw a season’s best 78 feet, 4 inches, while Lucy Knight (74 feet, 4 inches), Jiang (59 feet, 9 inches), and Bermeo (58 feet, 3 inches) all set new P.R.s.
In the shot-put, Stumpf threw a season’s best 21 feet, 3.5 inches, and Daniels (26 feet, 9.25 inches) and Jiang (18 feet, 10 inches) both threw new personal records.
Vicky Chen took second place in the pole vault, hitting 8 feet, 6 inches. That was her season’s best. Angie Castillo tied for fifth place, hitting 7 feet. In the high jump, Stumpf reached a personal
“The girls did amazingly well at the Deer Park Invitational,” Yani Cuesta, their head coach, said. “We are super proud and excited about what the girls are accomplishing and how they are improving.”
The boys and girls teams are set to compete in a dual meet against Eastport-South Manor on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. The girls will be on the road, while the boys will be at home. The girls will then participate in the Joe Brandi Relays Invitational at Connetquot High School in Bohemia on April 18.
