Last night was pretty entertaining at the armory. I figure I’ll go over some of the highlights and tell you some of my thoughts on what will be for many area athletes their last meet before states.

One of the top stories from yesterday’s meet has to be Sean Halpin. I mean that was a stacked field he was running against in the 800 with Terrance Livingston from Great Neck South. Halpin ran 1:54 to take first and after the race said he thinks he could run 1:52. And I believe him.

There’s not much more you could say about Halpin. He’s smart, talented, confident but not cocky. He goes in knowing and expecting he can win any race against any competition. You know how football or baseball players watch video of their opponents and themselves. If high school track had that type of technology I bet Halpin would be the one that would spend the most time out of anyone studying the race.

On top of his talent and love of running, he has a pure passion for the sport. It’s getting to a point – and I know I said this before – but you’re shocked when he loses. And something else about Halpin – when does he have a bad race or a bad meet? I don’t know either. I’ve been covering him for only two years, but in that span I don’t recall a time when he didn’t perform to his potential. I’m sure he has, but to go race in and race out and always running well is something that I think gets overlooked. Every athlete has a bad day in any sport. But Halpin always seems to come up big.

And yesterday to watch him just sit back and wait as the other runners pushed each other around then to watch him explode to the lead 600 meters into the race was impressive. Here are some of my other thoughts from the meet:

• Getting overlooked in the 800 is White Plains senior Michael Dapice. He ran in the second heat and won in 1:57. The time was good enough for 7th. He’s another runner that has had a stellar season. My question with him is – why was he in the second heat? John Jay-Ef’s Ryan Gomba was in the first heat and took 5th in 1:56. Dapice was running out by himself most of the race and I think it would have been fun to see him in that first heat. He’s beaten Gomba in the 1,000, so I was surprised to see the two in different heats.


• Maurice Easterling will be a threat in the long jump at Ithaca. He jumped 23 feet, 1 inch and still doesn’t fully understand the event. Every meet it seems he switches up his steps. He either moves up or back it’s never the same. If he starts taking the event seriously he could go well above 23-1.


• I was a little surprised to see Mike Hickey in the one mile and not the two. Only because Hickey’s going to competing in the 3,200 at states. But his time of 4:20 again proves that Hickey can run well at any long distance.


• How about the resurgence of the Lakeland/Panas track team? I know I’ve said this before, but watch out for this team. The 3,200 relay ended up taking third in 9:31. And get this that team – Brie Roller, Sarah Biggers, Carissa Leonardi and Safiya Linley - Roller and Leonardi are sophomores and Biggers is a junior. Only Linley is a senior. It’d be interesting to see what they do in the spring.


• The 55 hurdles was pretty stacked. Wayne Seaton of Fordham Prep (7.47) ended up taking fourth and Chris Rones (7.58) finished 5th. Top five at a meet like this is pretty good. Both runners have a shot at a federation title next week. However, I saw Rones limp off after the 800 relay trials. He was down for a minute, so hopefully it was just a cramp.


• Spring Valley’s Shilesha Johnson is starting to heat up in the 55 dash. After speaking with her she’s still not where she wants to be heading into the state meet. But a 7.22 fourth place finish at Easterns is pretty solid. Apparently she wants to break 7.2. She can definitely do it.


• The Mount Vernon 800 relay team  looked strong. The team of Kenina Bonner, Breanda Crump, Myla Allen and Tanaya Yarde finished third in 1:42. I know most of you know this, but Yarde is fast. She’s a freshman and has a shot at the state title. She nearly made up 15 meters on the leader in the last lap.


• I was expecting to see Bronxville compete in the 3,200 relay as the team continues to prepare for states and eventually nationals. But the team of Tori Flannery, Olivia Bruton, Henrietta Miers and Caitlin Hudson finished fifth in 12:05. It’s tough to find four better runners to compete in a DMR than those four. That’s probably why that and the 3,200 relay teams are so good.


• Jen Clayton had some competition in the long jump, but after jumping 19-5 1/2, no one else could go over 19. She then doubled up with a third place finish in the 200. Also in that event Alexis Easterling looks to be back. She jumped 18 feet and I don’t think she’s gone that far since December.