Sorry for my absence on Sunday, covering two meets on back-to-back days wiped me out. But it was quite the exciting weekend. I’ll talk about Rockland first, then Westchester. It’s so much better when these meets are close, and I’ve been pretty lucky the past few years covering track and cross country where the winner isn’t determined until the last event or last runner finishes.

It was the same Friday night with North Rockland and Ramapo. I have to admit, about a week ago I thought North Rockland would win – it would be close, but I thought it would be able to put Ramapo away. Then the news came about Nick Hughes not being able to compete and I thought Ramapo had a shot. But then you didn’t know what Clarkstown South or Suffern were capable of. Suffern beat Ramapo at the league meet, but lost to North Rockland.

Below are a few thoughts I have about the meet:

You don’t win team championships unless you have everyone contribute and that is especially true in track. You have to assume you’re top athletes will perform, but it’s those secondary points that are crucial. Those fourth, fifth and sixth place points really add up. Now before I compliment North Rockland on that – I have to point out Ramapo’s ability to do the same. This meet would not have been close without the exceptional performances of Aaron Thevinin, Jason Senat and Malcom Zamor. Those three have been under the radar and overshadowed by Ramapo’s other stars, but were crucial in the sprints and jumps. It was a very impressive team performance.

Now for North Rockland – I don’t know if anyone thought that if it were close heading into the relays North Rockland would win. To win the 3,200 relay – something I did not think they would do and second in the 400 relay and placing in the 1,600 relay. The team scored 24 points in the relays – four more than Ramapo. I don’t know if anyone – outside of North Rocklanders – thought the team would actually gain points on Ramapo in those relays. That’s an absolute credit to the team’s depth.

I know this team doesn’t win without the stellar performance of Chris Carrington - 1:52 and then 4:17 – are you kidding me. I think the two events were only about 45 minutes apart. But points and participation in the relays by guys like Nick Bien-Aimi, Dasheen Ellis, Ryan Lacossade, James Naglieri were crucial.

Then on the girls side – it’s the same philosphy. Suffern doesn’t win if Jen Clayton and Shelby Greany don’t score a combined 80 points – 80! Talk about maximizing your ability. The two of then would have taken third in the meet alone and that’s only because there’s a four-event limit. But again it’s the same with the boys – Suffern needed those other athletes to score big.

The team won by 35 points, but just when you think Suffern’s losing its edge they throw out you some very talented freshman. Sarah Bowens - a freshman scores 18 points in the two hurdles. FYI – in the 400 hurdles she lost to another freshman, this one from North Rockland – Luz Viana in the 400 hurdlers and yet another freshman in the 100 hurdles in Nyack’s Lauren Voss. Then Suffern has another freshman – Yasmin Dasilva who won the pentathlon. The team developed one of the best hurdlers in the county and a top pentathlete – both freshman. I can see Suffern staying around for a little longer.

Then of course you have the senior leadership of Christy Goldmann and Janelle Clayton who now how to compete and will always find ways to either win an event and score and this past weekend they did both.

Here are some other thoughts from the meet:

• Can we say Jarman Esperance is the best 110 hurdler in the section? With Delli Carpini and Rones out – I don’t know who can beat him. Can we also call him the best long jumper? 22-2 1/2? Not bad.


• Each time I see him run Mike Abelard looks like he’s that much closer to being back. When I first saw him last winter he looked incredible. I hope by state quals he’s back – 10.7 and 21.8 are pretty good times.


• If Esperance is the best 110 hurdler in the section, Ryan Whitley is the best 400 hurdler. He’s running 55 point every time out.


• That was a good boys 800 race. I know Carrington won, but give Lyle Haywood of Nyack credit. He really pushed the pace in that race finishing with a 1:55. You know Carrington would have like to win that race not having to run 1:52, but Haywood made that an impossibility as he kept pushing the pace.


• Big time triple jump by Dasheen Ellis. He’s clearly been hurting, but still managed a 44-7 to take first.


• Jesse Sarka continues to assert his dominance in the pole vault. He cleared 13-6 on Friday. But Chris Spadaccini of Pearl River isn’t giving in easy. He’s going to push Sarka at quals.


• What an impressive job by Joe Fox of Clarkstown South. He continues to excel winning the shot put again with a throw of 54 feet and the discus throwing 146-8.


• How about the season Tappan Zee’s Danny Kane has had. Second in the steeple and third in the mile. He’s really come on of late.


• Kevin McKenna looks like he’s coming into his own with that steeplechase victory. Fourth in the 1,600 the following day is still good. He along with Hughes will be the top distance runners in the county next year.


• I know she gets overshadowed by Jen Clayton, but Shilesha Johnson is always right behind Clayton in the 100, 200 and long jump. Johnson is always in it, but it’s just so tough to keep up with Clayton.


• That was an impressive run for Mayerline Louis-Juste in the 400. That 58.6 time is pretty good.


• How about Angelica Gilsenan? Another win in the pole vault. This time at 10-6. She just seems to get better each time out. She could get to 11 feet by the end of the season. I would say she’s the best vaulter in the section.


• That was an impressive performance by Caile Kohlbrenner in the 800. I know she ended up third, but she really pushed the pace on Greany and Goldmann. She started to die the last 100 meters or so, but that was a gutsy run by the sophomore.


• The more I watch her compete the more i think Amber Stephens of North Rockland is one of the most versatile athletes in the section. Scoring in the long jump, triple jump, high jump and 100 hurdles.


• Overall, I know Suffern and North Rockland finished 1-2, but how about Spring Valley. The team took third. That may be one of the more impressive events from the day, beating out Clarkstown South, Ramapo, Pearl River. Good job for that team.