Since the start of the season the New Rochelle boys track and field team has been talking about winning the triple crown – leagues, counties and sectionals. Well, they’re one meet away from that goal. And what an impressive accomplishment that will be. But I’ll try to avoid looking ahead to much. Anyway, what an intense meet.

After that great 1,600 relay run by Iona Prep where it edged out New Rochelle at the finish line, I thought it was over. The one problem with track is that you never really know the score. You have everyone looking at the score sheet trying to add up the scores and you just don’t know. Coach Gallino of New Rochelle had an excellent quote when she said, “It’s important to remember that this is track and field and what happens out of sight still counts.” And that was absolutely the difference on Saturday.

This meet is always tough on Iona Prep as the team has the prom the night before every year. It’s obviously not the ideal situation, but the Gaels made a run at yet another county title. Sean Halpin attempted an insane quadruple – 800, 1,600, 3,200 and 4×4. He was pushed in th800 by Aki Bajulaiye and Jamie Mitchell of Fox Lane, but still took first in 1:56. He nearly ran three miles of competitive racing the night after the prom where Im sure he didn’t get much sleep. That was a gutsy performance by Halpin and an excellent job.

But in the end it was New Rochelle that was finally able to beat Iona in those “swing points.” Gaining a few points in the pentathlon and a huge meet by Shawn Day - who placed in the long jump, 110 and 400 hurdles. The hurdles New Rochelle had the talent, but those four points in the long jump were huge. And then of course there’s the hammer throw. New Rochelle doesn’t win without Jeremy Days and Chris Strong taking 2-3 in that event. Those 14 points were the difference in the meet. Really 15 with Jean Dussand taking sixth. Iona had the top thrower in the section with Teddy Mottola, but for the first time since I’ve been covering the team, New Rochelle got those other points.

And then of course the distance team. You can’t underestimate what Bajulaiye, Ruben Barajas and possibly the key to the team’s success – Daquan Oliver. But him and Barajas had a huge meet taking seven points in the 1,600, compared to none for Iona. I think New Rochelle scoring significant points in the distance events was so crucial and even a little surprising.

Here are some other quick thoughts on the meet:

• Jesse Drinks continues to dominate – two more wins in the 100 and 200. He just continues to impress.


• That was a good race by Chris Davis. Not only did he win the county title in the 400, but be broke 50 seconds.


• That was a busy day for Zach Weisbrot. The Hen Hud senior won the 400 hurdles and also ran in the 400 and 110 hurdles where he took sixth. Running a 58. is pretty good, considering the other events he’s done. It should be another interesting state qualifier between him and Whitley.


• I don’t think it matters where Mike Dapice runs he still is going to find a way to win. He is the county champ again. This time he won the 1,600, over the winter it was the 1,000. You put him in any meet and he seems to come out on top. Counties, leagues, it doesn’t seem to matter. We’ll see what happens this week at sectionals, but the way he’s been running, he’ll be tough to beat. I would imagine he’ll run the 800 at sectionals, but I’m not sure. Then you have Carter Humphrey of Yorktown taking second. Very nice job by him.


• How about the distance running of Manu Kumar and Kyle Shepard? For both of them tofinish in the top three in both the steeple and 3,200 is ver impressive with Kyle winning the steeple and Kumar the 32.


• Maurice Easterling continues to show that he is one of the best jumpers in the county as he won the triple and long jump. He may be the best in the county at doing both jumps. The 43 foot triple caught me a little by surprise.


• Max Yanker of Rye has continuously improved in the high jump throughout the year. I know he only jumped 6-2 at the county meet, but he is so much better at the event than only a few months ago. He’s very capable of having a breakout meet pretty soon, porentially a 6-6 type of jump.


• Talk about improvement – Michael Berg from Iona in the pole vault and Kaydon Davis in the shot put. The two have gradually gotten better in their resepctive events. Berg clearing 13-0 at counties is a very nice job and then you have Davis who now throws 50 feet routinely.


• Valhalla has some athletes on its team in the field. It hasFlynn in the jumps and Marc Troiani in the discus. Troiani was the county champ in that event and has been the best at it all season.


• Arthur Whyte is another athlete that has realy worked his way up the ladder. He’s now one of the better overall athletes in the county. He won the 110 hurdle title and he’s one of the better jumpers in the area.