Both the boys and girls winter track teams were eager to pick up where last year’s seniors had left off, and as of now, they appear to be headed in a positive direction.  The team had its first meet two weeks ago, and most of the runners was satisfied with their own opening times.

“We were all happy with our opening times this season, but there are definitely still places that everyone can improve on,” said senior captain Saige Gitlin.

It is still very early in the season, so the team will definitely have the time and practice to further improve their times and move towards personal records.  Coaches Pope and DeNado have been training the team harder and harder each winter day in order to compete for a county championship.

Luckily for both winter track teams, the weather has not been a major issue so far this season.  While the mid-December afternoons are cold, the teams are all prepared with athletic wear that is specifically designed to combat the elements.  More importantly, the snow has mostly stayed off the ground, meaning that the athletes have been able to stay off the hard tiles of the school halls for indoor practices, which can be taxing on their feet.  The athletes continue to hope for more fair weather, as it would be especially convenient for the snow to stay off the ground this winter.

As for the performances this season, the teams have been strong from the get-go.  The girls team has been led by upperclassmen who have started off the season on a positive note.  The Lady Vikings are seeing another great season start from senior captain Lucy Hurt, who is currently ranked number two overall in the county for the girls 3,000 meters event.

In addition, the team has seen an excellent start from senior captain Megan Bazzini, who is currently ranked number one overall in Nassau County in the 600 meter event, posting a time of 01:44.21.

The captains continue to lead the way as senior Saige Gitlin is also currently ranked high in the 55 meters hurdles, at number six in the county.

Besides the seniors, some underclassmen have begun to make huge impacts on the team.  First year track member Ali Turner has taken the shot put event by storm, and she is ranked third in the county in her first ever season.  The girls will look to continue to follow the lead of the seniors, but underclassmen like Turner have begun to help the team in major success.

On the boys side, the team has also gotten off to a great start.

They have largely been carried by senior Kitman Lam, who is running another great season.  Lam is currently ranked number five in the county, posting a time of 6.93 seconds in the boys 55 meter sprint.  He is also currently number twenty three in the county for the 300 meter event.

As was the case for the girls team, the boys have also begun to rely on underclassmen for early success.  That part of the success has come in the distance events, and the team is relying on first year track member, freshman Oliver Melara-Perez.  He is currently ranked number eleven overall in the county in the 3,200 meter event, posting a time of 10:43.23.  The boys will also continue to build on the strong start.

“I have been happy with my initial performance, and I am excited to get better throughout this season” said sophomore Justin Hill.

Hill, along with the rest of the team, has been working hard and battling the elements at practice every day.
The boys will continue to build on their early success in the hunt for a championship in 2018.

The team’s next meet will be an important one, as they will face off against most of the teams from Nassau County on Dec. 20.  They will look to continue on the strong start the season has brought.

The latest meet was last Tuesday, and the performed well.  The next meet looms large, as it will have a chance to impact the standings as Port Washington tries to inch closer to a birth at a country championship.

Until then, they will continue to rely on senior leadership, and will look to the rookies and underclassmen to bring a spark to each the boys and the girls team.  Once both teams can find their groove, the possibilities will be endless.  The team has great potential from their upper and underclassmen, and will be looking to continue to build on and off the track in order to reach their great expectations.