By Patrick Conklin ’18

The Chaminade winter track and field team traveled to St. Anthony’s High School on Sunday, January 29 for the C.H.S.A.A. championship meet, the first of two varsity championship competitions for the Flyers this weekend.  The team has been training all season, propelling them toward the meet with one goal in mind: surpassing their rival Friars.  The runners came prepared to give their best performance of the season, hoping to break St. Anthony’s eight-year streak of league championship victories.

At a track and field meet, the team that scores the most points is crowned the winner.  A runner who finishes in the top five spots of a race earns points for his team.  A first-place finish awards six points, second place awards four points, third place awards three points, fourth place awards two points, and fifth place awards one point.  The top three finishers in each event receive medals.

A meet consists of a myriad of different track events, which are run indoors on a 200-meter track.  Running races range from the 3200-meter run to sprinting events, such as the 55-meter dash.  In the 55-meter hurdles, competitors must stride over a series of 39 inch hurdles.  Between the 3200, 1600, 1000, 600, 300, and 55 meter runs, Chaminade placed seven medalists and eight scorers.

In addition to individual competition, this meet also held relay races.  These races are Chaminade’s strong-suit, and there was a considerable buzz in the crowd when the Flyer runners strode to the starting line.  Chaminade’s 4×200 meter relay squads placed second and third, the 4×400 meter relay squad placed third, and the 4×800 meter relay squad placed first.

The infield of the track, where the five field events were held, was also filled with activity.  These events include the shot put, long jump, triple jump, high jump, and pole vault.  

At the end of the day, Chaminade finished in third place out of five teams, finishing with 53.5 points and taking a narrow loss to St. Anthony’s and St. John the Baptist.  However, throughout the energy-packed day, Chaminade scored in nearly every event, and had an impressive amount of medalists.  

The Flyer’s most notable performance was the 4×800 meter relay of Christopher Loumeau ’17, Cameron Sherry ’17, Chris Strzelinski ’17, and James Moran ’18 who captured the N.S.C.H.S.A.A. title.  Yet, while many personal records were achieved, Coach Brian Hayes ’99 said, “We could have run a little faster, jumped a little higher, and thrown a little further.”

The Flyers hope to improve their performances at the city championship to be held in Staten Island.  The team aims to avenge its loss, and as Cole Dougherty ’18 said, “We hope to show what we are truly made of next race.  I know we have more in the tank than our performance yesterday.”  The team will face St. Anthony’s and St. John the Baptist, along with an array of accomplished city teams, in two weeks time.  Until then, the team will continue to train even more vigorously in the pursuit of victory.