John Jay Track Powers Through League Meet at Brewster

CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - On Wednesday, May 1, Brewster High School hosted the second day of the league meet and Helena Schembri didn’t hold back her weariness after taking second in the 800 meter.

“My legs at the end were like Jello,” said the sophomore. But the just desserts definitely belonged to the John Jay multi-talent.
Schembri won the Pentathlon, and her reflection didn’t pull up short here either.

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“It feels good,” she said succinctly.

Of course, day one had her in position. The Wolf won 100 meter hurdles, and took second in the shot put and the long jump.

Three down and two to go, Wednesday began with the high jump. A 4-06, she beat her previous best by two inches, and assistant coach Will Seibert gave part of the credit to a clearer mental state. “She’s been teaching her younger sister to high jump, and I think that occupied her mind a little bit,” he said. “So she wasn’t so much in her own head.”

The coach also advised that she forget about the bar. “Run at it like it’s not there, and she really did that,” said Seibert.

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Still, Schembri assured that there’s much more to the skill. “It’s very difficult,” she said. “It takes a lot of time to learn.”

She also finds the high jump fun - and even more so when a win in the 800 meter isn’t necessary.  A first place finish was still on her mind, though.

“I love to win,” Schembri extolled.

Disappointment or not, she wasn’t alone. Her sister Lorelei also competed in the five event affair, and while the gold medal that came home was probably nice, the old adage about imitation and flattery may have been better.  Seeing her have success last year, said Lorelei, “I really wanted to try and be like her.”

Schembri isn’t the only athlete providing inspiration, though. Andy Condon is definitely among them - even if he sort of took it easy today.  “We got a meet on Saturday where I’m hoping to run a good time,” he said.

A slower pace, the rest of the field probably didn’t notice. Condon won the 3200 by 12 seconds.

But he wasn’t quite so efficient the day before. Condon only won the 2000 meter steeple by 11 seconds.

In step, Brodie Schneider enjoyed a pretty wide margin for victory in the 1600. At least that’s what the four second difference seems to state.  Although the truth was a bit more slim.  Neck and neck to the final 300 meters, Schneider tapped his reserves.

“I guess my legs were good enough to go ahead and power through,” said the senior, who also won the 800 meter.

He was still at loss to explain the energy output nonetheless. “I don’t know, maybe it was the new sneakers,” he joked.

On the long run two times over, Lucas Mongiello took 7th in the 3200 but is focused on the mile.  A fourth place finish, he believes his 4:54 can be built on and get him closer to the winning conversation. A goal to reach the low 4:40s, he said. “I’m excited to work my way up.”

Ainsley Graham had goals in mind too. In the 800, she was hoping for a personal best. In a slow heat, though, the field gave her a poor frame of reference in victory.  “If I was in a faster heat, I would have been able to stay with the girls and pace a little better,” said Graham.

A 3:40, she believes a 3:30 is possible. “I just got to keep training,” she said.

No doubt, the rest of the team will do the same.

In addition, Elyse Hermanto won the high jump, Jack Marcogliese won the 110 meter Hurdles. Down the line, Meg Winter took 4th in the 3000 meter, Mykel Papa and Carly Mangiaracina and Zach Walerys finished second, third and fourth in the 200 meter, Aya Schwartz, Ava Johnson, Carly Mangiaracina and Mia Haimelin took 2nd in the 400m relay, Brodie Schneider, Landon Goodman, Nico Elias and Zach Walerys won the 400 meter relay and Joey Kern took second in the javelin.

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