Baldwin girls sweep sprint events at Nassau Class AAA track and field championships
Baldwin's Sariah Doresca wins the girls 100-meter dash at the Nassau Class AAA track and field championships on Wednesday at Syosset.
As a unit, Baldwin sprinters Sariah Doresca, Breanne Barnett, Kelys Walker and Jahzara Emeli have established themselves as an indoor track and field powerhouse. Though it’s their first season competing together for their school in the spring, it’s no surprise that their success has followed them outdoors.
Baldwin swept the sprints at the Nassau Class AAA championships Wednesday at Syosset.
It started with Doresca’s win in the 100 meters, in 12.01 seconds — with Walker taking second in 12.47.
“The short stretch is always my favorite,” said Doresca, a Stanford commit. “It’s always good to get a win in that, it takes a lot of technical work.”
Barnett won the 400 in 56.10 seconds, and Emeli followed in 57.01.
Baldwin saw a 1-2-3 finish in the 200. Barnett crossed the line first in 24.28, and Doresca followed just .01 seconds behind her to capture second. Walker took third in 25.11.
“It feels amazing being up there on the podium all together,” Barnett said. “We put in the work on and off the track, we’re together all the time, so we really have a great bond.”
To top it off, the 4 x 100 relay team of Doresca, Walker, Skye Dubose and Savannah Stephenson, won in 48.76 — nearly three seconds ahead of runner-up Uniondale.
“We’re always prepping to do the unthinkable,” Doresca said. “Sweeping all the sprints, and then finishing the 4 x 100 for Baldwin and going unbeaten, it’s what we’ve been working towards, and it’s amazing.”
East Meadow junior Zaria Hall once again proved that she’s one of the best distance runners in the state. She won all three long-form events — the 1,500 (4:42.45), 800 (2:17.95), and 3,000 (10:41.44), earning her second consecutive county title in all three and helping East Meadow take home the team championship with a score of 90.33.
Though the accolades are nice, Hall’s favorite part of the meet was sharing two podiums with her older sister, Anaya, who finished second in the 1,500 (4:44.58) and 800 (2:19.98).
“We go one-and-two a lot, but in a county meet, it’s way more special because of the competition,” Hall said. “I wasn’t looking behind me during the race, but the whole time I was rooting for my sister.”
With Anaya graduating this month, Hall says she cherishes the final moments they’re able to take the track together.
“We’ve been doing this since seventh, eighth grade,” Hall said. “It’s going to be different not having her here with me next year, I’m going to miss it.”
Great Neck South senior Isabella Spagnoli won the 2,000 steeplechase in 6:55.12. She also finished second in the 3,000 (10:44.11), just under three seconds behind Hall.
“I was a little worried about the steeplechase race today. My two steeple races beforehand, I wasn’t feeling very confident,” Spagnoli said. “But, I’m so proud of myself. I can’t believe I was able to do that.”
The Hofstra commit earned the super standard in the steeplechase, qualifying her for the state championships, scheduled for June 13-14 at Middletown High School.
“I stress myself out every year for the state meet,” Spagnoli said. “But, I just want to have fun and enjoy my last moments of my high school career. Hopefully, I’ll get an All-State and All-Fed title, but we’ll see where it goes.”
Oceanside’s Alexa Kosakowski won the 100 hurdles in 16.08, and teammate Addison Vice won the 400 hurdles in 1:05.99.
In the field, Isabella Lucas of Port Washington jumped 37 feet, 8 3⁄4 inches to claim the triple jump title, Arianna Montealegre of East Meadow took the shot put title with a throw of 35-11 1⁄2 and Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK’s Cali Yu cleared nine feet to win the pole vault championship.
