Calhoun wins division, conference titles

Posted

A young Calhoun girls’ track and field team made considerable strides this spring and is poised for a greater leap next season.

The Lady Colts won the Division AA championship for the second consecutive year, racking up 134 points, just ahead of Manhasset (118) and host Mepham (93.50). Calhoun collected points from several athletes led by senior Cristin Rodriguez and junior Page Sfiroudis at the May 15 meet.

Rodriguez won the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.38 seconds, beating Manhasset junior Marissa Locurto (13.51), and Calhoun freshman Lisa Jose took fourth (13.72). Rodriguez also took first in the high jump at 4-10.00.

“She’s a very good kid, always looking out for her teammates and friends,” Calhoun coach Joseph Migliano said of Rodriguez, who maintained a 98 GPA and will attend Cortland.

Sfiroudis won the long jump at at 17 feet 2 ¾  inches, while teammate junior Katelyn Goodman, who continued to nurse an ankle injury, came in third at 16-00.75. Sfiroudis also took first in the triple jump (34-07.25).

In the 100-meter hurdles, Rodriguez won (15.13), Sfiroudis placed (16.54) and teammate senior Dana Brown took fourth (17.84).

“If we would have had a meet MVP, it would have been Paige,” Migliano said. “She is a very special athlete whose potential is endless.”

Meanwhile, junior Katie Corona was seeded fourth going into the 800-meter dash and won (2:29.60), edging second-place finisher Lexi Ridini, a Manhasset senior.

Four Calhoun athletes combined for 29 points in the discus and shot put. Sophomore Victoria Unz threw the discus 80-00 to take second place, followed by junior Julissa McLeod at 79-09. In shot put, sophomore Jamie Campanelli took second with a 31-00.00 throw, and junior Madison Padro came in third (30-01.25). Calhoun freshman Noelle Fuggio took third in pole vault at 6-06.

The Colts placed in the 4x100-meter relay at 53.50 behind MacArthur (51.80), and came in third in the 4x400-meter relay a 4:26.50, trailing first-place Mepham (4:24.30) and Manhasset (4:25.70).

At the Class AAA county championships at MacArthur on May 25, Rodriguez took second in the 100-meter hurdles at 14.67, just a step behind winner Uniondale sophomore Zaria Fuller (14.54).

“It was the closest race of the season for both athletes and they really pushed each other,” Migliano said about the rival runners.

Sfiroudis placed in the long jump at 17-05.00, topped in the final jump by winner Farmingdale senior Njaure Ewa at 17-10.25. In the triple jump, Sfiroudis took third with a leap of 34-10.00, behind first-place winner Westbury junior Dieusi Armand (37-09.50) and Farmingdale junior Amanda Belgrave placed (35-09.50).

Calhoun reached two milestones this year: achieving the first undefeated season in the program’s history at 13-0 and winning its first championship in Conference II, after Garden City had won the previous 12 years.

“Our underclassmen have a ton of potential,” said Migliano, who took over the program two years ago. “And we’re building the program from underneath with freshman and sophomores and have a really good class coming up.”