Relays led Clarke's track success

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Coming into the 2013-2014 season the Clarke boys’ and girls’ track and field teams both featured many first-year competitors. But even though the two squads lacked experience, they still found a way to put together strong seasons. 

The boys’ team struggled early, but were able to come on strong towards the end of the year.

“They weren’t the most experienced group at the beginning of the year, but once they got the hang of how the meets go, and their training, they really developed quite nicely,” Rams head coach Tom O’Malley said. 

One of the best moments for the boys came when they won a conference championship in the 4x800 meter relay event. Brandon Peralta, Alex Reiner, Arman Singh, and Mick Agbisit made up the group of four runners who were victorious in the event.

Clarke’s 300 meter runner Brandon Atchison also was a standout this winter. He was able to drop nearly two full seconds off his time.

The boys’ track and field team also had the opportunity to compete at the New Balance Games in the Armory. O’Malley said the outing was one of the highlights of the season for his team. 

“We had a lot of nice performances there in the Armory, and a lot of kids were able to medal,” O’Malley said. 

The girls’ team also was also able to overcome their lack of experience, and put together a strong campaign. They end up having 11 All-Conference athletes. “A lot of the girls were first year runners, and really improved as the season went on,” O’Malley said. 

The girls’ squad was able to take home a conference championship in the 4x200 relay. Lauren Bower, Kirstin Cox, Alex Rodriguez, and Maddie Anderson all teamed up to bring home the victory for Clarke in the event. Bower was also able to win the conference championship in the long jump event for her team. 

The Lady Rams nearly took home a conference championship, falling just two points short in their final meet. 

O’Malley said that both teams had successful seasons, and is excited about the future. “We had a lot of new kids in the program, and I think they had a good experience, and look forward to coming back next year,” O’Malley said.