East Meadow thrives on track

Coming off a successful cross-country campaign, East Meadow jetted along on the winter track as well, with senior Robbie Bergmann and sophomore Mike Grady each earning All-County honors at the Nassau County Class A Track and Field Championships at St. Anthony’s earlier this month. Bergmann, a member of the Jets’ varsity football and baseball teams, capped his first-ever track campaign with a third-place finish (8.01 seconds) in the 55-meter hurdles.

“The way he picked it up was amazing,” coach Jim McGlynn said. “We were happy to have him come out [for the team]. We feel his potential hasn’t even been tapped in the hurdles. When he ran his 8.01, he was just starting to come around.”

Grady, meanwhile, took fourth at 1600 meters (4:30.87) and earned a spot on the Intersectional Relay Team at this weekend’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association meet at Cornell University. Also one of the catalysts for East Meadow’s third-place finish in the Conference 2 Championship Meet, Grady took second at 1000m (2:39.59) and third in the 1600m (4:40.80). Senior co-captain Kyle Bettex was second in the 55m hurdles (8:00s) and third in the triple jump (39 feet, 7.25 inches).

Junior Rui Canha tied the school-record in the pole vault with an 11-foot vault that was good enough for second place in the conference, while junior CJ Ewulu took second in the shot put with a throw of 45-feet, 11.50-inches. As the Jets get set for the spring season, senior co-captain Chris Mann is gearing up for a run at the school mark in the 200m after strong performances in the winter sprints.

Ashe, Augustin pace Lady Jets

The Lady Jets were led by a pair of All-County performers in junior co-captains Amanda Ashe, who took second in Class A in both the 1500m (4:53.21) and 3000m (10:23.3) and Hillary Augustin, who finished third in the 55m hurdles (8:81s.) Ashe’s time in the 1500m qualified her for the state meet this weekend.

“She’s talented and works as hard and gets as much out of her ability [as anyone],” Lady Jets coach Steve Josepher said.

The 4x200m relay team of senior Nicolette Wilson, senior Alyssa Roberts, Augustin and junior Dana Messina won the conference championship, helping the Lady Jets take second overall as a team. Senior Caitlin Langan earned All-Conference honors in the triple jump with a second place finish in the triple jump (33-feet, 1-inch), while Messina duplicated the honors by taking second in the long jump (15-feet, 8.25-inches). Senior co-captain Meghan Peysson also earned All-Conference honors with her second-place finish at 3000m.