Another banner season for Spartans

Senior Thomas Bardabelias raced to victory in the 1000-meter run and keyed the 4-x-800 relay to a first-place finish to lead Valley Stream North to the Nassau Class B boys’ track and field title at St. Anthony’s High School.

The Spartans, who also had senior Kendel Levy win the shot put by an inch, amassed 84 points to repeat as indoor championships. Manhasset (61 points) was runner-up, and Hewlett (51) finished third.

Manhasset was the team we were most concerned about, but our diversity was the difference,” VSN coach Michael Frazer said.

Bardabelias, who went on to capture the 1000m event at the State Qualifier meet at St. Anthony’s Feb. 15 in 2-minutes, 41.44-seconds, is headed to this weekend’s state meet at Cornell University along with Levy. North’s 4-x-800 relay consisting of Bardabelias and fellow seniors Zachary Bugge, Sam Catalano and Belony Borange just missed qualifying.

“The races Thomas won at the county meet and state qualifier were loaded with talent,” Frazer said of Bardabelias, who has Purdue, Albany and Penn State on his college radar. “Both came down to the wire and he showed a lot of character,” he added.

It was a photo finish in the Class B championships, with Bardabelias nipping Lynbrook freshman Luke Germanakos at the wire: 2:39.63 to 2:39.65. Bugge was only a stride away, finishing third in 2:40.21, and two others, Mineola’s Fredric Lang and Hewlett’s Brian Chambers, were fewer than two seconds behind.

In the State Qualifier, Bardabelias led all the way and held off Massapequa’s Danny DeLuna and Lang by a second. All three advanced to the state meet.

Levy threw 49-feet, 6-inches at the State Qualifier to place third in the shot put after winning the county title the previous week. North seniors Philip Paul and Rob Arata were third and sixth, respectively, in Class B. “He’s been throwing 50 feet all season,” Frazer said of Levy.

Catalano came up big in two events at the county meet, placing second in the 3200m and fourth in the 1600m. Senior Steven Barbuto was runner-up in the 300m, while freshman Peter Wilk was third in the 3200. Junior Joe Cafaro was third in the 55 High Hurdles and sixth in the Triple Jump.

Lady Spartans second to North Shore

North Shore gobbled up the majority of points in distance events to edge Valley Stream North, 107-102, to capture the Nassau Class B girls’ track and field crown. The Lady Spartans had seniors Shanice Johnson (300m and 55m) and Angelique Jean-Charles (55 HH), sophomores Allison McConville (1500m Walk) and Anointing Onuoha (Triple Jump), as well as freshman Elaina Hobbs (High Jump) win individual county championships.

“It was an incredible effort on the part of our girls,” Frazer said. “We can’t be disappointed with winning six events.”

Johnson (40.57 seconds in the 300), who is headed to Marshall University, and McConville (7:30.56 in the racewalk) will represent North at the state meet.