Youthful Baldwin turning heads
The Baldwin boys’ track and field team has put the competition on notice.
The young Bruins finished an impressive second at the Nassau Conference 2 Championships at St. Anthony’s High School on Jan. 12 and some members of the team have the potential to qualify this week for the state championships.
Tristan Brown (55 hurdles), Steven Elcock (300 dash), Kristopher Chambers (weight throw) and Andrew Jean Charles (long jump, triple jump) all won their respective individual events and the 4x400 relay team, which included Charles, Dante White, Nicholas Andrews and Tyler Means also placed first to help Baldwin collect 96 points, seven more than third-place Valley Stream Central.
Andrews and Jalen George were the runners-up in the 1,000-meter and weight throw categories, respectively, and Kenneth Bobb placed third in the high jump. White finished fourth in the 600 meters for the Bruins, who fielded just 16 competitors and were missing one of their stronger shot putters and jumpers.
“We did exceptionally well,” first-year coach Mike Higgins said. “We were able to step up in events that Baldwin hasn’t had in the past. For example, we took first and second in the weight throw so we start out the day of the running event with 18 points.”
“Everything that could go wrong, went wrong,” Higgins lamented. “We had a false start in the hurdles and a bad handoff in the 4x200 [relay] and we could have easily won it. We had some guys that didn’t step up yet because that was the first time being on that stage.”
Brown, who hasn’t competed in hurdles until this season, recorded a time of 8.15 seconds in the final, more than two-tenths better than the runner-up.
“I think he’s grown tremendously,” Higgins said of the sophomore. “Last year, he was out a week or two with an injury during the abbreviated season and didn’t really run. He came back this year and embraced the hurdles.”
Brown, who also serves as the anchor for the 4x200 relay team, has since injured his ankle and will be unable to compete at the state qualifier. Bobb will now join Means, Elcock and Charles in a group that has already qualified for nationals and needs to finish first or second to go to states.
All-County runner Elcock is the team’s top returning senior and clocked a time of 36.91 seconds in the final of his event. Higgins tabbed him as one of the favorites to qualify for states since he only needs to finish in the top three in the 300.
“He’s worked his behind off and has gained confidence,” Higgins said. “That’s what you need to have, and I think he’ll do well.”
Higgins is confident in his team heading into the outdoor season and his son, Jabari, will provide a boost in the 400-meter dash and the long jump after missing almost all the winter season due to injury.
