Wednesday, March 26, 2025
With another performance highlighting the North Shore girls’ track team’s incredible depth, the Vikings swept to their second straight Nassau County Class C winter track championship on Feb. 3 at St. Anthony’s High School.
By posting 11 All-County efforts, North Shore’s legendary track coach Neil Levy kept his superlative streak alive.
For the 23rd straight year, Levy’s North Shore girls have won at least one county title from the three seasons – cross-country/winter track/spring track.
In other words, ever since Levy emerged alongside Hempstead Harbor to gain control of the girls program in 2002, one of his teams has always copped a county title. This is Levy’s 41st overall county championship.
After finishing runner-up to Cold Spring Harbor in the cross-country season, there came drama on whether the Levy streak could end.
The Vikings trampled on that notion, winning by a fat 32-point margin, scoring 96 points to runner-up Seaford’s 64.
“I was most happiest that everyone performed to their potential and close to their personal performance.’’ Levy said. “It’s a nice team performance.’’
The distance events and relays were the keys to the Sea Cliff/Glen Head school’s title. The dynamic distance duo of Joanna Kenney and Chloe Connolly ran robustly.
And to boot, junior Danielle Demillio became a winter county champion for the second straight year in the pole vault with an 8-4 mark.
“The depth of our team overall allowed the relays to be successful,’’ Levy said. “A lot of good kids on a relay together becomes a really good relay. And Danielle’s being county champion is a special thing.’’
In the 1000 meters, Kenny captured a county title, too, with a 3:09.49. Her sidekick, Connolly, was right behind in second at 3:09.97. Hannah Checo scored points with a sixth place.
The 1500 had Kenny second and Connolly third. The 3000 went in reverse order with Connolly in second and Kenny third with times of 10:48.92 and 11:16.66, respectively.
And then there were the profitable relays. North Shore finished second in the 4 by 400 relay. Kashvi Bhogado, Dylan Reisberg, Madison O’Donnell and Hannah Sadowski formed the foursome.
The Maroon placed third in the 4 by 800 relay (Sloan Bonvicino, Harper Wilson, Checo, Isabella Whalan.)
The race walk was all about North Shore. Louisa Ludmar finished second, Chloe Brady third and Isabelle Lee fourth.
The biggest highlight was Demillio, whose sister, Sophia, won the county title in 2023. That means a Demillio has won the county pole vault three straight years. The older sister competes for Sacred Heart University.
“I was very confident,’’ Demillio said. “My PR was a lot higher than the girl that got second place. And I’m proud of our team.’’
Demillio’s PR was a 9-0 but she called for an 8-6 for her first pole jump and achieved it. She will attempt a “Three-Peat’’ – something the Kansas City Chiefs couldn’t pull off – next winter.
“I’m hoping for that but it depends who’s there,’’ Demillio said. “We work hard and have a good coach.’’
