BY ANGEL CHIARAVALLO AND ELISA CIOKU
The boys and girls Track and Field teams ended their Spring 2024 season with impressive performances in the Meet of Champions and the Group IV State Championships. Athletes, such as Alyssa Penn, Peter Afoakwah, and Kelvin Molina, got the chance to compete against the top track stars in the State.
After the teams competed at the Group State Championships over the weekend, three girls qualified for the NJ Meet of Champions. Alyssa Penn qualified for the 100-meter hurdle relay, Danielle Boateng qualified for the 100, and Tetiana Kontsohrada qualified for the discus relay. “It’s great to watch my teammates get the opportunity to move forward and compete with the best athletes in all of jersey,” shared Paulina Lewczuk.
After competing in the NJ Meet of Champions, Alyssa Penn became third in the whole state. “I wasn’t expecting too much because my seeding was not exactly as high as I had hoped, but I came out to run an amazing race and took third,” said Penn. “I felt so accomplished and relieved. This season was a huge barrier breaker for me, and I achieved goals that were so big for myself.”
At the NJ Meet of Champions, Stephen Davies, Molina, Muhammed Ziyad, and Afoakwah all competed together in the 4×100-meter relay. Afoakwah also competed in the 400-meter relay placing sixth in his section and fifteenth overall.
The boys attended the Championships feeling positive about their upcoming race. They placed fifth in their section and twenty-second overall for the 4×100 relay. “It felt good knowing all the hard work we put in paid off,” said Davies.
After having the opportunity to compete in Sectionals, the team feels proud of what they accomplished. “It was very scary but, I was happy to be there and to have an opportunity to compete,” said sophomore Ziporah Ntim, who competed in the 200-meter race. “I placed first in my heat and 16th overall.”
The boys Track and Field Team also prepared well for Sectionals; they placed fourth overall. “It felt good, and I felt that me and my teammates were deeply prepared and mentally confident to perform, so there wasn’t any stress in me going into it,” shared Davies. “I placed 5th in the 100 and 3rd in the 4×100.”
The team had an outstanding season and made lots of improvements from the start. “I love seeing the progress everyone made and am so proud of them!” said junior Maliha Nuredinoska.
Posted on 6/19/24
Photos by Lors Photography
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