2015 Varsity Track
The 2015 NYCAL season reached a riveting conclusion and delivered its verdict on Tuesday, May 12, at Riverbank Stadium. The Browning School boys were just edged out by a strong, experienced Calhoun School team who won the competition. Excellent results for our boys! Yet, it was not as simple as it seems.
Track is a difficult sport, and every track and field runner deserves respect. The last two weeks have not been easy for the Browning varsity track team. At a crucial moment of the season, attendance at practice has been increasingly inconsistent, our results at last week’s meet fell short of those we have achieved in the past. After much consideration, I decided to convene only the 10 boys who qualified for the NYCAL championships held yesterday at Riverbank Stadium. I also decided to bow out of several events, as it was highly unlikely we would score points. As a reminder, the scoring for each race is 10-8-6-4-2-1. For example, if a runner ranks seventh in the mile, he does not bring any points to his team and he has wasted his energy for any subsequent events. I simply asked our runners to enjoy the meet, have a pleasant time and concentrate their energy on our strongest areas, the three relay races.
This strategy worked very well. Winning second place is an excellent result, indeed, and we all can be very proud of the boys! We won the 4X400, the 4X800 and placed third in the 4x100. The relays are really the most spectacular races, and watching them yesterday gave me chills. The Browning boys enflamed the entire stadium during those three events. Christopher Keyko, Diego Lopez-Liranzo, Connor Harkins and Yvan Maslennikov were outstanding during the 4X800. The quartet of Brandon Keno, Diego Lopez-Liranzo, Jamil Guzman and Connor Harkins won the 4X400 with poise and courage. Arthur Mensah, Jamil Guzman, Michael O'Connor and Brandon Keno placed third in the 4x100, raking in six more points in the general classification. Captain Christopher Keyko, who has been impeccable during his entire track and cross country career at Browning, finished second in the 3200, followed by Norman Degado in fourth and Yvan Maslennikov in fifth. Alexander Young finished third in the long jump. The season is not over, since we are slated to participate in the NYSAISAA outdoor Track & Field Championships on Wednesday, May 20. Whatever happens during this last meet, the 2015 varsity track season will remain in my mind as one of the most difficult but also a most rewarding and captivating experience. –Coach Bernard
