Freshmen won the 1000, 1500 and 3000 meters at Suffolk Community College, and ten events produced the best marks on record at the Section VIII winter State Qualifier.
LONG ISLAND, N.Y. — Three freshmen won the girls distance races at the Section VIII winter State Qualifier at Suffolk Community College, and all three ran the best times on record at the meet. Garden City's Emily Menges won the 1000 meters in 2:58.5, North Shore's Brianna Welch won the 1500 meters in 4:53.6, and Roslyn's Emily Lipari won the 3000 meters in 10:19.1.
Menges beat Welch by half a second in the 1000, both running personal bests, with Garden City junior Brooke Senken third in 3:03.1. Welch won the 1500 by 3.9 seconds over Lipari. Lipari's 3000 was a personal best and finished 1.3 seconds ahead of Mepham junior Courtney Kelly, with MacArthur freshman Lucia Montefusco third in 10:24.6.
Mepham senior Dan Genn won the boys 3200 meters in 9:46.5, a personal best and the fastest time on record at the meet, by 6.4 seconds over Oceanside senior David Rothman. Massapequa junior Frankie Dioguardi won the 1600 meters in 4:33.8, a personal best, ahead of Port Washington senior Richard Schmitz. Valley Stream Central junior Joseph McKenna won the 1000 meters in 2:40.4, 0.1 seconds ahead of North Shore senior Darell Handler.
Uniondale girls produced three of the meet bests. Senior Ashlea McLaughlin won the 300 meters in 40.2 by 1.9 seconds, and junior Ashley Hendrix won the 55-meter hurdles in 8.4 and the long jump with a personal best of 18-09.5. Levittown senior Jessica Balling won the 600 meters in 1:36.9, also a best on record, and Valley Stream North freshman Emilija Vaskyte won the 1500-meter racewalk in 7:32.5. Freeport senior Nwamaka Okobi won the triple jump at 37-10.0, another best on record.
Elmont senior Daine Watson took the boys 300 meters in 36.7, and Mepham junior Chris Parker the boys 55-meter hurdles in 7.5, a personal best. Baldwin junior Deidra Bryant won the girls 55 meters in 7.2, Island Trees sophomore Michelle Duffy won the high jump at 5-02.0, Clarke senior Ricki Lepkowski won the pole vault at 9-06.0 and Roslyn senior Jillian Lew won the shot put at 38-09.5.