Benjamin Cardozo High School (Queens, NY) girls 4x400m relay team fresh off their near-record-breaking performance of 3:53.19 secs. — a mere 200th of a second off the meet record (3:53.17) at the recently concluded Millrose Games at New York’s Madison Square Garden — showed their dominance by demolishing a line-up of top-notch New York State high school teams at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational one week later at the Armory in New York City.
On February 5 & 6, 2010, the team known as the Lady Judges set a new indoor US #1 time for that event with 3:44.92, erasing their previous best of 3:50.94 set at the Millrose Trials Jan. 13, 2010.
Coach Gail Emmanuel who in a recent interview said that because of the depth and caliber of the pool of talented athletes she has on the team, in her quest to field the best relay team, she would be giving different athletes the opportunity to perform and showcase their talent on her relay “A” teams.
At the New Balance Collegiate Invitational (Feb. 5&6, 2010), it was the freshman Sabrina Southerland (Haitian connection) who was given the opportunity to join Leticia Philson, Athyana Johnson and Chamique Francis on the 4×400 relay team. This 14-year-old freshman running in her first major 4×400 event did not disappoint; she ran a personal record of 58.2 for her leg. In its Jan. 18, 2010 feature on Cardozo, this magazine tagged Sabrina, referring to her as “the potential deadly destroyer to keep on the radar.”
After the race, Sabrina, 14, explained that when Coaches Gail and James Ray told her she was going to be running on the 4×400 team she was “very excited to be running on the same relay team with more seasoned and experience teammates” but at the same time very nervous.
4x200m Leading Time
The New Balance Collegiate Invitational “High School Girls” 4x200m relay was run on the second day of the competition.
For the 4×200 relay, Coach Gail again called on another freshman, Maya Lighty (US) (whom this magazine in its feature on Cardozo referred to as “one of the names that could cause a stir”) to join her seasoned and experience squad members Leticia Philson, Chamique Francis and Athyana Johnson. Maya help her team to a US # 1 time for the season in that event (1:38.60).
Medgar Evers 2nd Again
Medgar Evers’ Lady Cougars, who again came in second, was somewhat disappointed but not dejected. They had gone in to avenge their at-the-tape defeat by Cardozo at the recent Millrose Games, when they lost by 200th of a second after leading all the way until the last stride.
Coach Sean Dietz had only praises for his young Lady Cougars. He said he was very “proud of their performances”, a US season’s #2 (3:46.44), and that these young ladies should take a lot of pride in themselves because they have accomplished a goal they have set for themselves, which was to run a sub-3:50 for their senior Rachel Leeke (T&T) before she graduates this year and move on to Rutgers University where she will continue to pursue track and field.
RESULTS:
High School Girls 4×400
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School Finals
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1 Benjamin N. Cardoza ‘A’ 3:44.97
2 Medger Evers Prep ‘A’ 3:46.44
3 Mount Vernon High ‘A’ 3:53.83
4 Columbia Prep ‘A’ 3:55.20
5 DeWitt Clinton High ‘A’ 3:55.44
High School Girls 4x200m
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School Finals
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1 Benjamin N. Cardozo ‘A’ 1:38.60
2 Mount Vernon High ‘A’ 1:42.48
3 Suffern High ‘A’ 1:43.06
4 Sheepshead Bay High ‘A’ 1:45.25
— Medger Evers Prep ‘A’ DNF