The Lakeland Regional High School girls winter track team kept their five year Big North Conference winning streak alive on January 8, 2024. The girls left their mark on the gray and green track at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island with a landslide win over Wayne Hills.
Although having one of the smallest teams they’ve had in the past five years, the group of just 16 girls were able to score 135 points, 44 points away from the team that came in second. The Lancers managed to score in every single event of the meet. Multiple athletes competed in more than three events, some even scoring in all three. Head Coach Melissa Walker says, “Many of our girls did multiple events and were willing to do anything for the team, and it showed in our results.”
Senior Isabella Andrulli had an especially notable performance as she broke the school record in indoor shot-put, while Senior Catherine Wiley won the 800 meter race for the first time in her career. She explained the race as, “Scary but it was so worth it.” Sophomore Annabel Meehan received her first ever winning title in the high jump in her first season in winter track.
The Lancer’s relay teams were also exceptional with a first place finish for the 4×800 meter relay consisting of sophomore Jaelynn Vianco, sophomore Katrina Zahr, junior Hope Walker, and Wiley. This was the first win the relay has had in at least three years. The 4×400 meter relay consisting of senior Brianna Rodriguez, sophomore Alicia Gonzalez, Vivanco, and Wiley also came out victorious with a nice gapped win.
The Lancers aren’t done with their season yet as they prepare for states after their second place finish at the Passaic County Championship meet. Rodriguez hopes that the team “keeps improving our times and marks.”
(LRHS)
