Members of the boys and girls winter track teams were honored at the North Babylon Board of Education meeting on March 23. The girls indoor track team was county champions, and the boys team was named league champions.
Jason Friesen, the district’s director of physical education, health education, recreation and athletics, introduced members of the team and highlighted some of the individual accomplishments of the student athletes this season.
Boys track team honors included Alden Chambers and Shobanni Richards. Chambers was named All-State in the 55m dash, placed fourth in New York State in the 55m dash and third in New York State Public Schools in the 55m dash. He was also named the Suffolk County Champion in 55m dash. Richards received All-State and All-County honors in the 300m dash. He placed sixth in New York State in the 300m dash, fifth in New York State Public Schools in the 300m dash, second in the 300m dash, and third in the triple jump at the county championship. Lastly, coach Matthew Temme was named Suffolk County Coach of the Year.
Girls winter track honors were extended to Samara Lawrence, Djoonicka Buissereth, Norbertude Mackayla Nerjuste, Shavanna Richards, Jalia Lucas, Madison Thorbourne, Liah Ruvolo and Alicia DeFilippis. Lawrence was named league champion and county champion in the 55m dash, 300m dash and 4x200m relay. She was All-Sectional and All-State in the 55m dash and 4x200m relay. At the state championship, she finished seventh in New York State Federation and third in the New York State Public Schools. Buissereth was league runner-up and county runner-up in the 55m dash. She was awarded All-County Academic honors for being in the top 10% of the graduating class along with her athletic accomplishments.
Nerjuste was league champion and county champion in the long jump as well as the 4x200m relay. She was All-Sectional in the long jump. At the state championship, she qualified and competed in the long jump and finished her season with a personal best. Additionally, she was awarded All-County academic honors. Richards was league runner-up in the 300m dash. She was All-County and All-Sectional in the 300m dash as well as the 4x400m and 4x200m relay. Additionally at the state championship, Richards qualified for the intersectional relay based on her 300m performance. This relay not only took first at the state championship, they broke the Suffolk County, and New York State record.
Lucas was All-League in the 55m hurdles and All-County in the 4x400m relay. She received All-Sectional recognition and was a state qualifier in the 4x200m relay. Thorbourne was All-League in the triple jump, All-County in the 4x400m relay, and All-Sectional and a state qualifier in the 4x200m relay. As the team’s main competitive racewalker, Ruvolo qualified for the National Championship where she placed seventh, narrowly missing All-American honors. Additionally, she was awarded All-County Academic honors. DeFilippis was All-League in the 3000m run and 4x400m relay and All-County in the 600m and 4x400m relay. At the state championship, she ran on the 4x200m relay, which placed sixth in the New York State Federation and fifth in the New York State public schools, qualifying for All-State and All-Federation honors.
