Track & Field SCC West Sectional Champs!
On January 24, the Mercy Track and Field team took first place at the SCC West Sectional Championship in New Haven, scoring 122 points. Sacred Heart Academy was second with 69 points and Lauralton Hall was third with 64 points.
Led by Marie Kane, who won two events and anchored a win in the 4x400 relay, the team won six events to claim the program’s first sectional victory since 2017 and fifth overall.
Event Victories
- Marie Kane, 55 meter Dash, 7.38
- Marie Kane, 300 meters, 41.93
- Julia Lelko, 600 meters, 1:44.20
- Sarah Roberts, 1000 meters, 3:17.85
- 4x400 (Kayla Johnson, Julia Lelko, Annaliese Rhoden, Marie Kane), 4:22.35
- Raya Morin, Pole Vault, 7-6
Other Results
- Anna Simoniello was third in shot put with a personal best throw of 31-3.75
- The 4x800 (Kayla Johnson, Megan Kasperowski, Megan Menard, Julia Nadolski) and SMR (Ella Barone, Veronika Meriano, Annaliese Rhoden, Julia Lelko) each finished second
- Megan Menard was fourth in the 1000 with her personal best time of 3:29.40 after helping lead the 4x800 team
- Bea Perrault, Clara Romero, Calista Nephew and Caroline Phillips went 3-4-5-6 in the 1600 for 13 points
- Julia Salley was fourth in the 55 dash with her personal best time of 7.80
- Kayla Johnson & Megan Kasperowski, tied for fourth in the 600
- Clara Romero and Caroline Phillips came back in the 3200 to take 3rd and 4th for 10 points
- Raya Morin finished fifth in the 55 hurdles with her fastest time ever (9.98)
In the last five years, the team has gone from seventh at the meet to first. This year’s senior class (Julia Nadolski, Raya Morin, Annaliese Rhoden, Anna Simoniello, Gabriella Algiere, Ava McMurray, Sarah McNickle, Julia Malz, Ava Romeo and Lilly Clark) helped start the turnaround going 4th in 2020, third last year and now first in 2023. Overall, 29 members of the team delivered their career best performances at the championship.
Photo and story credit: Matt Conyers