By Jim Ferchland
Comsewogue’s girls track and field team’s abilities are regardless of age.
Senior Gabby Griffin, junior Brianna Quartararo and sophomore Daniella Barchi took home a combined five medals for the Warriors Jan. 28 at the Jim Howard Memorial Meet at Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood.
Griffin, who took home three, finished third in the 600-meter run and fourth in the 300 and 55 dash. Quartararo placed second in the 600 and Barchi took the top spot in the small school 1,500 race-walk. She broke her own record by three tenths of a second.
“A lot of the girls did very well,” said Comsewogue Assistant Coach Mike Denimarck, who filled in for head coach Matt Brown. “Overall, it’s a very positive meet. I think the girls feel real good about themselves.”
Barchi said despite walking fast for nearly eight minutes, her legs felt fine. She completed the distance in 7 minutes, 57.18 seconds.
“Great competition,” she said. “My legs feel good and they feel better than when I started the race.”
Quartararo sets the bar high for herself. She’s broken four records — in the 600, 4×400, 4×800 and sprint medley relay.
“It was a tough day,” she said. “In the 600, I ran against the two fastest girls in the county and I stuck with them.”
Griffin and Quartararo are two of the four girls who shattered the sprint medley record by 11 seconds earlier this season, with a time of 4:25. The other two runners were Alexa Murray and Cara Pouletsos. Pouletsos did not compete in Brentwood due to a torn labrum.
Griffin, who placed in each event she competed in, said crowd for Comsewogue gets loud every each time a runner makes a lap, which gives each runner a boost.
“The intensity is really high,” she said. “We’re a really close team, so cheering for our teammates is a big part of everyone running well. It gets really loud in here.”
Griffin’s goal in her final season is to make it to the sate competition, indoor or outdoor, before she graduates. She’s never made it to that level, hoping to change that.
“We’ll see about my seed time if I can make it in there, but I’m definitely looking at running in college,” she said. “It is bittersweet that my high school career is ending, but I’m excited for my college career.”
Comsewogue junior Mya Darsan placed 22nd in the 1,500 and 13th in the 3,000 meter run. She was frustrated with her 12:34.16 time in the latter.
“I really wanted to break 12 minutes,” Darsan said. “It just wasn’t my day I guess. I’ll try better next time.”
Five other girls placed in the 600 for Comsewogue. Sophomore Sabrina Donoghue finished fifth, sophomore Sara Peterson 23rd, junior Brittany Savage 26th, classmate Jissel Colindres 27th and junior Gabrielle Savage 29th.
Sophomore Ejim Nnate placed 11th in the 55 dash for small schools, and junior Alexa Murray placed 24th. Nnante also placed sixth in the triple jump.
Denimarck said the races are preparation for the county meet back in Brentwood Feb. 12 at 5 p.m.
“The girls are working hard,” he said. “They’re also in multiple races, so that’s affecting them too. We are really trying to get them ready for next week at the county meet and then get to the state qualifiers.”
