CHICAGO MARIST TRACK AND FIELD

On Friday, May, 4, 2007, Northside College Prep Sophomore-Freshman Girls Track & Field Team traveled to Hanson Stadium in Chicago, Illinois for the 2007 CPS Sophomore-Freshman Girls City Championship Meet. In the 4x800m Relay, Bessie Nolan ran the first leg of the relay with 2:55 800m split, and made a nice exchange to Alice Thatcher. Thatcher ran the second leg of the relay in 3:37 800m split, and made a nice exchange to Mahaim Haider. Freshman Mahaim Haider ran an outstanding 800m split of 3:27. The Mustangs were in sixth place, with a large lead over the seventh place squad. The anchor of the relay, Sophomore Monica Laytham was then given instructions from Northside Head Coach Jon Gordon to jog the final 800m, and save everything for the High Jump. Laytham, a sub-2:50 800m runner, followed through and anchored the Mustangs to sixth place with 3:21 800m split, for a total time of 13:20. The additional rest on the anchor leg of the relay would provide immediate dividends for the Mustangs in the High Jump. In the HIGH JUMP, Monica Laytham tied for second with three athletes with a personal best and SCHOOL RECORD tying jump of 4'6!!! Laytham was awarded 4th place overall, after the second place tie was broken by awarding second, third, and fourth place to the athlete with the least total number of misses during the competition. Monica Laytham earned a Medal for placing fourth overall in the City Championships. Laytham will attempt to break the school record at IHSA State Sectionals on Friday, May 18, 2007 at Buffalo Grove High School. In the Discus, Karen Li placed 9th overall with a throw of 56'0. In the Triple Jump, Gayatri Satam placed seventh overall with a jump of 28'0. Sophomore Carmen Abelson had one of the most difficult evenings planned, race the 3200m run, then race the 1600m run, and then travel to perform at a concert as a soloist, within minutes of the conclusion of the 1600m run. In the 3200m run, Carmen Abelson WON the Sophomore-Freshman City Championships with a time of 13:05. Freshman Jessica Tapia ran a personal best time of 16:19. In the 800m run, Bessie Nolan scored valuable points for the Mustangs with an outstanding time of 2:47 to place seventh overall. In the 300m Hurdles, Maria Zdunek ran an outstanding time of sixty seconds to place sixth overall. After the Hurdles ended, it didn't look like there would be enough time for Carmen Abelson to stay for the Mile and attempt to win the City Championships in two events and still make it in time for her solo performance in the concert. The Mustangs had a TEAM effort, and raced around the Track to take all the hurdles off the track quickly, and in record time, so the Mile could start on time. However, Lane Tech's Hurdle Coach put the hurdles back on the far side of the Track in direct violation of the Meet directors instructions, because he wanted his Varsity Hurdlers to practice at the Sophomore-Freshman meet, and waited until the Mile was going to start to do it. After the unsportsman like conduct was resolved, the Mustangs were again delayed due to an actual dispute at the finish line in the Sophomore-Freshman Boys 300m hurdle finals. The Track & Field games comittee held a brief meeting at the center of the infield, and quickly resolved the dispute. The Milers were then brought out to the starting line, and the gun was fired. Northside Sophomore Carmen Abelson took the lead with an 87 for the first 400 meters of the race. Abelson went through 800 meters in 3:06, and was at 4:44 for 1200m, and outkicked a runner to the finish to WIN her second City title of the day with an outstanding Mile time of 6:10. As soon as the race ended Carmen Abelson was rushed off the Track to the concert. Carmen Abelson WON both the City Title in the 3200m run and 1600m run, and scored 20 points for the Mustangs!!! In the 4x400m Relay, Bessie Nolan ran a personal best 68.55 400m split on the first leg of the relay. Andrea Buiser ran a 88.45 400m split on the second leg of the relay. Mahaim Haider ran a 91.00 400m split on the third leg of the relay. Monica Laytham anchored the Mustangs to sixth place with a 81.00 400m split on the anchor leg of the relay, for a total time of 5:29. Chicago Vocational won the Girls Sophomore-Freshman City Championships with a record score of 170 points. The Mustangs placed fourth overall in the Sophomore-Freshman Girls City Championships. It was the highest finish in the history of the program. A special thanks to Thomas Smith for providing an outstanding meet for everyone involved. The Mustangs will begin preparing for IHSA State Sectionals on Monday, May 7, 2007, at 3:39 pm.