St. Anthony's Jack Ward earns MVP at CHSAA boys league championships
Jack Ward of St. Anthony's crosses the finish line to win the boys 600m run during the Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA indoor track and field championships at St. Anthony's High School on Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022. He posted a time of 1:23.82. Credit: James Escher
St. Anthony’s Jack Ward has won a lot. So although the feeling never gets old, there wasn’t anything particularly different about Sunday afternoon.
Track MVP though? Now, that’s cool.
Ward was given the prestigious title for the first time after winning the 600 meters in 1 minute, 23.82 and anchoring the winning 4X800 meter relay at the Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA indoor track and field league championships at St. Anthony’s High School.
The MVP nod gave Ward one more chance to rise atop an award podium that he knows so well.
"Honestly, if it wasn’t for the support of my team, my coaches, my parents, and everyone there at the meet cheering and energizing the crowd, giving me that adrenaline rush, I don’t think I would have done it," Ward said.
Ward’s 600 time was the seventh fastest in the state, and second fastest on Long Island, this season, according to milesplit.com. He passed the field on the second lap of the three-lap race and carried it home.
"With 300 [meters] to go, I told myself, ‘It’s time to go,’ " Ward said. "I had to think about my team and how I could support them."
Ward ran 1:24.77 at the Ocean Breeze Freedom Games in the 600 earlier this month and considered Sunday’s time "a big step forward." As the CHSAA Intersectional Championships and the state championships quickly come into view, Ward has championships on his mind.
"It’s been a dream since freshman year," said Ward, a junior. "I’d love to become a state champion in the 600. I’m hungry for it right now, more than ever."
In the 4X800, Ward erased a nearly eight-second deficit and crossed the line a winner. Ward, John Pfisterer, Jeremy Paredes and Jack Noble won in 8:28.17.
"Each lap, I was just chipping and chipping away to try to get the lead," Ward said. "With 200 [meters] to go, I pulled away and made my move."
St. Anthony’s won its 13th straight indoor league title, scoring 121.5 points. Ward wasn’t about to be on the team that broke that streak.
"That’s definitely not something you want to do with a legacy like that," he said.
Ward’s teammate, Kenyon Miles, jumped 22 feet, one inch to win the long jump and earn Field MVP. His jump is the sixth furthest jump in the state, and second furthest on Long Island this season, according to milesplit.com.
Elsewhere, Chaminade’s Jack Higgins won the 3,200 in 9:59.28. Teammate Liam Going won the 1,600 in 4:37.85.
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