Baldwin's championship 4 x 200 relay team just getting started
Baldwin’s Jillian Rickford anchors her 800-eter relay team into first at the New York State indoor track and field championships at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island on March 4. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
Salute To The Champs:
Relay dynasties are hard to come by. There are a lot of reasons for this. Injuries happen, event focuses change and age differences make keeping the same group together year-after-year almost impossible. But Baldwin may be on the cusp of one.
With four underclassmen winning their first Federation title in 1:41.17 last month, Baldwin looks poised for dominance. The time was the fastest in the state this winter, according to milesplit.com.
“We’ve built such a great bond,” Breanne Barnett said.
Sariah Doresca, who won the 55 meters championship earlier in the meet, set the tone with a strong leadoff leg. “It was mentally exhausting,” she said. “But I knew I had to push through for the team.”
Doresca handed off to Jahzara Emeli.
“I dragged [Doresca] very well,” Emeli said. “She had a clean stick pass and I ran my cut in very well.”
Jillian Rickford ran anchor after a strong baton pass from Barnett.
“I made sure that Breanne and my stick pass was the best we had all season” Rickford said. “I knew we’d had trouble with that all season, and I knew that, being the anchor leg, a lot of people were going to be trying to gain on me, so I made sure I ran the race right. Coming off the first turn, I made sure I wasn’t fully in Lane One in case someone tried to pass me.”
The quartet said they’ll all be back next winter. Perhaps for a repeat performance.
