Padua Indoor Track & Field Celebrates 9th Consecutive State Title

During a year full of unknowns, the Padua Track & Field athletes stayed focused on their craft and were able to finish their winter season celebrating their 9th consecutive team title, providing some much needed joy to the girls as well as to their family, friends and fans of the sport.  
 
It is typical for the girls winter track & field team to practice outdoors but it is not typical to compete outdoors. It is also not typical to be banned from traveling out of state for invitational type events where the girls get the much needed race experience to excel in their events. Finally, it is not typical to have to throw together a meet based on that week's weather forecast all the while attempting to manage a productive training plan around the moving target meet dates because the weather is "so dependable." Despite all of this, the Pandas remained determined to find a way to train and compete in a sport that they love, always maintaining hope that there would be an opportunity to compete in a state tournament at the end of the season.  
 
And compete they did, with all their hearts and full of Padua pride. The Indoor Track & Field State tournament was held outdoors at Dover High School on Wednesday, March 3rd (what conveniently ended up as the nicest day of the winter season). There are a total of 15 contested events in the state meet, the Pandas won 10 of those events, scoring the 2nd highest point total in meet history. The coaches couldn't be more proud of the girl's efforts.
 
Panda individual event state champions were as follows.

Jia Anderson '21 won both the 55m hurdles (8.69) and 55m dash (7.37). Grace Zamrowski '21 won the 800m (2:28.32)and was a member of the winning 4x800m relay, Erin Kelleher '21 won the pole vault with a mark of 12-0, Anastasia Watson '21 won the shot put with a personal best throw of 37-4.25. Mackenzie Sobczyk '21 was the winner of the high jump with a leap of 5-0. Katie Dorsey '22 was the winner of the 1600 in a time of 5:17.57, Julianna Balon, a freshman, was the winner of the 200m with a season best time of 26.28. 
 
Finally the Pandas won two relays: the 4x800m (Kelsey Wolff '24; Natalie Spadaccini '21, Judy McLaughlin '21, & Grace Zamrowski '21 previously mentioned) and the 4x200m (Sophia Curtis '24, Julia Querey '24, Sophia Holgado '24, & Allessandra DeAscanis '24).
 
Panda Medal winners (top three finishers) were as follows: Julianna Balon '24 finished 2nd in the 55m - 7.40 (behind teammate Anderson), Judy McLaughlin '21 finished 2nd in the 800m (2:28.77) (behind teammate Zamrowski). Mekiyah Earnest '24, finished 2nd in the triple jump with a personal best mark of 33-6.75. Nora Higley '23 finished 3rd in the 1600m with a season best time of 5:32.40. Katie Dorsey '22 finished 3rd in the 3200m (11:34.73). Finally the 4x400m relay finished 2nd (Balon, Holgado, McLaughlin, Zamrowski).
 
To round out the Panda scorers: Sophia Curtis '21, finished 4th in the triple jump (32-8). Erin Callaghan placed 5th in the long jump (15-2) and in the triple jump (31-11). Cassidy Becker placed 5th in the High Jump (4-8), Bree Morrone placed 5th in Pole Vault (7-0). Sophia Holgado 6th in 55m (7.75). Elena Bocchetti finished 6th in the 800m (2:30.70), Geneva Laur placed 6th in the 3200m (12:01.61). Julianna Balon finished 7th in the long jump (15-0.50)Julia Querey placed 7th in the 400m (65:15), Kylie McCarthy finished 8th in the 1600m (5:52.79).

We are SO #PaduaPROUD of all our student athletes, their coaches, families and friends. Please visit Padua's Facebook page for photos of their amazing achievement.
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