BE girls’ track and field celebrate 14th state title

In 2001, the Bishop England High School girls’ track and field team celebrated its first state championship by singing “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” as the Bishops prepared to take a victory lap at Spring Valley High School’s Harry Parone Stadium.

 

Twenty-two years later, and again at Harry Parone Stadium, the Bishops were on top of the mountain. Not only that, they moved to the top of the list of greatest girls’ track programs in state history.

 

They began May 19 tied with Johnsonville for the most state titles in state history, with each school owning 13 championships. The Bishops concluded the day with their 14th. 

 

The Bishops’ first state title in ’01 launched nine consecutive state championships, which is – you guessed it – also a state record.

 

“The 14th title is a great accomplishment for the girls’ team,” Coach Tony Colizzi said. “The girls wanted that 14th title and they earned it. We always talk about the teams in the past that earned the titles and these girls wanted to be part of that history. The seniors (Emma

Hamrick, Maggie Long, Kendall Cunningham and Susana Quinones) had not been a part of a title so they worked hard this season to make the 14th a reality.”

 

Locked in a three-way battle with Gray Collegiate and Woodland for more than five hours, the Bishops came out on top with 85.83-75.5 victory over Gray Collegiate. Woodland was third with 68 points.

 

The Bishops claimed the biggest prize thanks to depth. They had at least one competitor in 12 of the 18 events, and the distance runners led the way.

 

The Bishops’ 4x800-meter relay team set the tone in the first event of the day, winning the gold medal as Marin Byrne, Caroline Edgerton, Grace Buss and Marlee Asmer clocked in at 9:55.69.

 

Byrne and Edgerton finished 2-3 in the 800-meter run to give the Bishops 14 points

 

Byrne, Edgerton, Asmer and Ava Albano finished fourth in the 4x400 relay, while Maggie Long, Jordan Ingram, Lily Edgerton, Ava Albano teamed up for an eighth-place finish in the 4x100 relay.

 

Long had a busy day and a productive day in her final high school meet. She finished sixth in the triple jump and seventh in the long jump.

 

Asmer earned a bronze medal in the 400-meter hurdles. Emma Hamrick and Katie Griffin won silver medals in the high jump and pole vault, respectively.

 

The Bishop England boys team also was well represented at the meet with athletes qualified in eight events.

 

The Bishops were 12th out of more than 30 teams.

 

Justin Hafner led the Bishops with a gold medal in the 1,600 run with a time of 4:22.82.

 

The BE 3,200 relay team of Charlie Tessier, JJ Romano, Stephen Mantone and Jackson Muller finished sixth.

 

The 4x400 relay team of Romano, Muller, Jack Leahy, and Michael Fishburne was impressive.

 

Muller was fourth in the 800 run, Patrick Asher was sixth in the discus and Mark Brahim was eighth in the 3,200 run.