BE, PSHS track teams roll at Mellow Mushroom Relays

Bishop England and Philip Simmons both competed in the Mellow Mushroom Relays last weekend. 

The track and field meet differs from the other events the two Daniel Island schools compete in because a relay meet is more fast-paced and focuses on teamwork rather than individual effort. 

The Mellow Mushroom Relays emphasized team depth, where success is contingent on all four members, especially during baton handoffs. Mellow Mushroom even offered events that included girls and boys on the same relay team. The March 14 meet did offer individual performances in the field events. 

The meet might have been different, but Bishop England and Philip Simmons both had their typical strong performances. While no official team scores were kept, the Bishops and Iron Horses both held their own against much bigger schools. 

“The meet went well, and the BE athletes competed exceptionally well,” Bishop England coach Tony Colizzi said. “We took most of our distance crew, our top sprinters, and top throwers to the meet. 

“Some of our younger athletes performed very well at the meet,” Colizzi added. “Freshmen Katie Mackinnon and Siena D'Agostino had great days.  Newcomer sophomore William Mote also had a great day. Our veterans also did very well, with several of them setting school records in multiple events.” 

The Bishops set six school records – and one meet record. 

Grace Buss, Olivia Allen, Nora Brahim, and Tory Wood set the school record and meet record with a time of 4 minutes and 15.41 seconds in the 4x400-meter relay to finish in first place. 

Katie Griffin, Lily Edgerton, Allen, and Grace Buss set a school record with a time of 1:50.60 to claim a gold medal in the 800-meter relay. 

D'Agostino, Caroline Cook, Katie Cheverie, and Nora Brahim set a school record in the 4,000-meter distance relay to earn a silver medal. 

Mitchell Plaisance, Noah Bryant, William Mote, and Connor Good set a school record in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:35.00. 

The Bishops set two school records in relays that included girls and boys. 

Tory Wood, Sally Tillman, Lorenzo Palagano, and Charlie Malinowski set a record with a time of 1:18.82 in the shuttle hurdles, while Jackson Malinowski, Buss, Allen, and Mote set the school standard with a time of 3:48.03 in the 4x400-meter relay. 

While the Bishops shone in the relay events, Philip Simmons excelled in the individual field events. 

Ashley Roush had a massive day, winning the high jump and pole vault with respective efforts of 1.65 and 3.81 meters. She finished second in the long jump to teammate Julia Reilly. Reilly won the long and the triple jump with respective efforts of 5.34 and 10.8 meters. 

Roush’s pole vault mark was a national elite gold effort, while her victory in the high jump was a national elite silver performance. Reilly’s win in the long jump qualified for a national elite silver performance.