Bishop track and field teams put in the hard work

The athletes who make up the Bishop England High School track teams take running seriously.

 

If you need proof, drive down Seven Farms Drive in the dog days of August and if you see a group of teenagers running, it’s a good chance they are Bishops, getting their work in, along with their coach Tony Colizzi under a blazing sun and wall-to-wall humidity. 

 

The field performers can also be found back at the school, working on their throws and jumps in anticipation of competing at the state meet, which is nine months away.

 

But the Bishops like to have fun, and it’s not just when they win another big meet or state championship and it’s time to celebrate.

 

On Feb. 24, the Bishop boys and girls had some fun competing in the James Island Distance and Throws Festival, a meet in which team scores were not kept and the focus was on distance and running.

 

As a result, the meet, which is more common in the Upstate, is completed in a relatively quick time. But it gave Colizzi a chance to see his runners and throwers compete among the Lowcountry’s best teams and performers.

 

Big things are expected of the Bishops this year – and every year. The girls’ team made history last May when they edged Gray Collegiate and Woodland to win the Class AA state championship. The Bishops won their first championship in 2001 and last year’s championship was their 14th, which is a state record.

 

The Bishop boys also fared well at the state championships with athletes qualifying in eight events with the Bishops finishing in the top 12 out of more than 30 teams.

 

“Both teams look to have a good season,” said Colizzi, one of the state’s all-time great track and field coaches. “The boys have 35 on their roster and the girls have an amazing 60 on their roster.”

 

Key performers for 2024 include Nora Brahim, Grace Buss, Marlee Asmer, Caroline Edgerton, Katie Griffin, and Emma Muller.

 

Marc Brahim, Charlie Tessier, Jack Leahy and Patrick Asher are the headliners on the boys’ team. The BE boys have won four state championships with the last coming in 2016.

 

Each team develops its own identity and this year’s teams should be talented and should show improvement every time they hit the track.

 

“The boys’ team is going to need strong performances from their top athletes,” Colizzi said. “The girls’ team will depend a lot on their top performers but they also have some depth at certain events that will help them throughout the season.”

 

The Bishops’ season begins in earnest when they host the Father Kelly Classic, one of their major meets in March. The Bishops will compete in the Wando Mellow Mushroom Relays on March 16 and head to Cane Bay the following weekend for the Coaches Classic.

 

The season will conclude May 18 with the Class AA state championships at Lower Richland High School.