Liz Slattery is ready to make her move in the 1600. Another invitational track meet and another strong performance from the GC girls as they continue to run near or at the head of the pack! Last Saturday coaches Fregosi, Skrivanek and Lucas brought the team to the Molloy Stanner games at the Armory and were elated with the results. Stepping up to the challenge of a very strong field, the Garden City runners set numerous personal bests, including three school records and two top five national rankings. The current group of talented runners now have the majority of Garden City HS records.

Leading the charge was sophomore Emily Menges, who topped her own school record in the 3000m race by 10 seconds with a blistering 10:06.49. The time ranks her as the 2nd fastest runner in this event in the nation! Emily then returned later in the meet to break the school record in the 600m race with a time of 1:36.85 - the 9th fastest time in the country. And by the way, Emily still has the 10th fastest time in the nation in the 1000m. Joining Emily on this record setting day was senior Maddie Adams, who ran the invitational mile in 4:56.47 - a new school record by more than 12 seconds and a time that ranks her as the 4th fastest miler in the nation! And Maddie still has the 16th fastest 1000m in the country. All rankings are based on the Milesplit.us high school rankings. Not one, but two nationally ranked runners putting Garden City on the US track and field map.

Victoria Chimento and Jenna DeAngelo keep pace. On top of these great performances, freshman Taryn Schmelzinger ran a personal best in the 55m to win the freshman title with a time of 7.73. She also ran her best time in the 300m, just narrowly missing the school mark. Joining Taryn in both of these races, and also setting personal bests, was eighth grader Tara Mahon. Tara placed 5th in the freshman 55m. Also finishing with personal bests in the 300m were sophomore Rachel Dooley and senior Brittany Stufano. The 600m race brought out personal best times from freshman Michelle Rotondo and eighth grader Jenna DeAngelo. Jenna also ran to her best time in the 1000m. Rounding out the meet, Liz Slattery returned from an injury to run a season best in the 1600m, while sophomores Liz Weber, Victoria Chimento and Katie Reilly ran at their personal bests and senior Lauren Williams and junior Laura Martens jumped to solid finishes. In the words of coach Erica Fregosi, 'it was an awesome meet, all the girls ran so well.'

Emily Menges' - 2nd fastest 3000m run in the nation. On Friday night the team had their last conference cross over meet at Suffolk Community College and had some terrific efforts turned in. In the 1500m walk, eighth grader Molly Josephs continued her excellent season finishing first with a personal best of 7:47.6, the second best time in Nassau this season. Other strong performances were: Aoi Nishimura (5th) in the 1000m and 600m (6th), Victoria Chimento (4th) in the 600m, Enki Toto (4th) in the 1500m walk, Dana Famiglietti (8th) in the 55m dash, Lauren Williams (6th) in the high jump, Alexandra Schlapp (5th) and Caroline Hohlman (6th) in the shot put and the 4x200 relay team (3rd) of Deanna Ceriano, Brittany Mercante, Alexis Yeboah and Brittany Stuffano.

Michelle Rotondo at the head of the pack in the 1000m. The team is shaping up very nicely for the upcoming Conference and County championships in early February. But first they have one more invitational meet to attend on Saturday, the New Balance Games at the Armory. In tomorrow's New Balance meet, Maddie Adams will represent GC in the invitational mile, competing against the area's top runners, with the winner gaining an automatic entry to the prestigious Millrose games at Madison Square Garden in March. Good luck Maddie and to all the girls running.

Maddie Adams' record setting mile. Taryn Schmelzinger (l) and Tara Mahon (r) in the 55m finals.