Ben Domingo at the Class AA Championships at the Armory NYC on Monday, February 13th, photo by Katterina Shuba
By Derrick Touba Jr.
As a final tuneup before State Qualifiers the Yonkers Track Team competed at Class AA Championships on Monday, February 13th at The Armory NYC in Manhattan. Yonkers earned 6 medals including gold by hurdler Ben Domingo.
Domingo, The senior 55m hurdler entered the meet 2nd in the section in the event, and is a favorite to qualify for State Championships. He had to face off against section 1 leader and rival Mount Vernon’s Eloha-Karmiel Yitzchak, in a preview of the State Qualifiers matchup. He finished second in the preliminary rounds in 8.07 to Yitzchak, before storming back in the finals with a time of 7.94 to finish with gold at the Class Championships.
When asked what this victory over Yitchak meant to him before their clash at State Qualifiers Domingo said “This victory was a hard earned one especially since I just finished school. I’ve been working on my transition to the first hurdle and it paid off”.
Additionally, The Yonkers Men’s 4x400m relay consisting of Ethan Arias, Elroy Able, Anthony Cruz, and Akeem Carnegie earned silver, missing gold by only .01 seconds with a time of 3:35.65. An incredibly fast opening leg of 53.84 from Arias, and a freight train closing split from Carnegie, clocking at 51.74, played a critical role for Yonkers’s podium finish at the event. However, they have greater aspirations in mind, to hit the 3:34.00 mark to qualify for nationals.
“The team’s goal is something you want to reach with consistency and discipline, nationals show the effort and dedication of our team’s time,sweat,and tears to reach our goal”, leadoff leg Arias said on the team’s mindset towards reaching nationals.
This wasn’t Carnegie’s only impressive performance of the night. The senior earned a bronze medal in the 600m run with a new personal best of 1:28.87. He also hopes to qualify for the national standard individually in the 600 in his final chance at State Qualifiers. He needs a 1:26.00 to accomplish the feat.
“I’ve never wanted something so bad before, not only for myself but for my team. I want to be able to set the standard for my younger classmen and show them what they can be capable of with hard work and dedication” Carnegie expressed on the legacy he wants to leave behind before he graduates this upcoming June.
Sophomore Jenna Bertrand and junior Gabrielle Rowe both have had breakout seasons in the sprints during the course of the year and continued their success this meet. In the 55m dash Bertrand qualified for the class final with a time of 7.67, a new personal best. She then proceeded to top her performance with a time of 7.64, a new personal best to place 6th overall. Bertrand is ranked the fourth best sophomore in section 1 this year in the event. Rowe in the preliminary rounds ran a time of 7.71, finishing 10th, narrowly missing the finals to her own teammate Bertrand. The time is her second fastest this year behind her impressive 7.66 from earlier in the season. Rowe is ranked the second best junior in section 1 this year in the dash.
Other Notable Performers:
Ethan Arias: 55m dash-6.87
Anthony Cruz: 600m run-1:31.81
Gabrielle Dia: 55m dash- 7.81
Yonkers will next compete at the Section 1 State Qualifiers Meet at the Armory NYC in Manhattan, as the team attempts to qualify for states and nationals.
