John Jay Rises Above the Temperature at North Salem

On Monday April 20, the drop in temperature had John Jay bundled up to run at North Salem High School. No problem, the 1500 meter had the girls running close to overcome the elements.

“We came into it wanting to stick together,” said Mia Haimelin, who took first (5:04.40) and had Maya Serai (5:04.60) and Emma Barniv (5:04.70) finish two and three respectively.

For herself, the sophomore didn’t really like being stuck all the way on the right and almost on the grass. “So I wanted to get in front,” she said.

Then the plan was to rotate positions. “I stuck in front until Maya was ready to take the lead,” said Haimelin.

But Kira Waring upset the synergy in the last 500 meters. “We saw the girl from Mahopac in front, and we were like, we have to go,” said Haimelin.

So all three kicked in. “We ended up passing her with 200 meters to go,” said the Wolf.

No easy task, Maya Serai always feels it in the last leg, but inspiration is not hard to find. “It’s really my teammates,” said the freshman, “seeing them pushing hard with me.”

In third, Barniv has no problem explaining how the fun always overtakes the exhaustion. “Pushing ourselves is what bonds us together,” she revealed.

A little more on her own, Kelsey Topey took third in the 400 meter (1:08.60). “I pushed all out from 50 meters, keeping my pace to 100 meters and then going fast through the final 100,” said the freshman.

Her day done, Topey also enjoyed the friendship but identified another motivation. “I like to PR,” she extolled.

Along for the 400 meter ride, Landon Goodman made the short list in the boys race too. The Wolf winning with a time of 54.40, he still had to make a journey to step into own track shoes. “My brother Max did distance so I started with that,” said Goodman. “But I’ve made my own path.”

He doesn’t need a map to strategize, though. “I explode at the start, and then I kind of ease into it,” said Goodman.

A strategy that is working. “I’m PRing every single race,” the senior said.

John Jay wasn’t bad on the field either. First in the shot put at 38 feet two inches, Skyler Monasch’s interest is pretty straightforward. “I’ve always loved lifting and shot putting is a lot of lifting,” said the senior.

Of course, the heavy side is not easy, but the nature of the game is alleviating. “I like constantly having to alter aspects of my throws to improve,” he said. “That makes you feel like your work is worth it.”

He won’t let road blocks to knock his numbers down either. “At the end of last year, I lost weight, and I digressed a little bit,” he revealed. “I hope to get back up to 44 feet.”

On the girls side, Helena Schembri has traded one rock for the other. The John Jay basketball player took second in the shot put at 27 feet and 4.5 inches. “I started in middle school and really liked it,” said Schembri.

Stationary at the shot, the senior still has wings on her feet. “I do the glide,” said Schembri. “I feel like it’s the most effective.”

Schembri doesn’t just stay in the circle and gladly contributes to the grind with the high and long jump. “It’s pretty hard, but I feel like it’s all worth it,” she assured.

James Withers Tinio likes to go aerial too and has helped his cause by going online. “I watched a lot of Youtube videos last summer,” said the first place javelin finisher at 117 feet and six inches.

Good on this day, he’s got a ways to go to compete on the sectional and state level but the work is no bother. “It’s fun every meet trying to hit a new PR,” he concluded the day.

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North Salem Track

Mahopac Track

Yorktown Track