Girls Track Team Making Great Strides

Led by freshman Ashley Lucas and senior Brittney Rohl, the Lady Panthers have had several top individual performances at their Brentwood meets this season and with track being based more on individual performance than team scores, there have been standout efforts on a weekly basis.

“We have some really good girls here and it’s a very cohesive group,” said Babylon girls winter track coach Thomas Nettuno. “They’re very supportive of each other and they take the sport very seriously. I couldn’t be happier with the effort they’ve shown.”

Lucas, regarded as one of the four fastest freshman in Suffolk County this season, is described by her coach as a  runner who is always open to suggestion and “a coach’s dream athlete, who asks questions and is always ready to lead by example.”

“The girls look up to her because of her ability to perform under various conditions," said the coach. Last weekend at a league meet in Brentwood, Lucas placed fourth.

Rohl is another outstanding contributor, a long jumper who has jumped 15 feet- three inches this season, which is an incredible accomplishment considering this is only her second year on the team.

“She’s the real deal,” said Nettuno. “She’s a serious athlete, who when she gets on the track, has determination when she’s out there. Brittney’s easily the team leader by example and she’s been taking the reigns for us this season.”

Senior Ellen Murphy, currently number two in her graduating class, is the team’s long distance runner and another captain while sophomore sister Carol Ann Murphy is one of the fastest middle distance runners on the Lady Panthers.
Kerry Glenday, also a sophomore is an exceptionally strong middle distance runner and junior Hannah Wylie is one of the league’s best relay athletes.

Senior Emma Glynn is another long jumper who has jumped over 13 feet this season in league competition at Brentwood and seniors Jillian Jacinth and Sarah Haliday are two more athletes who have excelled for Babylon.

Jacinth, an excellent softball player, has emerged into a solid long jumper and Haliday is the Lady Panthers race walker while also being one of their captains. Nettuno pointed out how Haliday is a key member of the team, competing in an event she loves.

“I’ve been fortunate to get a lot of the top athletes for our team, because this sport helps them stay active during the winter,” said Nettuno who is in his first year as varsity coach at Babylon after spending the past seven years coaching track at West Babylon, where he teaches.

“It's a very cohesive group and they were totally receptive to me when I started coaching here. I was looking for athletes who were really into track and they were looking for a coach who was going to help them excel. We clicked right from the start.”