Girls Track Does It Again

Running on virtually their home track – the Manhattan Armory, the foursome of Alexis Yeboah-Kodie, Taylor Hennig, Taryn Schmelzinger and Emma Gallagher pulled off a tremendous accomplishment by winning the 1600m Sprint Medley Relay at the New Balance Nationals Saturday.

The girls went into the race with the number two seed but knew they were going to have to put together something special to repeat as national champions. With senior Schmelzinger, who ran a 200 meter leg last year, as the only returning member of the 2010 championship relay in Boston, coach Fregosi had to reach into her deep squad for three quarters of a new relay team.

Junior Yeboah-Kodie got out of the blocks for the leadoff 200 meter leg, starting out in lane six with a burst. As she came through the last turn Yeboah-Kodie was tucked right behind the leaders coming into first handoff. As she reached out to pass the baton to Hennig the two girls looked very fluid and did not lose a step. 

As Hennig, another junior, switched the baton from her left hand to her right hand she was focused on catching the leaders down the backstretch. With a burst of speed she moved into second place off the last turn with one runner to catch.  Hennig put the stick into Schmelzinger’s hand with maybe a five meter gap to the lead, a gap that Schmelzinger quickly eliminated off the first turn. 

With two laps to run in the 400m it is not unusual for the lead to change – multiple times. But that wasn’t going to happen, once Schmelzinger got the lead she was only focused on extending it. As she came off the last turn with a little less than 100 meters remaining, anchor Gallagher knew she was getting the baton in great position – a lead of about 15 meters.   

Gallagher, only an eighth grader, had some pre-race jitters which were quickly forgotten about when the reality of getting the baton and a lead sunk in. Running like she has done since the start of the season, Gallagher pushed herself to the limit and came through the tape at the finish line with a national championship for Garden City.

The girls' final time was 4:04.17, almost two seconds faster than second place finisher Blacksburg of Virginia. With that time the Garden City girls remain with the number two time in the country for the 2011 indoor season. 

With the first place finish the girls not only receive a gold medal, flowers and a champions shirt, they come home with national championship rings for the second year in a row. The finish also helps to solidify Garden City girls track as one of the best not only in New York State but in the country. The girls will be back on the track in the next few weeks looking to dominate the outdoor season – but only after a well-earned break for this foursome.