Calhoun Girls Track Wins First Conference Championship

From Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District: A year ago, the girls from Sanford H. Calhoun High School winter track team would come up two inches and one second short of capturing the school’s first winter conference championship. The team vowed to never forget that feeling and this year they will redeem themselves by clinching a championship.

They nabbed the Nassau Conference II track championship on Jan. 17, at St. Anthony’s Invitational. In the 600-meter, Calhoun sophomore Elizabeth Tuzzolo claimed second place for the girls, while Katie Corona took third and Nadya Resnick finished up in sixth. Elizabeth and Katie earned All-Conference honors and the team took 15 points.

They earned more points after the 55-meter high hurdles, with senior captain and returning all-state athlete Paige Sfiroudis cruising to an easy win and Heather Berberich capturing fourth place. Sfiroudis also won the Triple and Long Jump events, as well as scoring an unheard of 30 individual points.

“I just wanted to perform for my team, coaches and school,” she said.

We knew this was the last chance we had to make history and I wasn’t going to let that pass. This victory was a true team win — we all contributed.”

Coach Joe Migliano called Sfiroudis’ a ‘one-of-a-kind talent.’

"It’s hard to imagine that she never ran track before her sophomore year,” he said. “There isn’t an event that Paige can’t do, she’s one of the most well-rounded athletes I have ever coached.”

In shot put, Madison Padro led Jamie Campanelli and Victoria Unz to a 1, 2, 3 finish grabbing a massive 24 points and becoming the conference champion. Tali Gekhman, Lindsay Sheridan and Julia frank would add 18 points to the teams total, taking second, third and fourth in the Race Walk. Gekhman and Sheridan earned All-Conference honors.

Sarah Tappeto nabbed second on the 300-meter dash, third in triple jump and would run on the team’s championship 4x400-meter relay.

“She is a terrific athlete and fierce competitor,” Migliano said. “Her potential is endless. Sarah has no idea how great she could be and I love that I get to coach her everyday.”

Faith Dwyer, Emma Bhansingh, Alexandra Unz and Nadya Resnick (senior) would take the track and run the 4x800-meter relay. Katie Corona, Sarah Tappeto, Samantha LeTorre and Elizabeth Tuzzolo took the 4x4-00-meter relay.

“I just wanted to get out fast and make sure I took it home for the team, in my head I knew I would never let the team down,” said Tuzzolo. “We didn’t know the score going into the race and coach always tells us that every point matters.”

In the day’s last race, the 4x200-meter relay, Mia Advocate, Heather Berberich, Kayla Locasto and Kristina Losquadro took second place with just five meters to go.

“The girls wanted it,” said Migliano. “We train 10 months out of the year with goals like this in mind. This was no magic trick or savvy coaching, it was all heart and dedication from them.”

Photo courtesy of the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District: Calhoun girls winter track team Nassau Conference II track championship.