St Joseph by-the-Sea Track & Field  

                    2010 Island Champions - St. Joseph Sea
                  Event By Event Breakdown

Every way we tabulated and projected the meet, we were in the thick of the meet.  The key was to sustain in the field events, pound out the middle distances and seal the deal with the relays.  This is how the meet broke down....

First Event - 55 HH
We thought we had a shot to get two hurdlers in the finals, knowing that Farrell was going to probably finish in 2nd and 3rd.  To our dismay, out top hurdler Frank Sconzo had a rough start and failed to make the finals.  Junior Bobby Mirfield, set a PR and gained his way into the final.  Curtis, Farrell, Farrell went 1-2-3 as expected.  Curtis' Shaquan Coles, an Advance All-Star in football made his return to take 4th.  Bobby Mirfield just nipped a Curtis athlete, to take 6th place.
      Score:  Curtis - 15, Farrell - 14, Sea - 1

Second Event - 3200
We knew we had to double up our Millrose miler Dan Zaccariello if we stood a chance.  The key would be for Curtis to break up Farrell's pack of distance runners.  Zaccariello won as promised, and Curtis just missed holding Farrell off the board.
     Score:  Curtis - 29, Farrell - 17, Sea - 11

Third Event - Shot Put
Going into the meet we had the pre-meet favorite in Meena Farid.  Unfortuantely, Meena just had an off day.  What made matters worse was that Farrell would finish 1st and 6th in an event that we figured we'd outscore them in.  With our top hurdler missing the finals and a disappointment in the shot, things didn't look too spectacular.
     Score:  Curtis - 29, Farrell - 28, Sea - 13, Wagner - 12, MSIT - 10

Fourth Event - Triple Jump
As a freshmen, Liam Vogt was charged with replacing the "always clutch" Joe Tufano who seemed to PR in every Island Champs meet.  Islands '10 would be his first clutch meet.  With a PR of 39'+ jump and a soph record in his pocket, Vogt sat in 5th behind Farrell's Kamara.  On his last jump, he surpassed Kamara with a new personal best of 39'8.5", a vital 2 pt swing.
     Score:  Curtis - 37, Farrell - 30, Wagner - 18, Sea - 17

Fifth Event - 1000 meters
This was to be the start of our big point barrage.  With five 800 meter runners at 2:01 or better, the middle distances would be our strength.  The event featured the defending PSAL City Champion Raul Avalos and a surprise entry in Curtis' Jason Stapleton, who had run the 1000 in a fine 2:34 the previous day.  It was imperative that the Vikings finish 3-4 to keep the hope alive.  Utilizing blazing fast kicks, Mike Baio and Alex Civitano would push their way to 3rd and 4th.  With Stapleton outkicking Avalos, Curtis was turning into a big threat.
     Score:  Curtis - 47, Farrell - 32, Sea - 27, Wagner - 26

Sixth Event - 55 meter dash
With Farrell's top entrant injured, the race could've gone to anyway.  It actually took an FAT camera to break up the top three.  Ogebe Ogbu of St. Peter's (brother to Adam Ogbu '99) just nipped our Chris Murphy.  With three speedsters crossing the line together it was Ogbu (SP) - Murphy (Sea)- Stepney (MF) - 6.87, 6.88, 6.88.  On a review of the finish photo, 2nd place went down to the thousandth - 6.8872, 6.8874, Murphy over Stepney.  Due to Murphy's lean, it was again a 2 pt swing over Farrell.  Farrell also added a 4th place finish.  We had projected being heavily outscored to Farrell in this event, so a 2 pt loss in this event was considered a big success.
     Score:  Curtis - 47, Curtis - 42, Sea - 36, Wagner 26

Seventh Event - 1600 meters
Senior Dan Zaccariello followed the game plan to perfection by staying relaxed and kicking when necessary.  His last 400 meters was a scorching 58.1.  Curtis' Jason Stapleton got up for 2nd as Nasser Zayer of Peters finished in 3rd.  Farrell was able to garner a 4th and 6th place in the event.  St. Joe's was creeping back into this meet.
     Score:  Curtis - 55, Farrell - 47, Sea - 46

Eighth Event - Long Jump
We had two sophs entered in Liam Vogt and Frank Sconzo.  Neither had gone over 19 feet and with Shaquan Cole's of Curtis (a 20 footer) and a slew of public school jumpers, we needed some clutch performances.  Liam Vogt was able to pop out a jump of 19'6", a personal best of close to two feet, for third.  Sconzo, who was following up a hurdle disappointment, was able to move up to fourth  in the finals.  His jump of 19'4.75" was a personal best.  Two sophs over 19 feet and jumping with the pressure of trying to win a championship certainly bodes well for the future.  Curtis won the event and Farrell was able to take 1 pt.  With these 10 pts, we passed Farrell for the first time all day with our bread and butter looming.
     Score:  Curtis - 65, Sea 56, Farrell - 48

Ninth Event - 600 meters
We loaded up the 600 with the hopes and absolutely necessity of finishing 1-2.  The Viking faithful in the stands roared as Nick Italiano and Adam Civitano crossed the line 1-2 for a huge 18 pt pick-up.  The "Let's Go Vikings" chants echoed in the building  sounding very similar to the chaotic cheering that was the 1999 Island Championship victory.  We took the lead for the first time all day.  Farrell quietly picked up 4th, 5th and 6th places.
     Score:  Sea - 74, Curtis - 65, Farrell - 55

Tenth Event - High Jump
With pre-meet favorite Henrique Scott (MSIT) long jumping instead of high jumping; we had a good shot to win the event.  With two competitors remaining - Charles Alcasid (Sea) and the versataile Corey Duggan (Farrell), the bar went to 6 feet.  Alcasid would miss tying his PR, his legs certainly a bit tired from the TJ earlier in the day.  We'd lose this event by 2 to Farrell but Alcasid would add a valuable 8 pts.
     Score:  Sea - 82, Farrell - 65, Curtis - 65

Eleventh Event - Pole Vault
Most of this event went as projected.  Duggan would win the PV, MSIT/SW would cover 2-3.  With the PV being such a weak event this year, MF was also able to take 4th place with an 8'6" vaulter.  Farrell would score 14 unanswered pts. 
     Score:  Sea - 82, Farrell - 79, Curtis - 65

Twelfth Event - 300 meters
Curtis' Kareem Crawford would put a stamp on his MVP day by taking the 300.  The key would be for George Setteducato to just finish the race since he had previously nipped Farrell's Donnie Taddoni for the 6th and last spot in the finals.  He did just that.
     Score:  Sea - 83, Farrell - 79, Curtis - 75

Thirteenth Event - 4x800 Relay
With the meet in anyone's hands, the team needed to be reminded of the special opportunity that lay ahead.  If we outscore Farrell/Curtis in the relays, the meet was won.  We knew had a solid 4x800 relay but were scared of Farrell's dominant distance program.  A win in the event might not be enough since they could easily score three relays.  After a mid-meet pep talk, the team got very loud. The 4x800 ran with great heart, Paulie Brancale lead off and put us in the heart of the race.  Mike Baio kept us close and Tyler Franco ran a gutty PR of 2:11.2.  Alex Civitano, now known for his fiery kicks, got the Armory on its feet as he made an assault to the lead on Farrell's John Rerick.  He would ultimately run out of distance and finish in 2nd but his 2:01.8 on the double was certainly no small feat.  Farrell would go 1st, 5th and 6th as we finished in 2nd.  We were outscored 13-8.  Farrell took a 1 pt lead.
     Score:  Farrell - 92, Sea - 91, Curtis - 81

Fourteenth Event - 4x400 Relay
This was perhaps our strongest relay.  But again, with going against a team that more than doubles your roster, you're always worried about the "B" and "C" teams.  We would win the 4x400 on 4 great legs - Adam Civitano, Vito Coladonato, Vin Aceto and Nick Italiano.  As the results came in, we would outscore Farrell 10 - 9 (They finished 2nd and 6th).  The meet was now tied.
     Score:  Farrell - 101, Sea - 101, Curtis - 85

Fifteenth Event - 4x200 Relay
A controversial DQ was made to Farrell's "A" team in the 4x200 trials earlier in the night.  The MF coaching staff filed a protest over the DQ - (The athletes weren't wearing matching uniforms.)  The games committee was called along with the meet referees.  After a 15 minute delay, the DQ was upheld.  With two 4x200 relays in the final, all we needed to do was to get the stick around the track.  Giuseppe DiMaggio, a soccer star who has been making tons of progress during the season was called upon as the alternate for Mike Stabile who injured his hamstring earlier in the meet.  He anchored the "A" team to 4th place as the "B" team just got nipped at the line for 6th.  It should be noted that Vin Aceto who anchored the "B" team in the trials and finals dove at the line in the trials just to get the team into the finals.  This was just a small example of the heart displayed by St. Joe's at the meet.

Results
The team gathered behind the shot put area, the same place were the 1999 team learned of their destiny.  Third place was announced - Curtis High School, 85 pts - a fantastic job as they were in the running up until the very end.  The announcer continued,  "In 2nd Place - the defending champion...."  The place erupted.  The seniors, led by some very sneaky alumni, dumped a Gatorade container full of VERY cold ice on Coach Mancusi before their victory lap.  For the first time in 11 years, St. Joe's was the Island Champion.  It was only the third time in the history of the league that Msgr. Farrell lost the crown - (to St. Joe's 1998 & 1999 teams as well.)  After the victory lap, the team gathered in the center of the Armory to join in prayer.  With one last Viking chant, the name "D Kelley" was the only thing that was to be said.  For someone so apart of the fabric of Viking Track & Field, Coach Kelley was able to witness a Millrose 4x8, Millrose mile berth and an Island Championship all in one week from a front row seat up in heaven.