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By Joseph Staszewski
Brooklyn Daily
Medgar Evers enjoyed an historic day at the Public School Athletic League indoor track and field championships.
The school saw its boys’ team win its first-ever city title and the girls’ team win its first indoor championship, ending Benjamin Cardozo’s six-year reign at The Armory last Saturday. The Cougars beat the Judges in last year’s outdoor final and Medgar Evers now holds both titles. The boys’ and girls’ teams enjoyed celebrating the landmark together.
“It was history for the school,” said Medgar Evers girl’s coach Nicola Martial. “They had camaraderie working together. It was great. Everyone was happy.”
The boys scored 50 points, comfortably beating second place Boys & Girls at 34 points. The Cougars girls had to hold their breath a bit, but did enough to hold off Cardozo 73 points to 66. The growth of the programs to this level was years in the making.
“It was a great day,” said Cougars boys’ coach Shaun Dietz. “I’ve been waiting for this day for seven or eight years and it came today. Our athletes came out and did their part.”
Junior sprinter Brenessa Thompson’s day epitomized the versatility of the girls’ team. She easily won the 55-meter dash with a time of 7.03, having recovered from a knee injury that limited her earlier in the year. Thompson then pulled out of the 300 because of cramps, but came back with the winning 4 x 400 team in a time of 3:58.47 with Aleah Stewart, Kenisha Pugh and Ja’Nai Cameron. She wanted to prove to people that there is a new Queen of the track.
“A lot of people are saying that Cardozo is going to win, but we are here to prove them wrong today,” Thompson said.
It was also a big day for sophomore star Shayla Broughton. She placed first in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 6 inches and held on for a gold medal in the 55 hurdles with a time of 8.34. Leann Parks of Truman was second in 8.37. Broughton blamed a poor start for her time, but was able to do enough at the end to win.
“I knew I had to get over it as fast as I can and dip at the line,” she said.
Ashley Tasher won the triple jump with a leap of 37-01.00 and was second on the long jump with a mark of 17-06.05. The Cougars also won the 4 x 200 relay with a time of 1:41.85.
The boys also scored in a variety of events.
Nickino Allwood took home the triple jump crown with a mark of 45-01.00 and was the long jump champ with a leap of 21-11.00. Semasa Oni was second in the 300 behind the Kangaroos’ Richard Rose with a time of 34.28. He was also a member of the Cougars team of Corey Butcher, Allwood and Kyle Johnson that won the 4 x 200 relay in 1:29.51. Dietz made sure to praise Kyle Johnson for his third place finish in the 55 dash with a time of 6.60.
“All year long he has been improving, but he wasn’t a person I think would be in third place,” the coach said. “He came through big.”