Chaminade's Tom Slattery finishes strong to win 3,200 meters at CHSAA Intersectional championships

There was a time, earlier this week in fact, when it didn't look like the CHSAA Intersectional championships would be in the cards for Chaminade's Tom Slattery. The senior injured his quadriceps during a warm-up Monday, putting his status for the weekend in jeopardy.

"Going into this thing, I thought that if it hurt too much, I'd drop out or hold on for fifth and get a point," Slattery said.

The senior did "one or two reps" of a workout Thursday, iced it, and hoped for the best. On Saturday, the quad felt good enough for Slattery to line up on the starting line for the 3,200 meters.

Then the race started and, early on, it looked like a championship would not be possible. But Slattery used a tremendous kick to overtake St. Anthony's Patrick Tucker, who had jumped out to a huge lead, and won in 9 minutes, 15.44 seconds at the championships, held Saturday at Icahn Stadium on Randalls Island.

"I just sat there and watched [Tucker] mellow out up front," Slattery said. "I seized the opportunity."

But Slattery's victory wasn't enough for Chaminade to take the team title. That went to St. Anthony's, which won with 54 points. The championship is the Friars' fifth straight, coach Tim Dearie said.

Louis Santelli won the 800 meters in 1:53.46. The victory was extra sweet. Not only was it his final intersectional championship, but Icahn Stadium has been a house of horrors over his four years in Friars black and gold.

SEE PHOTOSCHSAA Intersectional track and field championships

"Every time I race here, I get outkicked," he said. "It always seems to happen that I get beat at the line."

After the race went out fast, Santelli made a move with 300 meters to go and kicked in the final 250. It was a strategy that he doesn't normally employ, but it felt right in the moment . . . and, instead of getting outkicked again, it worked like a charm.

"Going around the final turn, I was a little nervous," he said. "I usually make my move a little later than that. I usually go in the last 100 . . . During the final straightaway, I glanced back and knew I had it. It felt so smooth and comfortable."

Santelli's teammates, Marlon Montague and Sebastian Pierre, finished first and second, respectively, in the 400. Montague won in 48.44 seconds. Pierre was right behind him in 49.39 seconds.

"The adrenaline kicked in when I saw [Pierre] coming," Montague said. "I said, 'He's not going to catch me.' I refuse to lose. I just gave it everything I had left in the tank."

The rivalry between the two is as friendly as it gets.

"That's my best friend," Montague said. "We have so much chemistry together. It's sad that this is our last time running together, but I can't say that I didn't love it."

St. Anthony's Michael Rodriguez won the high jump, clearing 6 feet, 2 inches. Chaminade's 4 x 800 relay team, composed of Slattery, Sean Kelly, Gunnar Nolan and Billy Ulrich, won in 7:55.66.