Maureen Lewin wins two races, leave her mark on Kellenberg track
Kellenberg's Maureen Lewin wins the 1500 meter run, Saturday, April 6, 2019 at Cold Spring Harbor high School in the Nassau Coaches Invitational. Credit: George A. Faella
There will be no spring season senior slump for Maureen Lewin. Nope, she’s here to leave her mark on the Kellenberg track program, and she isn’t wasting anytime wading herself into winning waters. Lewin won twice at the 51st Nassau Coaches Invitational Saturday at Cold Spring Harbor High School.
Lewin won the 1,500 meters in four minutes, 52.50 seconds, the 800 in 2:17.74, and was voted athlete of the meet.
“I did pretty well at [indoor states], which I was happy about,” Lewin said. “I didn’t run great at [indoor] nationals. That just made me want to come back even better in the spring, train even harder, and go out with a bang.”
She came in with a bang, as well. Lewin controlled the pace in the 1,500 — showing no signs of rust in her first go-round of the outdoor season.
“I really just wanted to go and run relaxed,” said Lewin, who is going to Boston College next school year. “My teammate Maya [Richardson] was in the race with me, so our plan was just help each other the whole race and finish together. For the most part, we did that. But there was a freshman in the race [Jericho’s Mackenzie Setton]. She ran awesome and really pushed us to be able to run faster than we were expecting.”
Setton was second in 4:55.10. Wantagh’s Casey O’Connor finished third in 4:58.10 and Richardson was fourth in 4:58.30.
Lewin never trailed in the 1,500 — something that she intended to do and executed effortlessly.
“That was my plan for today,” Lewin said. “I usually like to run from behind, but today I thought that I’d go out and try to lead from the gun.”
Freeport’s Alexandria Yarbrough also took control early in her race, winning the 400 in 56.74 seconds. Yarbrough wasted no time, pulling into a comfortable lead at the opening turn.
“My coach has been telling me to get out fast and just hold my momentum. That’s what I wanted to do today,” Yarbrough said. “I never get too comfortable, because someone can always come from behind. So I always try and push even harder to make sure I don’t get passed at the end of the line.”
Elsewhere, Island Trees’ Gianna McGowan won the 100 in 12.56 seconds and the 200 in 25.95. Locust Valley’s Nina Cialone won the long jump (15 feet, 10 ¾ inches) and the triple jump (35- 11 ¾). Bethpage’s Mia Dircks won the high jump (5-0) and the 400- meter hurdles (71.20).
