Roslyn's Luke Pascale wins 55 hurdles in 7.67 seconds

Roslyn senior Luke Pascale has been practicing hurdles for the last two weeks in preparation for Saturday's 59th Bishop Loughlin Games at the Armory.

"My problem was getting over the first hurdle," Pascale said. "[Toward the end of the week] I was feeling more comfortable because I wasn't kicking the first hurdle."

Practice makes perfect. Or, in Pascale's case, practice makes a winner. He finished the 55-meter hurdles in 7.67 seconds -- the top time of the day. The joy he felt after winning went even deeper than the last two weeks.

"I've been practicing [this] for a full year and I just felt amazing [after I won]," Pascale said. "I had a good time [in the preliminaries] and, in the finals, I felt great."

He wasn't the only winner. Kellenberg's 4 x 800 relay team, comprised of Jim McQuade, Randall Turner, James Malebrance, and Dylan Murphy won in 7:57.16.

Freeport's Jonathan Greenwood's second place, 1:20.8, finish in the 600 gave him an idea of what he needs to look for in future meets. "I have to practice harder and run longer distances to [finish] better," he said.

Greenwood is driven by the pain of long distance runs, making the 600 his favorite event. "I was feeling [the pain] on the second lap," Greenwood said. "That's what made me run harder and maintain focus."

Chaminade's Thomas Slattery finished seventh in the 2-mile in 9:35.83. For Slattery, the day was the beginning of a journey of which, he hopes, ends in victories in later meets.

"My training isn't exactly where I'd like it to be," Slattery said. "But once I get it going in the next couple weeks, I'll have a nice race ahead of me."

Slattery says he will focus more on middle distances with a concentration on speed. "I know how to win," he said. "I just didn't have the [speed] today."

Kellenberg shot putter Matthew Weissheier was second with a toss of 51-71/2.

For these athletes, the journey toward higher marks has just begun. Another meet is always just around the corner and, as in the case of Pascale's last two weeks, the practice never ends.

"I'm going to continue doing what I always do," Pascale said as he left the New York City running arena. "Work hard, practice every day, and just do it."