Ward Melville's Raseman wins 2-mile run at Eastern States Invitational
Ward Melville's Quinn Raseman takes first in the boys 2-mile run during the Eastern States Invitational at the Armory. (Feb. 23, 2010) Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
Ward Melville's Quinn Raseman has been a bit conservative with his running this winter and with good reason: It's his first season of indoor track.
The difference between indoor and outdoor events can be like night and day. But Raseman has made a smooth transition to the indoor surfaces. He proved it last night with a first-place finish in the two-mile run at the Eastern States Invitational at the Armory in Manhattan.
"I've been a little reluctant to make big moves in races since this is my first season indoors," said Raseman, a senior. "I wasn't really accustomed to taking leads early indoors, because I didn't feel as comfortable as I did in cross country."
He had the confidence to make an early move last night as he took command of the race with 800 meters to go and finished first in 9:19.71, ahead of North Bergen's Daniel Rondon (9:30.11).
"I knew he probably wasn't going to hang with me . . . It was a guess, but I had the confidence," Raseman said.
Making a move with less than a mile to go was a risk, Raseman admitted. "You can usually out-grind a person with a mile to go," he said. "But if he has more speed than you, it could be tough doing it with 800 to go."
As for making the move to the indoor, Raseman said there were several obstacles. "Mentally there are more laps to deal with," he said. "And running [at the Armory], there's something different at every turn with people yelling your name . . . It's a lot."
Winning the two-mile was a confidence-builder for Raseman, who is hoping to make a big splash at the state championships at Cornell University March 7.
"Winning here is awesome," he said. "It'll keep me ready for the states."
Up next for Raseman is the first annual Long Island indoor track and field championships at St. Anthony's on Saturday. He said he plans on participating in the 1,000-meter run. "That'll be a great workout meet for me," he said.
Raseman wasn't the only Long Island athlete who fared well at the Armory.
North Babylon's Vanessa Stewart continued her strong season with a first-place finish in the shot put with a toss of 47 feet, 43/4 inches. Riverhead's Katie Skinner ran to a second-place finish in the two-mile run in 11:09.5 and Commack's Colby Lubman took third in the 55-meter dash in 7.17.
Chaminade's distance medley relay team finished third in 10:16.88. Flyers coach Pat Slevin was pleased with his team's ability to overcome a 10-meter deficit on the third leg.
"Our boys ran awesome," Slevin said. "We ran here with the hope of getting a better qualifying time for the Penn Relays."
Elijah Pardo of St. John the Baptist took third in the 55-meter hurdles in 7.64, while Bay Shore's Mike Moore took third in the triple jump (44-7 3/4).
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
