Sacred Heart girls track's Maeve Going breaks 'curse' to win pair of CHSAA Intersectional titles
Maeve Going of Sacred Heart Academy out in front during the 3,000-meter event at the CHSAA indoor track and field Intersectional Championships at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Sat. Feb. 14, 2026. Credit: Errol Anderson
As far as Catholic girls indoor track and field is concerned, feel free to call Staten Island, “Long Island West.”
Long Island’s female athletes looked right at home at the CHSAA Intersectional championships at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island on Saturday. The Island had winners in nine of the meet’s 16 events, and also produced the team champion in St. Anthony’s, who scored 52.5 points to capture its 14th consecutive CHSAA team title.
Sacred Heart swept the distance races. Junior Elle Riches won the 1,000 meters in 3 minutes, 0.98 seconds, while senior Maeve Going took both the 1,500 and the 3,000 in 4:42.63 and 10:44.9, respectively.
“I never really expected this," Riches said. "I remember watching these races as a freshman and never thinking that I would be able to do this and be a part of something like this. It’s really nice to see both of us taking over races. It just makes this more fun and gives me more purpose.”
Going was named the meet’s Track MVP after being the only female runner to win two championships. As illustrious as her career has been as a cross country and outdoor track runner, she had previously been a little shy on indoor championship plaques, having won only one intersectional title indoors.
Her victory in the 3,000 on Saturday morning was her first indoor intersectional title since 2023, when she won the same event as a freshman. Later, she cruised to victory in the 1,500, beating the next finisher by more than 18 seconds.
“I feel like in indoor track, there’s usually a curse on me,” Going said. “I think just coming off a good outdoor season and a good cross country season just gave me confidence. I never changed my mindset, even while I was cross [country] training. It just feels great for us to have every distance event.”
Taylor goes back to back
Sacred Heart junior Natalia Taylor claimed the shot put title with a top throw of 32 feet, 11 ¾ inches, and later won the weight throw with a throw of 46-1 ¼. She secured the Field MVP award for the second consecutive year.
“I think it’s pretty awesome to win this award again,” Taylor said. “There’s always a chance that someone else will be very good, but I know for a fact that I worked for this.”
She was able to win both events by wide margins despite not being anywhere near her best. She was 2-3 ¾ short of her season best in the shot put and 5-9 ½ shy of her top distance this season in the weight throw. However, she still won the shot by 3-3 ¼ and the weight by 4-3 ¾.
“It’s cool to win two events twice in a row, but sometimes, I wish I could win with a good mark,” Taylor said. “The fact that I still won and I’m not performing at my best does say something to me. It says that even when I’m not at my best, I can still perform at a high level.”
Korzonkiewicz captures elusive top prize
Kellenberg senior Keierra Ndukwu flew 33-11 ½ to win the triple jump, followed by Holy Trinity junior Amelia Eisenhuth at 32-10 ¾, qualifying both for the New York State and Federation championships on March 6-7 in Staten Island. Ndukwu’s junior teammate, Maya Hadpawat, cleared 5 feet flat to win the high jump.
Hadpawat also qualified in the 55-meter hurdles, placing second in 8.99 behind St. Anthony’s senior Kaitlyn Korzonkiewicz, who won it in 8.57. Korzonkiewicz had collected several medals in the past for being a runner-up, but now she can finally take home the large, circular plaques that the CHSAA gives its champions.
“I’m so excited,” Korzonkiewicz said. “I’m so happy; I finally earned that plaque. I’ve been wanting it since I first saw it freshman year. I thought, ‘I need that plaque. I’m going to get it.’ It feels great.”
St. Anthony’s also won the 4 x 800-meter relay in 9:57.43. Senior Kiera Cameron led off, followed by sophomore Isabella Anazagasty and junior Kathryn Paul. Junior Elena Ciaccio anchored the squad to victory.
Mike Anderson is a high school sports reporter who has covered 12 sports so far at Newsday. He was the sports editor of Stony Brook University's campus newspaper for two years.
