Errol Jeffery finally felt relaxed.
“I knew I had nothing to lose,” the East New York Transit Tech senior said. “I knew I was in the finals. I decided to give it all I had. I don’t care if I fouled. I didn’t care how far it went. I just went all out on the last throw before finals.”
His winning shot put toss went a personal-best 50 feet, 10.75 inches, more than a foot and a half better than the throw he was seeded with.
“I wasn’t surprised, because he was doing it at practice,” teammate Chad Delecia said. “He’s been doing it at practice, but he has the jitters for a meet.”
Not this time anyway, as Transit Tech placed first through third in the event. Delecia was second with a toss of 49-11.25 and Michael Telsford placed third in 48-10.75. The sweep went a long way to holding off Sheepshead Bay, 77-64, to claim the Express’ first PSAL indoor track and field city championship since 2006 at the Armory Saturday.
“Our overall goal is to win cites,” Jeffery said. “We have great competition in Sheepshead Bay.”
The Express led by a point heading into the final two relays, but the team won the 4 x 800 relay in 8:07.40 and was second to Boys & Girls in the 4 x 400 in 3:21.51 to clinch the meet.
Kameron George got the meet off to a stirring start for Transit Tech. The defending champion came from behind and past two runners over the final half lap of the 3,200 meters. The senior then ran down Joseph Brancale over the final 60 meters to win the race in a time of 9:34.53. George also won the 1,600 in 4:29.58 and was the anchor in the winning 4 x 800 relay.
“I was just trying to follow the leader until 2 1/2 laps left,” George said of the 3,200. “They picked it up as hard as I did so I had to pick it up even harder.”
Sheepshead Bay certainly didn’t make things easy for George and his teammates. The Sharks had runners place first through fourth in the 55 hurdles, led by senior Darryl Bradshaw, who holds the third fastest time in the nation in the event. He got off to an exceptional start and cruised to a win in a time of 7.46. Richmond Ahadzi was second in a time of 7.79, Naquan Alexander placed third in 7.85 and Lavaughn Harrison was fourth in 7.86.
“To have our top hurlers in the school come 1, 2, 3, 4, at cities, in one of the most competitive meets in the country, that’s a prestigious accomplishment,” Bradshaw said.
Teammate Ayo Isijola had his own personal achievement today. The senior won the 55 dash in a season-best time of 6.42. Ahadzi was second in 6:45. Isijola, Bradshaw, Alexander and John Thomas won the 4 x 200 relay in 1:29.80.
“I realized he was close to me so I had to switch to the next gear and I did that,” Isijola said of he and Ahadzi in the 55.
Medgar Evers’ Jermaine Brown nearly broke the PSAL record in the 300-meter dash. He won in a time of 33.79, just shy of Melville Rogers’ (Transit Tech) mark of 33:54 set back in 2002.
Cardozo won its third straight city title on the girls’ side.
The Judges beat out Medgar Evers, 96-48.
Lateisha Philson of the Judges scored easy victories in both the 55 dash and the 55 hurdles in times of 7:07 and 8.20 respectively. Medgar Evers’ Janice Jackson, who owns the fourth-fastest time in the country this season, did not compete because she is no longer a member of the team, according to coach Nicola Martial.
“It’s not harder, but it’s less focused,” Philson said of a race without Jackson pushing her. “It’s like OK, all I have to do is run.”
Cardozo’s Claudia Francis won the 600 (1:31.80) and teammate Tessa West was second in 1:35.67. Francis also won the 1,500 in 4:45.44. Chamique Francis placed first in the 300 (38.94) and Ahtyana Johnson was second in 39.94. Chamique Francis also won the high jump with a leap of 5-06 and was a member of the winning 4 x 400 relay team with West, Johnson and Alexis Mapson in 3:57.18.