While temperatures were dropping to freezing and the wind was reaching around 20 miles per hour on the afternoon of April 7, the SWHS Girl’s Track Team was warming up for their first meet against RHAM.
The runners and throwers were bundled up in thermal shirts, sweatpants, hoodies, jackets, gloves, and blankets in a desperate attempt to stay warm. Even with the painfully cold conditions, the girls came away with a resounding win after almost six hours in the cold.
RHAM, despite the small size of its team, was a strong competitor for the Bobcats, with an especially strong distance team. However, the larger team size and extensive training for field events paid off, with SWHS sweeping many of the events.
The Bobcats worked for every single point, with the relay teams winning every single race—including the 4×100, 4×400, and 4×800—due to the lack of RHAM runners. Standout athletes like Ella Danielle led the sprinters with first place in the competitive 100 meter dash, while Kiran Thaker beat the talented RHAM distance team and won the 800 meter dash.
The freshmen runners and throwers earned their place on the team, with Jana Brownbill taking third in the 100 meter dash and first in the 200 meter dash. Freshman thrower Emmi Tushe scored second in the shot put.
“Its a gift to be able to run it all. It’s a gift to be able to have what I have and be on the track team…It’s just a special thing,” Brownbill said. “And some people don’t see it that way. Some people are just like, oh, track is track, it’s easy.”
As the meet progressed, Sadhana Ganesan scored an incredible 15 points for the Bobcats, earning first place in the 100 meter hurdles, the long jump, and the triple jump.
Senior Celine Nguyen stood out as SWHS’s only runner in the 3200 (or 2 mile), which is notorious for being the longest event on the track, meaning the longest exposure to the cold and wind.
“I think it was really cold,” Nguyen said. “I think everyone else was really good, just for the fresh start of the season.”
With the poor conditions and uncertainty of the first meet of the season, SWHS has established their dominance as a true competitor in the prestigious class LL. After a week of rest and light training over spring break, the Bobcats are coming back stronger than ever, taking on East Catholic and E.O. Smith this week.
