Lipari outkicks field in 3,200
By Christopher Hunt
WHITE PLAINS – Kristin Reese could have been going over race strategy. She could have been finding her zone, going through mental checkpoints. But instead the Carmel senior could only think about the most human thing.
“I’m cold,” she said before the race.
A constant rain and a steady wind caused the shivers. But none of that mattered when Reese took the track. Catherine McAuley’s Phyllis Francis decided the pace from the start of the 800 meters at the Loucks Games at White Plains High. Reese took the ride and formed a two-person race. It remained that way until 200 left when Reese made a hard move.
“I figured Phyllis would take it out hard and I just wanted to stay with her for 400-500 meters,” said the Stanford-bound Reese. “I tried to go with 500 to go and then again with 200 to go but every time I made a surge she made a surge.”
They ran shoulder-to-shoulder on the final bend before Francis broke and Reese pulled away to win the 800 in 2:11.39. Reese won the 800 for the second year in a row. Francis, a sophomore, finished second in 2:13.34.
“I was pretty much like, it’s cold. It’s wet. I’d much rather be on my couch right now,” Reese said. “But I’m glad I’m not on my couch right now.”
Reese plans to also race in the 1,600 Saturday, a race that will likely be one of the most competitive of the meet. She said Suffern’s Shelby Greany convinced her to race. After a reporter asked what her goals for the race were, Reese responded by asking what the weather would be. She was told it should be a warm day.
“Then I’m gonna run fast,” she said.
The Friday portion of the Loucks Games didn’t have much do with running fast though. Mount Vernon’s Sasha Richards won the 100 in 12.44, after a false start disqualified the top seed, Suffern’s Jen Clayton. Richards said the time didn’t concern her. It was more important that she earned a big win at a quality meet, even though she experienced some difficulties.
“My start wasn’t that good,” she said. “It’s weird because yesterday I was practicing my starts a lot yesterday and just working on driving out. But when the race started I forgot all about that. I just started running.”
The weather also forced a pedestrian pace in the 3,200. Roslyn’s Emily Lipari, Jaclyn Marshall of Kings Park and Canadian Sarah MacPherson of Fredericton trotted through the first mile together then pulled away from the rest of the field with Heather Stephens of Ridgefield and Monticello’s Jessica Fingers in tow. Marshall made the first move but Lipari and MacPherson followed. Then MacPherson surged on the back straight which forced Lipari and Marshall to react. Lipari and Marshall careened around the last curve together while MacPherson latched on, all of them waiting for the other to stall out.
“Everyone was sprinting just waiting to see who was going to break first,” Lipari said.
Lipari powered down the home stretch and won in 10:35.60. Marshall’s legs seized with 50 meters left and she finished third in 10:38.01. MacPherson came up for second in 10:37.32. Lipari led most of the way and refused to give up her spot.
“I hate when races go out slow so I tried to go out and control the pace a little but I didn’t want to go too fast and die at the end,” Lipari said. “I figured I’ve been leading for eight laps I’m not just going to give it up now.”
North Babylon sophomore Vanessa Stewart continued her dominance in the shot put, winning the event in 44 feet, 1 3/4 inches.
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.