By Christopher Hunt
The baton belonged in his hand when the meet was decided. Kameron George deserved to carry his Transit Tech team to victory after all he’d done.
“We came in knowing it was going to be a battle between Sheepshead Bay and Transit Tech,” George said. “We all knew what we needed to do.”
Part of what they needed to do meant depending on George to carry the load. Transit coach Sydney McIntosh called him a workhorse. George won the 1,600 in 4:29.58 then claimed the 3,200 in 9:34.54 and anchored the team’s winning 4x800 relay that created the five-point advantage Transit Tech needed with one event remaining. Transit won the PSAL City Championships Saturday 77 points. Sheepshead finished second with 64.
“I just tried to take it one race at a time,” said George, who was awarded the meet MVP. “I’m used to the responsibility. We’re strong in a lot of events but in the distances they expect a lot from me.”
And George delivered. But he wasn’t the only one. Transit Tech took the top three spots in the shot put led by Errol Jeffrey, who won, tossing 50 feet, 10.75 inches. Chad Delecia followed in second (49-11.25) and Michael Telesford third (48-10.75).
“I’m very proud of them,” McIntosh said. “They held it together. They scored the points they were supposed to score.”
They didn’t have much room for error either because Sheepshead Bay stuck in the race until the last event, highlighted by the 55 hurdles where the team took the first four spots led by Darryl Bradshaw, who won in 7.46. Teammate Richmond Ahadzi finished second in 7.79, Naquan Alexander third in 7.85 and Lavaughn Harris fourth in 7.86. All four will run on Sheepshead Bay’s shuttle hurdles relay team that will be among the top contenders for a national championship at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships and Nike Indoor Nationals.
“It was comfortable,” Bradshaw said of having three teammates on the start line with him. “It was like we were at school. It really means a lot for our relay too because we’re all really confident going into nationals.”
Sheepshead Bay coach John Padula conceded early on that Transit Tech may have had too much depth for his squad to overcome so he gave the team a decision for what relay – 4x200 or 4x400 -- they’d look to qualify for the state meet next Saturday at Cornell University. His team chose to take on Medgar Evers star relay in the 4x200. Ayo Isijola, John Thomas, Bradshaw and Alexander won the 4x200 in 1:29.80.
Medgar Evers led the race for two legs after a tremendous, 21.5-second leadoff leg by 
Jermaine Brown. Bradshaw and Medgar Evers’ Yaw Affum took their batons almost simultaneously. They brushed elbows leaning into the first curve while Affum tried to hold position on the inside lane. After a bump, Affum’s baton popped loose fell to the track while Sheepshead Bay ran away with the race. Bradshaw said he never touched Affum’s baton. Affum contended his baton was knocked from his hand.
But the most amazing part of the race was Brown’s dominant leadoff leg. Less than an hour earlier Brown was laid face down on the track holding his left hamstring after the 300 meters.
Sheepshead Bay’s John Thomas rocketed out the start which caused Brown to chase at a frantic pace. But Just as he rounded the first curve and started to accelerate down the back straightaway he jumped up and grabbed the back of his leg. He slowed but decided not to stopped then quickly tried to regain his stride. Painfully, tore around the last turn and inched his way back into the race. Thomas said he never saw Brown coming.
“Thirty-two (seconds) just slipped out of my hand,” said Brown, who attend school at Calabar in Jamaica last year. “I’m vexed. … I know I beat him once so I felt like I could beat him again. It didn’t matter if I had one leg. I wanted to win.”
The national record (33.19) seemed to be in danger after Brown, who arrived in Brooklyn in October after attending Calabar in Jamaica last year, virtually jogged 34.00 in the trial heats. The pain in his leg was just a cramp but it was still surprising that he returned for the 4x200.
“I have heart,” he said. “I wasn’t going to give up.”
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.