Like many of the top teams in the State, reigning Indoor State Champions in the 4x400m, Newburgh Free Academy, fled to warmer weather to get in some early season racing. This time, the destination was the Mobile Challenge of Champions down in Alabama, where the Empire State represented well.
They first took home 5th in the 4xx100m, with a 43.71, a respectable time for this early in the season. With some other strong individual marks as well, including a 22.53 in the 200m final for senior Brendon Hanson, it was time for the main event. In the 4x400m final, it was a well matched race, as the top trio of teams all came across the line within half a second. But Newburgh was in 4th place with 150m to go. With an incredible kick by their anchor, that changed into a Silver medal, and a stellar time for this early in the Season.
Newburgh's mark of 3:20.45 would've put them as the second fastest team Indoors. With very little training available on snow-covered tracks, this could mean big things for the perennial powerhouse in the event. They improved to 3:18.88 Indoors at Nationals, bringing them a third place finish. How much lower can they go outdoors?
