Personal best efforts a benchmark for Harlem girls track in 2021

By Bob Balgemann

Reporter

The coronavirus pandemic cancelled outdoor track at Harlem in 2020. There was no indoor track early in 2021. But, finally, in the spring of 2021, enough of the COVID-related restrictions had been lifted to allow an outdoor season. And during that time, long-suffering Lady Huskies made the most of their opportunities by continuing to post personal best times, heights and distances as the season moved on. 

Records are kept for more than 20 events at Harlem and in quite a few of them last spring, Harlem student-athletes established places for themselves in the Top 20 list. The oldest existing record, in the 100-yard high hurdles, was set back Jenna Combs in 2010, when she was a senior. 

Fast-forward to 2021 and a look at members of that team, some of whom will be eligible to return in 2022, who moved into the Top 20 during that season. For example, junior DeYana Franco-Daye now is second all time in the high jump, with the 5 foot, 1 inch height that she cleared this season. That’s just 2 inches behind the 5 feet, 3 inches, established by Kaylin Reese, then a sophomore, in 2019. 

Track events 

There were no new additions to the 100-meter dash list. 

In the 200-meter dash, junior Kaitlynn Zintak ran 28.57 seconds and now occupies 19th place. 

Junior Hannah Bilodeau posted a time of 59.57 at state this year, when she finished 17th in the 400-meter dash, which is second best in Harlem history. And that’s right behind the top time, 59.50 seconds, she ran in 2019, as a freshman. 

In the 800-meter run, distance specialist Faith Procopio, a senior, had a 2:29.24 time, which put her in sixth place. Also moving into the Top 20 this season was junior Karissa Hernandez, clocked at 2:47.26. 

Also, Procopio now ranks No. 4 all-time in the 1,600-meter run with her time this spring of 5:36.73. Hernandez is alone in 15th place, timed at 5:53.69. In addition, Hernandez moved into 20th place in the 3,200-meter run, with a time of 13:19.74. 

There were four new additions to the Top 20 in 100-meter high hurdles. They are: junior DeYana Franco-Daye, 11th place, time of 18.61 seconds; sophomore Gabby Xayasouk, 17th place, 19.18 seconds; junior Mandy Castle, 19th place, 19.98 seconds; and junior Elizabeth Nelson, 20th place, 20.08 seconds. 

In the 300-meter low hurdles, freshman Hannah Ranstead now holds 14th place with her 2021 time of 52.25 seconds. 

In the relays, this year’s 4-by-100-meter team (members not listed) went into eighth place, clocked at 53.16 seconds. The 4-by-200 quartet (Bilodeau, Zintak, Whitney Schlaht and Xayasouk) is ninth, timed at 1:55.17. The 4-by-400 team (Bilodeau, Whitney Schlaht, Procopio and Aaliyah Hahn) holds eighth, with a time of 4:17.40; and the 4-by-800-meter group (Procopio, Hahn, Miranda Marocco and Hernandez) is seventh, in 10:35.94. 

Field events 

Five Lady Huskies now hold places in the Top 20 in the shot put, thanks to their efforts of 2021. They are sophomore Bryana Traveiso, 13th place, 31 feet, 4 inches; junior Emma Rich, 14th, 30 feet, 5 inches; senior Kaylee Holt, 16th, 29 feet, 4 inches; freshman Brenna Mackey, 29 feet even; and senior Kiona Scott, 20th place, 27 feet, 1 inch. 

There were four additions in the discus as follows: Holt, sixth place, 107 feet, 6 inches; Rich, seventh, 106 feet, 7 3/4 inches; Scott, 14th, and freshman Beatty Allyson, 15th, 82 feet, 4 1/4 inches. 

In the high jump, junior Kayara Bailey now is ninth, at 4 feet, 9 inches; freshman Carlie Buetsch and junior Emily Jackson are tied at 14th place for clearing 4 feet, 6 inches. 

Senior Brynn Schlaht moved into a tie for second place, all time, by clearing 9 feet, 3 inches in the pole vault. Junior Sheryl Wehde now is in a tie for seventh place at 8 feet, 3 inches; senior Jadyn Totz, tie for 10th, at 8 feet even; freshman Whitney Schlaht, 15th, 7 feet, 6 inches; and freshman Madison Hawn, 16th, 6 feet, 11 3/4 inches. 

There are six new entries among the Top 20 in the long jump. They are: Whitney Schlaht, ninth place, 15 feet, 7 3/4 inches; freshman Lauren Johnson, 15 inches, 3 inches; Franco-Daye, 12th, 15 feet, 1 inch; Bilodeau, 13th, 15 feet, 1/2-inch; senior Krista Pearson, 19th, 14 feet, 3 1/2 inches; and freshman Caytlin Johns, 20th, 14 feet, 2 inches. 

Franco-Daye climbed into fourth place in the triple jump, totaling 34 feet, 4 1/4 inches. Other new entries are Xayasouk, 11th, 32 feet, 4 inches; Pearson, 16th, 30 feet, 9 inches; and Bailey, 17th, 30 feet, 5 inches.