Shaker-97 Shen-84
Shaker-123 Niskayuna-56
Shen-126 Niskayuna-53
Ronald Reagan was president, rap superstars were considered to be artists such as M.C. Hammer, and everyone was anticipating a new decade, the 1990s. All of these things happened the last time the Shen boys track and field team lost a Suburban Council league meet. Although Thursday April 6th was far from the late 1980s, history managed to repeat itself.
The astronomical streak had spanned over a decade. It came to a crashing end at the hands of the Shaker Blue Bison, as they ended the Shenendehowa Plainsmen's dual meet winning streak at 96. Shaker won the 4x800, 1600m, and 3200m en route to a 97-84 victory on their new track.
Sophomore Justin Corelli won the 1600m (4:26.1) and 3200m (9:45.4). His teammate, Kevin Johnson won the 800m with a 2:01.8. The Shaker 4x800 team of Keith Weiss, Nick Treffiletti, Louis DiNuzzo, and Johnson won with a time of 8:07.6. Scott Galinski was a triple winner for the Blue Bison (LJ-21-1.5, 200-23.5, 400-51.9)
Shen managed to win the 4x400 (Ela, Samaniego, Hagstrand, Silver-3:36.3) as Sam Silver kicked it in for the final 50 meters. Other Shen winners on the track included Andre Vives (110HH-16.1) and Chris Cooper (400H-59.9). Seniors John Lynch (1600-4:31) and Darrell Andruski (3200-9:51) also gave the Plainsmen strong performances.
In the field events, the Plainsmen won both the shot put and discuss by a score of 6-5. Senior Ammon Nelson won the high jump with a team best leap of 6-0. Junior Dave Vickers won the pole vault for the second meet in a row with a 12-6 effort.
In retrospect, the streak is merely a microcosm of Shen's success over the past decade. Numerous league and sectional championships line the trophy case in the high school lobby as evidence to this. Many Shen athletes such as John Jordan, Scott Wirgau, Mike Sinkevich, and most recently Rob Cloutier and Dan Tebbano have gone on to major collegiate programs and further. The perennial success of the program cannot simply be thrown away upon the whim of one defeat. The streak speaks for itself and always will. The future of Shen track is not bleak. It is alive and well in the likes of underclassmen who find themselves competing in possibly the toughest league in America. To win 96 consecutive meets in such a league is not only unprecedented, but also irreplacable.
