Deer Park High School girls winter track team members Chelsea Cornelia and Alexandra Geosits put up a New York State record-breaking performance on March 4, winning the 3,400-meter distance medley relay at the New York State High School Championships.
The girls qualified for the intersectional relay, held at Ocean Breeze Complex in Staten Island, after both running amazing times at the Section XI state qualifier meet on Feb. 14, with Cornelia running 2:55.8 in the 1,000-meter race and Geosits putting up a school record of 42.4 in the 300-meter.
At the state championship, they made up the first two legs of the intersectional relay that represented Section 11, going up against all of the public school sections as well as the Catholic School League, independent schools and PSAL. Cornelia began the race by getting out to a 20-meter lead and never looked back. After running 2:59 in her 1,000-meter leg, she passed the baton off to her teammate Geosits, who then ran a speedy 26-second, 200-meter leg, passing off to teammate Laina Friedman from Smithtown West (600-meter), and then on to the anchor, Cali Gabrielson from Mount Sinai (1,600-meter). The four girls ran a time of 10:09, breaking the previous state record by almost seven seconds to claim the title of NYSPHSAA and federation champions.
“We really went for it at the state qualifier meet,” Coach James Petti said. “Alex made states last year in the 600-meter open race, but wasn’t really hitting her times like we wanted this year, so we decided to go for broke and have her race in the 300-meter, knowing she has very good speed. We felt we had nothing to lose. It paid off and she pulled off a huge upset in the finals. Chelsea knew she had the toughest path to states ahead of her with the first, second and third-ranked girls in the state in her race, but she never let it bother her. She had been improving all season, and I knew she could finish in that top four spot to make states. She’s only a freshman and has a very bright future ahead of her in this sport. What her and Alex accomplished is rare. I can’t remember two girls from the same school on the intersectional relay. I am so incredibly proud of the way they prepared and executed their race. They have a great support system around them in their team and family. Deer Park is very proud.”
Date Added: 3/12/2024