Kristina Martir '20
26 March 2020
Winter Track and Field had a particularly successful season. The team has broken several school records, some of which have stood for decades. Upperclassmen and underclassmen teammates collected medals and improved their skills throughout the season, impressing themselves, coaches, and the rest of the community. 
Winter Track and Field Photo Gallery
Six Boys Track and Field school records have been broken and two Girls Track and Field records:
PV Boys Winter Track and Field Record Breakers: Junior Javoun Bloomfield set a new school record for triple jump with a mark of 41 feet 11 inches, breaking the record set in 2017 by over a foot. Sophomore Eddionel Gonzalez set a new record for the 55m dash with 6.78 seconds. The previous record was set in 2016 with 6.84. In the sprint medley relay, the team of Zakria Dahhan, Eddionel Gonzalez, Mounier Mansoor, and Jessier Soriano broke a decade-old record with a time of 3:55.5. The old record, set in 2010, was 4:03.02. The 4x200 Relay Team of Eddionel Gonzalez, Mounier Mansoor, Vincent Muoio, and Javoun Bloomfield set their new record at 1:39, breaking a record set just last season. The 4X400 Relay Team of Justin Idelfonso, Jessier Soriano, Frank Koch, and Eddionel Gonzalez set a PV record as well with a time of 3:38.8, which broke the record set in 2015 of 3:42.71. The 4x800 Relay Team of Frank Koch, Edward Bennett, Leith Matari, and Jesse Spadaccini set a new PV record in their event with a time of 8:57.7, breaking the 9:14.5 record set in 2014.
PV Girls Winter Track and Field Record Breakers: Junior Lauren Koman's new record for the 600m was 1:54.2 breaking the record set in 2014 at 1:56.4. Katharine Cottone set a new school record for the 800m with a time of 2:25.3 breaking a record that stood since 2003. Cottone had a particularly successful year as she broke school records on the Cross Country Team during the Fall Athletic Season.
Of course, breaking long-standing school records isn't the only measure of success. The Girls Team finished 5th in the Passaic County Championships. The Boys Team placed 2nd in the Big North Championship for Independence. Both tournaments included impressive individual performances by Victoria Pardi, Zuania Victoria, Kristina Martir, Katharine Cottone, Jessier Soriano and Javoun Bloomfield.
Head Coach Mr. Joel Thornton listed several accomplishments throughout the season as standout moments: The relay performances of the Boys 4x400 and 4x800 and Girls 4x400 at League's, County's and throughout the season and all of the place finishers at the Fairleigh Dickinson University meets and the Armory meets.
"A huge moment in the season that I will not forget is the Group Relay Championships, when Kristina Martir and Victoria Pardi went down to the Bennett Center in Toms River and placed 3rd overall in the Group 3 Shot Put for the State of New Jersey. Together the girls combined to throw 65 feet, 12.25 inches. Kristina Martir had the 5th best throw of the day and Victoria Pardi had the 14th best throw," Coach Thornton said. "The season ended as great as it started when Katharine Cottone, Zuania Victoria, and Victoria Pardi advanced to the individual Group Championships. They helped the Girls Team place 12th overall at the sectional championships and extended the season for another opportunity to compete at the highest level on the biggest stage of the season."
Coach Thornton has led the Winter Track and Field Team for three years and has witnessed the team's growth to this successful season. Coach Thornton is joined by Assistant Coach Mr. Alfred Cappello who coaches the throwers, Assistant Coach Mr. Erik Getz who coaches middle distance runners, Assistant Coach Mr. Walter Bleuler who coaches distance runners, Assistant Coach Mr. Ken Burke who coaches hurdles, Assistant Coach Mr. Steven Rigamonti who coaches sprints, and Assistant Coach Mr. Brando Rizzo who coaches jumps.
"I have a great coaching staff that works closely together and share the same vision for the team, which is to help our athletes reach their full potential and compete on the top level.The seniors helped build the team to where it is. We have an exceptional group of seniors that have paved the way for freshmen, sophomores and juniors to compete on the same level. So when one group graduates, another group of athletes are following in their footsteps," said Coach Thorton. "The program is a family and everyone is pushing each other to be the best every day, week, month, season and year."
The program should keep rolling in the right direction next year. Coach Thornton hopes to continue to grow the number of athletes that come out and still be able to compete with the best teams and place at the big meets.
