Blazers left trailing

Blair's outdoor track team fell to Blake in the second meet of the season today, with the girls losing 56-81 and the boys close behind their competitors with a final score of 64-73.

The bulk of the girls' team's points came from the 3200-meter relay, the 1600-meter and the 3200-meter. Blake's team overpowered them in high jump, high hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles, and ranked in nearly every event.

According to senior Briand Djenodjilem, several of the boys' distance races were extremely close. But every last moment matters in this competition. The overall score does not factor in these miniscule time differences, leaving many Blair runners just tenths of a second away from a particular ranking.

The boys' competition ended on a bittersweet note, with a stunning performance by Djenodjilem in the 4 x 100-meter relay race that pulled the scores close. Djenodjilem was proud of the relay team's performance. "That was the best four by one [hundred] we've ever had. It was just amazing," he said. Even with the additional points, however, first place remained out of reach.

The final scores brought about both disappointment and optimism from the teams and their coaches. "We didn't perform as well as I thought we would, but I think that with practice we can close the distance between us and them. Blake is good, but we'll catch up. It's too early in the season for a team like ours to beat them," said coach James Short.

This loss is another opportunity to improve, according to Djenodjilem. "I guess I'm disappointed, but at least now I can look forward to practicing and getting better. This is the best team in all of my two years," he explained. "A lot of people come out for practice. We're definitely making it to states."

The boys' team should work on longer distances, particularly the 3200-meter race, said distance coach Carl Lewin. "The guys did well, but they can improve."

According to senior team captain Laurel Jefferson, Blake's track team is one of the top-ranked schools in Blair's division, and tough competition. "But," she said, "everyone has taken this meet and made the best of it. It will definitely prepare us for the future."

Lewin remained supportive of the team. "They're all doing their personal best. That's really all we can expect out of them."