On Tuesday, March 10, track and field hosted its first meet of the season against Jefferson and Oceana High School, securing first place across all competitions.
Burlingame aimed to start the season on a high note, competing on its home track. Assistant coach Sharon Reichow said the team delivered on its goals, but there are still areas to improve on throughout the season.
“It was just a good starting point to see where we’re at,” Reichow said. “I don’t think we are completely up to speed yet, because the season only just started. So overall, decent, but still got some work to do.”
The Panthers boys’ varsity team displayed a strong showing in the 100-meter sprints, with junior Jannik Nomm leading the team with a 12.27-second finish. On the girls’ side, varsity captain Stella Newman led the team in the 1600-meter race, finishing in 5:19.
Reichow said the team will now focus its attention on training and preparation for the upcoming meets.
“Now the roster has been cut smaller so that we can really focus on all the athletes a little bit better,” Reichow said. “It’s basically now starting to put in a lot more work, a lot more running.
With a narrower roster, the team can now dedicate more time to developing athletes and preparing for stronger competition later in the season. Reichow said one of the team’s greatest strengths is its senior foundation.
“You always want people to be able to look up to to help, kind of guide the younger freshmen who are coming in,” Reichow said. “We definitely have a good senior class that’s kind of leading the younger pack”.
For sophomore Adem Ermis, a key factor in the team’s success was the overall energy of the team.
“It was really good to see everyone supporting each other,” Ermis said. “Track is already fun, and when we support each other, I feel like we are stronger.”
Ermis said the team was happy with the result in the opening home meet, but there is still room for improvement in the meets ahead.
“It’s the first meet of the season, so there is no point to be stressed, but we will push ourselves every time we have a meet because we need to improve,” Ermis said.
The Panthers now look toward their next meet on March 25 against Terra Nova and Capuchino High School, as they continue to aspire for their playoff goals.
