By Carter Sampson

When asked about his favorite part of track, George Michael Sarsar, better known as Smiley, responded, “Running!” As typically pithy as his answer was, Smiley pretty much captured the essence of track with this one word.

Our trackletes run until they’re tired and then run some more. Despite the painful nature of the sport, the Knights have found not only success in their events but also satisfying fun. As Smiley’s older brother George Allen Sarsar says, “I like all the running because it hurts but it feels good.”

Through hard work and team bonding, the track team has accomplished much in the season’s early meets. Individuals have battled to improve their performance in their events, which helps the team as a whole in the overall meet scores.

Ahmad Jones and George Allen in particular have been effective in the 200m and 100m races respectively. On the girls squad, Morgan Cryder and Lauren Casey have posted impressive times in their races. The relay teams have also been working hard to cut times in hopes of earning a spot in the cumulative state meet.

The work paid off this past weekend when the girls track team won the Sentinel meet, earning the number one spot out of 23 teams. They beat out rival Greathearts schools and powerhouses like Seton Catholic. This was a huge moment for the team and something that TPA track will be proud of for a long time.

Senior leadership has been a big factor in the team’s success this year. Ahmad says, “It’s a lot of fun because I was there from freshman year so I am able to see what they’re doing wrong and correct them because I was doing the same thing.” The older runners’ advice has led to younger runners stepping up and helping the team.

This combination of leadership and young talent points to an exceptional end of the season. Go Knights!