The Livingston High School girls’ track and field team had two meets in eight days. The team performed well in the Freedom Games, and tied for eighth in a field of 48 teams in the Group 4 State Relay Championships.Freedom GamesOn January 8, the team traveled to the Ocean Breeze facility in Staten Island, New York, to participate in the highly competitive Freedom Games. Almost 200 teams were represented from the northeastern United States, and as far down the coast as Virginia. The meet was almost 13 hours in length and LHS brought only a select group of athletes to compete in limited events in the meet. The heats of athletes were seeded in Red, White and Blue divisions, in keeping with the theme of the day.The 55 meter high hurdles were up first,with Kylie Prendergast getting the Lancers’ top time of the day in 9.82. Maggie Siao was not far off that with her 9.90. Summer Yung went 10.05, while Allie Nankivell (10.41), Darcy Bialick (10.78) and Arthi Mampilly (11.30) also competed in the hurdle event.After this, the sprinters took to the infield for the 55 meter dash. Jadyn Kestenbaum led LHS, hitting the finish line in 7.86. Monica Sharma showed her speed with a 7.89. Siao was back clocking 7.97. Annica Lam (8.13), Rebecca Liu (8.36) and Isabella Dilanni (8.78) also competed for Livingston.On the oval, four Lady Lancers stepped up to the line in the same heat to take on the 1,600 meter event. Sophia Yan traversed the distance the fastest in 6:00.23. Annie Shen, running “a tactical and very smart race,” said coach Dave Czeizinger, “came from the back of the pack to nearly nip Yan in 6:00.35.” Taylor Dannis (6:03.32) and Bridget Gulfo (6:06.41) also finished well. The Lancers all finished within seven spots of one another in the event which had about 185 finishers.The final race in which the Lancers competed was the 300 meter dash. “This is a distance that the girls generally do not run, and is unique to the indoor season,” noted coach Czeizinger. Running in the top division were Prendergast, Kestenbaum and Mampilly. Prendergast clocked a solid 43.60, placing 12th of the 87 finishers in the division. Kestenbaum (45.43) and Mampilly (50.26) also battled the top talent. Bialick (46.57; sixth), Nankivell (48.67; 33rd), and Liu (49.27; 48th) placed well in the White division among the 160 competitors. Rachel Rosenberg (51.07),
