The PHS Track Team and Special Olympics Team at the Special Olympics Bocce Competition. Photos Courtesy of Mr. Grant.

By Brandon Garcia-Salas and Adrian Serrano

Boys Team:
The Passaic Boys Track and Field team is hoping to make a huge impression on everybody this year.

The distance varsity team is Joel Garcia, Elijah Perez, Darshak Rana, Brayan Olivares, Leonardo Bravo, Jerry Olvera, and Mark Rodriguez. The varsity team for the sprinters is Luis Peralta, Brian Quintanilla, Carlos, Angel De Los Santos, and two others.

The track and field team expects to be able to compete for some titles because they are no longer missing people for throwing events and jumping events. Everyone wants to put Passaic back on the map when it comes to track and field, and they all want to get faster times as they progress through the season.

“The DMR (distance medley relay) is a record that could be broken this year,” said Leonardo Bravo. The DMR is a race composed of four legs, a 1200 meter leg, 400-meter leg, 800-meter leg, and a 1600 meter leg.
“My personal records that I want to beat are the 200, 400 and the 800-meter race,” said Luis Peralta.

Girls Team:
Track and field is a sport that requires both boys and girls to give 100 percent when running,  jumping high and far or heaving a heavy ball a long distance. Girls track is all about the hard work and dedication put into this sport. The team is motivated to do better this season and make sure they leave their mark on the track field.

Senior Rockaya N’Doye in her first year running track has been exceptional in the 400 meters, going undefeated in the event in dual meets. Athletes also performing well are junior thrower Mabel Sanchez, sophomore jumper/sprinter Neidalys Polanco, junior distance runner Manuela Caraballo, and freshman sprinter/jumper D’yani Donaldson. The team is led by senior captains Monserrat Cordova and Michelle Contreras.

Two events that the girls participated in as a team (not related to Track and Field), are community service cleaning up Third Ward Park, and the Special Olympics Bocce Competition.

Recently the Passaic Girls Track Team raced against the PCTI Girls Track Team. Unfortunately, the event did not work in favor of the Passaic team but the girls did improve their personal records and their team working ability. It is not to say that the girl’s track team is perfect, yet we can say that they have shown much improvement and their dedication to getting better never changes.