New running grounds for HSMSE

The outdoor track team / T. Henning

The High School for Math, Science, and Engineering’s outdoor track team is entering the PSAL this season. After only one invitational meet with the PSAL last year, the team is now officially a part of the league. What happens this season will be a mystery, but they look to build upon it.

“I have no idea how we are going to do since this is our first season in the PSAL” coach Tom Henning said. “We’re here to set the starting mark.”

Henning has also brought cross-country to HSMSE. The cross-country team entered the PSAL in 2012. During the 2013 season, the cross-country Flying Dragons impressively dominated most of the top 15 spots in the 5K Grand Prix at Van Cortlandt on September 24th. Some of the athletes from the cross-country team will be members of the outdoor track team once the season starts.

Junior Michael Alvin is one of the many cross-country runners who will transition into outdoor track this season. You have to look no further than the aforementioned race in Van Cortlandt where he placed 9th out of 56 runners to see that he has the potential to perform well in outdoor track.

Junior Julian Galperin will also join Alvin in transitioning seasons. Though his experience in cross-country suggests an easy move to outdoor track, Galperin recognizes the difference between the two sports.

“Track is a completely different sport so even if someone is a great cross country runner, they might be a horrible sprinter,” he said. “I'm one of the faster kids on the cross country team, but probably in the middle for track.”

The team is by no means expecting to be the best runners right away, but rather to gain experience.

“Our goal is to do the best that we can with what we have and learn how to do better next year,” Henning said.

By: Velid Mulic and Kofi Odame