In alignment with COVID-19 safety precautions, Liberty’s track and field coaches made the decision to cut the team by more than half this year.

“We usually have 220-230 and we have it to about 80 right now,” said Liberty coach Chris D’Emilio. “It’s probably going to hurt us moving forward, but we’ll just have to rebuild like we always do. And if we win this one, we’ll feel really good about that decision.”

Liberty did win the one against Easton, both girls and boys teams, last Wednesday at Liberty.

“Today we knew this was gonna’ be a really big one for us. Easton’s 4x1 is great, so being able to beat them and having everyone cheer, and knowing we were getting the points is an awesome feeling,” said senior Catey Kelly. “I got the baton from Alicia Rodriguez. Their girl was right next to her or a step or two behind, so we ended up being really close. Their fourth leg was really quick too, so she came pretty close to me from what I heard. To beat them was a great feeling.”

The Hurricane girls won all three relays, the 4x1, 4x4, and 4x8, and Liberty junior Jessica Farrell won all three sprints, the 100 meter dash (13.8), the 200 meter dash (27.3), and the 400 meter dash (1:01.5).

“It’s really cold. Especially in the 100, the wind is hitting you, so you have to push through that, and try to go fast at the same time,” Farrell said. “In the 200, I was in fifth place at the 50 mark, then when I came around the last turn I was in third, and then I knew I had to take off. At first you want to run fast so you can put your clothes back on because it’s really cold, but as soon as I crossed the corner, I was just like, come on Jess, push yourself, and then I just knew what I had to do. It felt good, tiring.”

Liberty senior Emily Jobes won the 1600 meter run (5:25.1) and the 3200 meter run (11:49.3).

Kelly took first place in the long jump (15-09.00), and Annika Flanagan won the pole vault (10-9.00).

“My form is very far from perfect,” said Kelly, “but we have a great coach (Andy Messa) and landing is the main thing we’ve been working on now, which can be a make or break in the long jump, getting your feet out as far as possible. Getting your mark is always one of the hardest things with jumps, especially when the weather varies, your run kind of varies, and just making sure you’re on the board.”

Brylee Tereska was first in the javelin (119-03) for the ‘Canes, and Jack Donchez won the same event for the boys team (131-08).

Elijah Rogers took first place in the high jump (6-01.00), and Sander Sahaydak won the long jump (19-04.50) and the triple jump (39-06.00).

The Hurricane boys won all three relays.

“Beating Easton, that was our goal,” said Liberty sophomore Damian De Los Santos Suriel after running the second leg of the 4x4. “About 150, I started sprinting so I stayed together with the person next to me. It was hard, but I think it was the best one I ever did.”

Emrick Leshko won the 400 (53.7), Graham Phillips won the 800 (2:03.7), and Cole Frank took first in the 3200 (10:07.6), all for the Hurricanes.