WM's Anselmini Sets National Record in Steeplechase

When Ward Melville's Mary Kate Anselmini lined up for the 2,000-meter steeplechase at the Section XI state qualifying meet on Saturday in Port Jefferson, the question wasn't whether she would win but by how much and just how low she would go.

The Stanford-bound senior ended up clocking the fastest time by a high schooler in history - 6 minutes and 33.01 seconds - eclipsing the mark set by Suffern's Shelby Greaney in 2009. It highlighted a strong two days for the girls.

"I'm over the moon," Anselmini said. "I didn't think it would happen today, but I had it in the back of my head. Everything felt good and it was there for the taking."

Anselmini exploded off the starting line and was by herself before she'd completed half a lap. With the crowd cheering on "M.K." throughout the race, she had registered split times in the range of where she needed to be to challenge the national record. Her finishing kick allowed her to beat Greaney's time of 69 one-hundredths of a second, while also re-setting the state record that she had surrendered to North Shore's Brianna Nerud last week.

Anselmini had run the 3,000 and 1,500 meter races almost exclusively this spring after suffering a foot injury during the winter. It allowed her to get in, by her and her coach's accounts, the best shape of her life.

"She ran really well today and stayed within herself," coach Tom Youngs said. "We were shooting for 6:40, but we wanted to see how she felt when she got out there, and if she felt good, go for it."

Anselmini and Nerud, who Anselmini confesses are very friendly with each other, will duel again at the New York State championship meet at Caledonia-Mumford High School this weekend.

Also at qualifiers, Anselmini teamed with Caroline O'Hea, Kayla Monahan and Julianna Marcucci to win the 4x800 meter relay (9:10.56). The quartet entered as the race's top seed and beat Northport by six seconds. 

Other top performers included pentathlete Emily Astarita, who used a meet-best shot put (28-10.5) and consistency across the board to take second overall behind Kings Park's Kayla Koelbel. Astarita finished no worse than sixth in any event. Her teammate, Ilicia Manzi, finished sixth overall.

Elsewhere, the Patriots' Jeana Esernio posted a time of 15.40 seconds to take third in the 100-meter hurdles.

Kurt Steinmuller was the top individual finisher for the boys, taking fifth in the 3,200-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:26.47. In the 4x400 meter relay, Andrew Ahn, Vince Battaglia, Connor Christian and Ryan Gilleeny teamed up to take fifth as well (3:22.50).