The boys 4 x 200 meter relay team finally broke the record they have been chasing for the past two years. After several near misses (.1 off the record 1:34.3 at the MET Invitational), the team of Jonathan Garcia (23.4), Anthony Pierotti (23.5), Jake Robatel (23.7, and Jonathan Groton (23.1) broke the record with a time of 1:34.12 FAT (1:33.9 hand time), at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships - at the Armory,
Friday, March 12.
This group of seniors running in their last indoor 4 x 200 meter relay ran a great team race. Garcia, slowed in recent weeks by a hip flexor injury, was a doubtful starter but led off with a blazing start and ran his PR 23.4. Pierotti also limited in training with a foot injury also ran a great leg and finished strong in 23.5. Robatel held his inside lane, battling off runners who would cut him off and ran an excellent leg of 23.7. Groton, always steady and consistent at anchor broke away from the second pack with a burst of speed to finish a strong second in his heat with a time of 23.1 to secure the school record time for his team.
The team broke the time of 1:34.2 set in 2006 by Morgan Abdelnour, Nick Gonzalez, Chris Gonzalez, and Kevin Winters. Their time of 1:34.2 was also set at the Armory.
The 2003 team ran 1:34.4 at West Point's flat track. That time remains the flat track school record.
