Girls track sweeps relays at Easterns
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Edwina Gulama and the West Windsor-Plainsboro South track and field teams were looking for a big finish.
They got it at the Eastern States Invitational on Tuesday night in New York’s Armory.
Gulama, a sophomore, joined with Deirdre Casey, Edlyn Gulama and Christina Rancan to post a new Mercer County record as the WW-P South girls won the distance medley relay in 12:01.87.
”It was amazing,” said Edwina, who ran 60.45 seconds for the 400-meter leg. “This whole season we’ve been working hard. We don’t go to nationals, so it was our last chance for a win. We put everything we had into it and ended up doing awesome again.”
It was part of a satisfying send-off to the indoor season for the Pirates. The 4×800 of Haley Rich, Casey, Rancan and Edlyn Gulama also ran to a new Mercer County record as they won in 9:21.74. Kathryn Schoenauer also snapped a pair of school records when she won the long jump with a best of 18-feet-3¼ and took third in the 55-meter hurdles in 8.13 seconds. The boys were edged for first in the DMR, but Tim Bason, Raoul Dhulekar, Zabih Kotecha and Nikhil Pulimood ran 10:18.87.
”That was a great way to finish,” said Pirates head coach Todd Smith. “From our coaching perspective, we’re looking forward to getting back to the grind. We’ve been tapering and getting them ready for these meets. We’re ready to punch the clock and go back to work for a month.”
WW-P North’s Yuzki Oey placed eighth in the girls 2-mile run in 11:45.80. Princeton High’s Lou Mialhe was 10th in 11:48.19. PHS’ Paige Metzheiser was 12th in the girls 800 in 2:23.13.
The Pirates have gone faster every time that they have run the DMR down the stretch. Gulama, the younger sister of senior Edlyn, missed the state relays due to illness, but she has helped provide WW-P South with a stable quarter-mile leg.
”She’s matured a lot,” Smith said. “I think she’s probably our most consistent runner. She’s been running 60 seconds, 60 seconds, 60 seconds whenever we need it. She might be getting a little frustrated with that, but we’ve been around enough to see she’ll break out at some point with a 58, 57. She’s a hard worker. We’re just trying to keep her in the right direction.”
Casey got the relay off to a flying start, and the Pirates never looked back. They led start to finish, which made things a bit tougher than running with someone right on their shoulder.
”Deirdre led us out and got us such a big lead that it was hard,” Gulama said. “I run my hardest when I’m trying to chase people down. It was hard to know exactly what pace you’re running at. We were so far ahead.”
It was a new best for the quartet that won’t have too many more chances to compete in it together before Casey and Edlyn Gulama graduate. They leave the indoor season on a high note.
”The goal was to break 12:00,” Smith said. “Deirdre set the table. She went out in 3:35. We led from start to finish. We left a little meat on the bone in the 800 and 1600. We could have gone seven seconds faster if everyone ran their PR, but that’s tough to do. We still ran 12:01, which is the second best time in the country right now.
”The next time these girls are going to be on the track running the DMR, it’ll be at Penn Relays and we’ll be trying to break 12:00.”
Just missing their mark will keep the Pirates hungry when the spring rolls around. They don’t have a meet until Apr. 2. They are hoping to set a new best when they get to Penn Relays at the end of April.
”Every time we run, we have goals,” Gulama said. “At Easterns, we wanted to break 12:00. We got 12:01. We have a new goal each time and try to break it every time we can.”
Gulama has adjusted to the pressure of those goals. They have kept her striving to improve her leg, and being a part of such a talented relay has pushed her further.
”I run better in relays,” Gulama said. “I think my fastest open is around 60-flat or 61. If I fall back (in a relay), there’s a lot of pressure. You have to fight harder. My times are faster in relays.”
Gulama has been running the DMR since last year when she enjoyed her first high school season. She was also a part of the Pirates’ 4×400 and 4×100 relays.
”Being a freshman and having to run it, and feeling like you’re the slowest on it, it motivates you to work hard,” Gulama said. “I feel more calm before my races this year. Last year, I was super nervous before every single race. I kind of psyched myself out before I would go. Now I’m getting in the right mindset.”
While her older sister and brother, Eddison who is a sophomore at St. Joseph’s University, have been at their best in the 800 meters, Edlyn has shown a lot of versatility.
”I’m an outcast,” Edwina joked. “I’m the sprinter.”
Edwina has run everything from the 100 to the 400, an occasional 800 that could still be in her future, as well as triple and long jumping and even some hurdling. She is shaping up to be another Gulama who does big things for the Pirates.
”We weren’t born in America,” Edwina said. “We were born in Africa. We all grew up running. We had meets even back then. We’ve been running our whole lives. Once we moved here and I got in middle school, they started running in middle school and high school, and I just joined them.”
Edwina is savoring her last year running with her sister. Edwina is hoping she can help make it a memorable spring.
”Middle school, she was only there for a year,” Edwina said. “It’s been fun. We’re in a lot of the same relays. Even though she’s middle distance, she’s in the 4×100. And we’re in the 4×4.”
Edlyn will continue her running career at Northeastern University, and Edwina is inspired to follow in her and her brother’s footsteps to compete at the next level in a couple of years.
”It’s just motivating to work hard,” Edwina said. “As I get into higher grades, I feel my motivation to work harder is going to improve, and I want to get into college for running. I need to improve my times. That’s motivation. I want to think of the times I want to hit and work towards that.
”I feel like every time, especially towards the end of the season, my times improve a little,” she added. “Hopefully in the next couple years, it keeps going down.”
As her times do, she will be an even bigger points scorer for the Pirates, and even more capable of helping WW-P South’s relays to record times. A strong finish to the indoor season has them anxious to see what they can do in the spring outdoor track and field season.
”We’re going to have a lot of training,” Edwina said. “I guess that’ll get us in really good shape once the season starts. I think we should start off well.
”It was the same way last year. We do a lot of training. We have little meets to work up to the big things in the end. Penn Relays, we’re looking forward to them.”