Track-and-field athletes from Clinton bring home pride from state tourney

After an impressive performance at the 111th Public School Athletic League (PSAL) indoor track-and-field championships on Feb. 22, the DeWitt Clinton boys’ and girls’ teams sent five athletes to the New York state championships at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., on Saturday.

Senior Ernest Agyeman finished the 55-meter dash with a fourth-place time of 6.529 seconds, only .005 seconds behind Mitchell Fuller of Lancaster, who was third. Agyeman nearly matched his winning time of 6.52 at The Armory one week earlier.

“It was a spectacular performance in my opinion,” Governors boys coach Howard Langley said about Agyeman. “He wasn’t the prohibitive favorite [at the PSAL meet], but the 55 meters is like an old cowboy shootout, quick draw, and he came through.”

Agyeman has been garnering interest from college programs, Langley said, and the coach believes the interest is warranted based on Agyeman’s rapid improvement.

“In my 25 years of coaching [football and track], he’s one of the best practice kids I’ve been around. He doesn’t waste time getting better.”

Junior Kevaughn Gordon made the semifinal heat of the 55-meter hurdles at the state meet, but his time of 7.88 seconds was .04 seconds shy of qualifying for the final. He ran a 7.79 at The Armory to finish second in the PSAL.

Junior Chevon Ramsey had a jump of 6-feet to finish tied for 14th in the state in the high jump. He was second at the PSAL meet after jumping 6-1.

The boys’ team finished tied for second place at the PSAL meet with Boys and Girls High with 34 points, 16 behind champion Medgar Evers Prep of Brooklyn.

“I was very, very proud and very, very happy for the young men,” Langley said. “I bring that football mentality to track, where you’ve got to be competitive and tough. You punish guys in football by sending them on a run. In track, that’s what they do for the sport. I really respect the track kids.”

The girls finished third in the PSAL with 37 points, behind Medgar Evers (73) and Cardozo (66). 

Sophomore Aaliyah Regg Wajid finished second in the 1,500 (4:55.23) and 3,000 meters (10:27.53). She ran the 3,000 at the state meet and finished 17th with a time of 10:32.56.

Senior Dypna Ununakwe was second in the high jump at the city meet after clearing 5-2, and was 21st at states.