SOMERS, N.Y. - On Monday, May 4, Somers traveled to John Jay for the league meet, and Kaya Duzynski embodied the meaning of team-first. After running the 800 meters on Friday and the 3,000 on Saturday, she pushed through the fatigue to compete once again.
“I wanted to do what was best for the team,” she said.
The sophomore finished third in the 3,000 with a time of 11:06, helping the Tuskers secure a second-place team finish.
Even so, the result took some time to settle with Duzynski, prompting Coach Vegliante to offer reassurance afterward.
“She’s never satisfied with any race,” he said. “She always wants more.”
While Vegliante is confident Duzynski will be where she needs to be come postseason time, the Somers boys also delivered a strong showing with a second-place finish of their own. Aidan See led the distance effort for the Tuskers in the 3,200.
“I wanted to get first or second so I could get enough points for the team,” said the junior.
See’s strategy was simple: conserve energy early before making his move late.
“I was going to take it easier for the first mile, then go with whoever was leading the pack and try to kick it in for the last lap,” he explained.
For much of the race, the plan worked as See battled alongside Brewster’s Connor O’Reilly. Then, suddenly, a John Jay runner surged into contention.
“I don’t even know where he came from,” said See. “I saw him by my side, and he was flying by.”
That runner was Rohan Patel, who overtook the pack to win the race. Still, See’s second-place finish in 9:56.53 gave him a personal record and plenty of confidence moving forward.
“The race gave me a nice PR mentality for the postseason,” he said.
See wasn’t finished for the day, either. He also ran the lead leg of Somers’ 4x800 relay, a performance that impressed teammate Lenny Novichenko.
“In the two-mile, he broke 10 minutes, and then came back to run a good race here,” said Novichenko.
Alongside Christian Lobasso and Gabriel Cacsire, the quartet captured first place in 8:27.28, finishing 19 seconds ahead of John Jay.
“We all did our job,” said Novichenko.
Jack Alessandro also delivered points for the Tuskers in the 100 meters, where he placed third.
“It’s definitely not boring,” Alessandro joked of the quick sprint.
Despite not having the traditional build for a sprinter, Alessandro makes it work.
“I just kick faster,” he said.
Currently holding a personal best of 11.34, Alessandro hopes to lower that mark to 11.20 before the season ends.
“I’ve just got to keep showing up,” he added with a laugh.
Nathaniel Jen found success in the high jump, taking second place at 5 feet, 8 inches. He recalled how he first got involved in the event as a freshman.
“When the senior high jumper saw me jump, he said, ‘Yeah, I want that kid,’” Jen remembered.
Injuries have hampered much of Jen’s senior season, but his outlook remains positive.
“I’m just looking to finish strong,” he said.
Kristin Krug soared to first place in the triple jump with a personal-best leap of 33 feet, 7.5 inches. She credited both the conditions and her mindset.
“It’s a great weather day, and I had a lot of confidence,” said Krug.
She also pointed to an adjustment in technique.
“I started from further back, so it pushed me into the pit,” she explained.
Claire Higgins added another strong finish for the girls team, earning second place in the 100-meter hurdles in 18.48 seconds. Higgins admitted the event can be intimidating at first.
“Once it happens the first time, you get used to it,” said the senior of crashing into hurdles.
The race itself is all about rhythm.
“You want to get to that first hurdle as fast as possible and get into rhythm between hurdles,” she explained.
And when the final hurdle arrives?
“It’s only one more,” she tells herself. “Just get over it and sprint to the finish.”
One major contributor was absent for Somers, however. Julia Duzynski is currently sidelined with an injury, though Coach Vegliante expects the senior back before long.
“Both of them work so hard,” he said of the Duzynski sisters. “I know how it’s going to end.”
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