O’Bryant sweeps city track again

By Joe Reardon / Schools | Wednesday, February 10, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Other High School

Photo by Nancy Lane

Conway King had plenty on his mind Monday heading into the Reggie Lewis Center for the first day of the Boston City League Championships.

After capturing the shot put last year as a junior, King wanted to defend his title and climb to the top of the awards stand once again. More importantly, the best weight man ever to don a track uniform for O’Bryant wanted to see the squad walk away with its seventh consecutive boys title.

King’s plan played out just as he hoped. He ran away from the competition in the shot put, winning by 5 feet with a 48-foot, 1-inch effort and O’Bryant went on to easily capture the boys title with 91 points. Latin Academy was a distant second with 71 points and South Boston took third with 54.

King was happy with his effort but more concerned with the team’s performances yesterday.

“We have heart so we’re trying to pull this out,” said King, who has thrown a school-record 52-3 this season. “My strength is my speed. I’m working on my technique now.”

King, who also holds the outdoor shot put and discus marks, admitted he didn’t feel fully warmed up for his throws Monday.

“I’m used to there being a final,” King said. “I was being rushed, basically.”

The boys picked up a victory in the 600 with Missick Alvarez racing to a 1:29.40 clocking, as well as first in the 4x200 at 1:36.50. Overall, O’Bryant had nine finishes in the top six.

Coach Emmanuel Limage said the O’Bryant program’s winning tradition brings kids out for the team but that doesn’t guarantee them a league title.

“They know the tradition that’s been established,” said Limage. “They have to work hard though. When they buy into it, they reap the benefits.”

O’Bryant’s girls continued their vice-like grip on league title, winning for the 16th consecutive time with 139 points. That total easily outdistanced runner-up Latin Academy (104 points) and third-place West Roxbury (32 points).

Roksana Kozub captured the 600 by more than three seconds with her 1:49.2 and teammate Ngozi Nwaoha nailed down third in 1:53.40 for O’Bryant. The team came up big in the field events as Wendy Unaegbu led a 1-3-6 finish with her 4-8 leap. In the long jump, O’Bryant went 1-2 with Olukemi Salako leaping 15-11 and Nicolett Gordaon clinching second at 15-8. Emily Prado picked up points in the 2-mile with her win.

“They’ve (field events) have been the key to our success,” said coach Jose Ortega. “In this league, if you don’t do something in the field events, it’s tough to do well.”

Boys basketball

Trailing by nine points with three minutes remaining, Snowden rallied behind Jose Vasquez and Jherson Colon to overtake Latin Academy for a 67-65 victory in a Boston City North thriller. . . . Madison Park (15-1) clinched its second straight North championship with a 78-55 drubbing of Charlestown. Senior David Campbell paced the Cardinals with 25 points and 15 rebounds, and got help from his teammate Jamal McCollum, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Greater Lawrence (6-11) upended Chelsea, 66-64, behind a solid 36 points from Donald Celestin, handing Chelsea (17-3) its first loss in the Commonwealth Conference this season.

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