There is a new plaque in the trophy case at Great Neck South High School. It is not from the math team or debate team, but the Rebel Girls Track Team! The team won in its division of 16 teams in the 4x400 meter race at the Penn Relays on April 23 and 24. The Rebels also had several winners at the Freshman/Sophomore Meet on April 18 and came in second place at each of two league meets on April 21 and 28.

"The girls were so excited. It was unbelievable!" exclaimed Coach Chris McKenzie of the winning 4x400 m team, which completed the course at the Penn Relays in 4 minutes, 18 seconds. This group consisted of senior Claudine Compas, juniors Lidia Rokas and Jen Lew and freshman Shenita McPhatter. "I was so happy for them. Their faces were so happy. The Great Neck South girls have never won before [at the Penn Relays]. Just the sheer pleasure of it was fantastic," McKenzie said. The 4x100 m team of Compas, S. McPhatter, sophomore Kristy O'Neill and freshman Rachel Surpris attained fourth place in its division, finishing in 52 seconds. (The team was only entered in the 4x100 and 4x400 m.) This competition held at the University of Pennsylvania is one of the biggest relay meets in the United States, with runners from Canada, Jamaica in the Bahamas, as well as Olympians like Michael Johnson. "The kids got a really big thrill [seeing] the Olympians running..." McKenzie commented. She was pleased with the "good competition" and how everyone "did their best."

At the Freshman/Sophomore Meet held in Freeport on April 18, the Rebels' younger members had an opportunity to compete with others at similar levels. S. McPhatter won the 100 m in 12.9 seconds and the 200 m in 26.3 seconds. O'Neill go fifth place in the 200 m. Surpris acquired fourth place in the 400 m. In the high jump, Surpris attained third place and sophomore Patti Hong garnered fourth place. McKenzie enjoyed this meet because "It is just for freshmen and sophomores. It gives all a chance to score...They are usually running with seniors. I'm happy when they can compete in their own class."

On April 21, the Rebels attended league meet in Southside, also against Lynbrook. Southside won, the Rebels attained second place and Lynbrook got third. Individually, Compas won the 100 m in 12.4 seconds and O'Neill achieved fifth place. In the 200 m. Compas won with 25.9 seconds, S. McPhatter acquired second and freshman Ali Weinberg came in fifth. S. McPhatter won the 400 m with 62.7 seconds and O'Neill got fifth place. Freshman Alice Chou garnered fifth place in the 800 m. Senior Jené Brown attained fifth place in both the 1500 and 3000 in races. In the 100 m hurdles Surpris acquired third place and sophomore Christine Fahey came in fifth. Lew achieved fourth place in the 400 m hurdles. In the high jump, Surpris garnered fourth place and Hong got fifth. Freshman Ebbony McPhatter acquired third place in the shot put and sophomore Sabrina Duncan attained fifth. E. McPhatter won the discus with 86 feet and Duncan came in fourth. The 4x100 team of Compas, S. McPhatter, Surpris and sophomore Shirley Koon won with 52.3 seconds. O'Neill, Lew, Rekas and sophomore Andrea Cullen came in third place in the 4x400 and the 4x800 team of Chou, Brown, sophomore Terry Liao and junior Lauren Lieberman also attained third place.

Assistant Coach Gabe Carras commented, "I am most impressed by the running that we've done. The 400 m is a strong event for us as a relay and individual race."

McKenzie noted that Southside had "an excellent team," and she felt very good about this meet. She is experimenting by putting different people, such as Compas and S. McPhatter in the 400 m.

At the next league meet on April 28, the Rebels competed against Wantagh (where the meet was held), Hewlett and Floral Park. Wantagh won the meet, the Rebels came in second, Floral Park attained third place and Hewlett got fourth. S. McPhatter won the 100 m in 12.9 seconds and the 200 m in 27.2 seconds. Compas garnered second place in the 200 m. and won the 400 m with 1 minute, 2.9 seconds. Rekas achieved fourth place in the 800 m. Sophomore Alexandra Jelcic acquired second place in the 3000 m. Surpris got second place in the 100 m hurdles. In the 400 m hurdles, Rekas achieved fourth place and Lew attained sixth. Koon won the long jump with 13 feet, 10 inches and Hong came in second. In the high jump Hong acquired fourth place and Surpris came in fifth. E. McPhatter won the shot put with a throw of 27 feet, 6 inches and Duncan came in fourth. In the discus E. McPhatter acquired second place, while Duncan received third. S. McPhatter, Compas, Surpris and Koon won the 4x100 m in 53.3 seconds. The 4x400 m team of Rekas, Lew, sophomore Marina Rodriguez and freshman Kate D'Elia attained third place. In the 4x800 m, Chou, Liao, Jelcic and sophomore Sheena Dilmanian garnered second place.

"Jen Lew ran a beautiful 400 m in the 4x400 m," said McKenzie after the meet. "In everything she did today, she did very well. I never expected her to pick up that much in the 4x400 m...Everyone else was good, too."