Jon Alkins streaked down the straightaway Sunday on the Armory track and crossed ahead of the other churning legs in his 300-meter sprint at the Section 1 Kickoff meet. The dream sequence for the Eastchester senior would be for it to happen at the state meet in March.
The 300 runner-up at last winter's Westchester and state qualifier meets looked up at his time on the board and liked the view: 35.65 seconds, just .71 off his personal best. He ran his confidence up, getting off to this fast start.
"Definitely a good place to be at the beginning of the season," Alkins said. "I want to go to states again. I'm going to try to get first in every race I run, hopefully be state champ."
Thomas Johnson, the defending state and Federation indoor triple-jump champ and all-American, also kicked off with a victory that came in size 46 feet, 2 3/4 inches.
"The goal is 50 -- 50 and beyond," the White Plains senior said.
Sarah Adler will play field hockey at Division I Northeastern. But now the Suffern senior was trying the 1,000 for just the second time. She won easily in 3:00.1.
"I think I'm in pretty good shape from field hockey," said Adler, also a close second to teammate Imani Solan in the 300. "It's just so different, where you feel like a team mentality and here it's individual. I've just got to change the style of running."
Clarkstown South pole vaulter Chris Guglielmo was wary of Stefan Buechele. But the Arlington star opened at 14 feet and no-heighted. Guglielmo ended up soaring above his own expectations by winning. The senior cleared 12-6, matching his overall personal best. But can he soar above the Rockland field here on Jan. 20?
"I'm seeded first right now and I'd love to, but it's going to take a lot of work," Guglielmo said. "Our school record is 13-6, so that's my goal this season."
Briyah Brown, the defending Federation outdoor girls shot-put champ from New Rochelle, won with a throw of 38-9 1/2. But the senior said: "I didn't perform my best. I psyched myself out a little bit." Teammate Ashley Wiggins took the 55 hurdles, winning in 8.6 seconds. The junior, who was third among the state's public school hurdlers last winter, hopes to rule the state and prep for a big spring. She wants to attract college interest, saying, "Eleventh grade is a very important year."
New Rochelle boys coach Joe Intervallo was encouraged by the effort of senior Keimon Barrow, a football player who has joined the program for the first time. He won the long jump in his debut, leaping 20-5 1/2.
Nicole Bartosch is also new indoors, having previously just competed outdoors.
The Yorktown senior took off for a win in the high jump at 5 feet. All-Americans Maria Gorecki (Somers), Meghan Keetley (Pearl River) and Kristi Licursi (Somers) turned in a 1-2-3 finish in the 1,500 race walk. Harrison senior Ashley DelliPaoli won the 600 and ran on the winning 800 relay. Her junior teammate, Rula Samad, also contributed to that relay and placed first in the triple jump.
The White Plains boys stood out in the relays, claiming the 800, with Johnson anchoring, and the 1,600.
"We have a lot of potential in the relays," coach Lamont McCormick said, "and a lot of flexibility."
