Varsity Indoor Track Dominates
It was an incredibly successful season for Peddie varsity indoor track, capped off with the varsity boys team winning the NJISAA Prep A Indoor Track Championships at John Bennett Indoor Athletic Complex. The Falcons placed first out of eight teams and tallied 88 points.
Kaseme Leckie ’24 won three events. He placed first in the boys 55-meter dash (6.54), won the boys 200-meter dash (23.04) and earned a victory for the second consecutive year in the boys high jump (6-0).
The varsity girls indoor track team placed second out of nine teams with 70 points.
The Peddie varsity boys indoor track team also repeated as MAPL Track and Field Champions for back-to-back years at Mercersburg Academy. The Falcons placed first of seven teams and scored 161 points.
“The kids were motivated coming off of the win from last year and also the outdoor track state championship win in the spring,” Head Coach Tim Brennan said. “Knowing we could do it once definitely motivated us to try again a second time.”
Brennan said the team’s goal was to repeat as MAPL Champions and for as many athletes as possible to peak and tally a personal record (PR) at that meet.
Individually, Leckie ’24 won two events, the 55-meter dash (6.54) and the 200-meter dash (23.00). Ian Borges ’25 won the triple jump (44-1.75). Parker Hamilton ’25 won the shot put with a 47-11.5. The 4×400-meter relay team of Mikhail Blinnik ’24, Dasyer Bullock ’26, Luke Chon ’26 and Jelani Cine ’25 closed out the day with a victory (3:34.10). The Falcons had at least one team member place fourth or better in the 13 total events, which helped the team accumulate crucial points.
Kaseme Leckie ’24 won the boys high jump at the NJISAA Prep A Indoor Track Championships.
Leckie said the biggest thing that went well was the team’s spirit and determination. Throughout the entire meet, the team had everyone cheering on races and field events constantly. They received motivation from their coaches, captains and teammates.
“The upperclassmen were cheering for the underclassmen and vice versa,” Leckie said. “We pushed each other to work harder and to the best of our abilities. We truly showed what it meant to have Peddie Spirit.”
Brennan highlighted that a significant asset for the team lies in its leadership, which fosters camaraderie among both the boys and girls teams.
“Knowing we could do it once definitely motivated us to try again a second time.”
Another notable strength is that the Falcons have many athletes who work hard every day, and when they become successful, younger athletes also want to work hard and follow in their footsteps.
Leckie said winning the MAPL Championship last year had an impact on his performance and the team’s performance as well.
“As we thought back to the inspiration from the seniors last year, the team and I were determined to win the MAPL Championship,” he said. “I wanted to continue the path that they helped set us on, and it pushed me to work to the best of my ability. I know those seniors also had a strong influence on the rest of the team, as shown through the many personal records set by my teammates. We came in with confidence and persistence, and in the end, we got the result we deserved.”