By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

ORLANDO — For the first time, the St. John Legends track and field club team competed at the National Club Track and Field championships in Orlando, Fla. earlier this month. Their athletes looked like anything but rookies. 

The Legends finished 42nd out of 316 total teams, highlighted by Ciera Eugene’s first place finish in the 17-18 year old javelin event. 

The local Legends took the top two spots in that, with Michelle Mayes finishing second and joining Eugene on the winner’s podium. 

Eugene made a throw of 111 feet, while Mayes was right behind her with a mark of 109. Mayes also finished fourth in the shot put. 

Kharma Creecy took second in the 9-year old shot put with a mark of 21.25; Aja Creecy took second in the shot put and fourth in the javelin; Naychan Clayton took third in the 5-year-old long jump; Anya Creecy was fourth in the 10-year-old 60-meter hurdles and Johnell Crockett took fifth in the 15-16-year-old 200 meter steeplechase. 

“It’s a really good thing especially for our young kids to experience this,” St. John coach Mark Creecy said. “At a high school track meet, you’ll have 10 teams and 20 kids in a given event. There, there were 136 kids competing in the 9-year-old group. It’s great competition.”

Creecy, who is the East St. John girls track and field coach during prep season, said taking both first and second in the 17-18 year old javelin was a pleasant surprise. Eugene, he noted, only competed in track and field in her senior year at ESJ, and only began doing so after the conclusion of softball season. 

“I’ve really only worked with those two since May,” Creecy said. “Ciera coming right out of softball has been a nice story and a quick learner. Before the meet, looking at the marks people had set, I didn’t know we’d be able to go one-two. But that’s why you battle and compete, because you just never know.”

Crockett, he said, is really only able to compete in the steeplechase during the summer, as it isn’t offered on the prep level.

“For her to already be nationally ranked after just her second summer really of doing this is a special honor,” said Creecy.