The bittersweet circumstances surrounding St. Joseph’s triumphant splash in last month’s New York State Indoor Championships, while heartbreaking, served to strengthen the foundation of the fledgling program.
The small, all-girls parochial school – it has just over 200 students – made headlines on March 2 at Ocean Breeze when it captured a state title in the 4X400 relay (3:57.94). That St. Joe’s was able to earn such an impressive victory was noteworthy when considering the school’s track team has only 15 members while the program is just two years old.
That the Lady Cougars won days after one of their biggest supporters passed away made what they accomplished that much more special, not just for them but for the entire school. Caroline Latham (left), who was the principal at St. Joe’s, died suddenly from a brain aneurysm on Feb. 26. She was a big advocate of the school’s athletic program, particularly the track team, and her death sent shockwaves throughout the entire St. Joe’s community.