Godwin’s Costanzo makes fast move to track

As a Mills Godwin High School junior, Dominic Costanzo re-invented himself as an athlete.

Happy ending here: The new model outperforms the original.

Admittedly just a fair-to-middling basketball player, Costanzo has erupted as a track and field blockbuster.

When the lava cleared this past indoor season, he was the Central Region 500-meter champion, in heroic fashion, and a bona-fide contender for spring's 400.

"To be honest, Dom wasn't on anyone's radar until this winter. He arrived in the best shape of his life," Eagles coach Tom Nadeau said.

After playing Godwin JV basketball as a freshman and sophomore, Costanzo hit the hoops wall last winter when he was cut from the varsity. He sent RSVP condolences to the pity party. Then, he focused on running and found his niche.

"I found the right sport for me," the 5-9 senior said.

Ashe adventures: Any circular race at Ashe Center (155 meters around vs. standard 200) can be arduous.

The loop is hard, unbanked and tight, with no spikes allowed - caution signs needed at each corner.

In the region 500, Costanzo was racing elbow-to-elbow in a pack when two runners went tumbling.

"I really don't know what happened; it was a mess," Costanzo said. "Two guys fell and I ran between them."

Costanzo then sprinted to the finish, with teammate Eric Prince second - an 18-point bonanza placing Godwin in the temporary lead.

Was it divine intervention?

There was high drama. The Eagles (eventually placed third of 30) were wearing "I Run for Lucy" T-shirts, honoring classmate Lucy Saladino, who had died earlier in the week from Cystic Fibrosis.

"Lucy was on all our minds," Costanzo said.

Spring forecast: Never underestimate Atlee's Ben DeJarnette. The senior is a contender to win the distance double (1,600 and 3,200) on region/state levels.

Freeman's Alec Ward and Midlothian's Braden Burleigh are qualified to push DeJarnette.

Between turns at bat for the Cosby baseball squad, outfielder Mitchell Shifflett will try and repeat as the region 100 champion.

Deep Run's Matt Armentrout, second in the state indoor meet, is putting the finishing touches on a four-year area domination in the pole vault.

Patrick Henry's Aaron Harris is Houdini of the hurdles, and John Marshall will try and repeat its magic in the relays.

Big brother: Costanzo grew up watching his older brother, Michael, play guard for a pair of Godwin district basketball title teams. Basketball was Dominic's first love, too, until. . . .

"Really, I just wasn't that good in basketball," he said.

It's a different story in spikes, where this spring he hopes to challenge Robby Jackson's 50.03 school 400 record.

"Basketball's loss" Nadeau says, "was our gain."