Track and field: Tri-Valley Invitational

Staying on track in the eye of the storm

Host Bears win out in Division II boys’ and girls’ meets; many fine performances from region’s top athletes

By RICHARD A. ROSS

GRAHAMSVILLE, NY — Neither rain, gloom, fog, nor threats of thunderstorms could stop the pilgrimage of more than two dozen track teams to the annual Tri-Valley Invitational meet on April 23.

While several schools did opt out based on predictions from the Weather Channel of torrential downpours and possible thunderous mayhem, the majority of the invitees showed up, pitched their tents and competed in one of the best run track meets of the year.

Organized by Joe Iatauro, Tri-Valley’s inimitable track coach and athletic director, the Tri-Valley Invitational is one of the highlights in Section 9’s hectic spring track schedule. The meet, in existence for the past 13 years, affords schools large and small the chance to test their mettle in a densely competitive field of athletes at arguably the county’s best track and field facility.

Freshman and sophomore events are tallied in the overall compilation, a facet of the meet that charges the younger athletes with responsibility.

Schools with 400 students or less, in grades nine through 11, were scored in Division II, and schools with more than 401 students were scored in Division I. Tri-Valley competed in Division II while Sullivan West, Liberty and Monticello were scored against teams from Division I. Unfortunately, Eldred opted out at the last minute as thunder and heavy rain beset their bus before its scheduled departure.

While other schools such as Coleman, Livingston Manor, Middletown, Millbrook, Minisink Valley, Onteora, Rhinebeck, Valley Central and Walkill withdrew because of the weather, teams from as far away as Arlington and Ketchum, both from Section One, traveled to compete at the meet.

Track and field is a unique sport that affords athletes with the chance to compete as individuals and as part of a team, and while certain teams did extremely well, the performance of individuals was equally significant. Team results were as follows, in order of placement:

• Boys’ Division I: Pine Bush 137; Red Hook 90; Arlington 84; Marlboro 76; Goshen 70; Rondout Valley 47; Sullivan West 45; Liberty 42; FDR 38; New Paltz 37; Ellenville 14; Port Jervis 9; Monticello 2; Roy C. Ketchum 0.

• Boys’ Division II: Tri-Valley 147 (highest score of the boys’ meet means Tri-Valley came in first above all schools); Pine Plains 39; Chester 6; Webutuck, Spackenkill 4; Chapel Field 1.

• Girls’ Division I: Arlington 149; New Paltz 91; Marlboro 65; FDR, Ketchum 54; Sullivan West 44; Rondout Valley 41; Monticello 39; Ellenville 36; Goshen 33; Red Hook 28; Liberty 19; Pine Bush 9; Port Jervis 2.

• Girls’ Division II: Tri-Valley 101 (second place overall); Pine Plains 87; Spackenkill 30. Chapel Field, Chester and Webutuck did not score.

Standout races and field event highlights

In the boys’ 3200, New Paltz’s Dan Busby (9:27.1) outpaced Red Hook’s Dave Raucci (9:40.1). Busby’s time was a meet record. The 800 featured the first win of the day by Tri-Valley’s Travis Wolfe (2:03.2). Wolfe beat Busby (2:04.5). The Tri-Valley senior came back later and took the 800 (2:03) and the 2000 steeplechase (6:22.9). In the steeplechase he bested Arlington’s Zak Elmanakhly (6:35.7) and Sullivan West’s Mike VanWagenen (6:49.9). In the 100 and 200, Arlington’s Shaquann Burnwell bested the field with times of 11.2 and 23.1, respectively. Goshen’s Nassim Siddeeq took the triple jump (42-11½) and came in second in the long jump (18-9½), while Bob Hoey of Pine Bush captured the high jump (6-0) and the long jump (19-5 ¼). Favored high jumper Garrett Huyler of Marlboro, who jumped 6-8 at the state meet last spring had an off day and could not clear 6-0. Tri-Valley’s Chris Mickelson dominated the discus (125-11) while his teammate Alan Coombe won the shot put with a throw of 47-1½. Pine Bush’s Steve Bingenheimer captured the pole vault with a leap of 12-0.

Sullivan West’s April Ackermann, Amanda Ward, Jessica Wagner and Chelsea Schadt (10:32.8) won the girls’ 3200 relay. Natalie Busby of New Paltz won the 3000 (10:55.9). Erica Johnson of FDR blazed to wins in the 100 (12.7) and the 200 (26.4).

Erica Kalber of Monticello took second in the shot put with a throw of 34-2½. Siobhan Dwyer of Spackenkill won the 2000 steeplechase (8:22.2). Sullivan West’s Amanda Ward took third in the event (8:38.5).

All of the Sullivan County teams will meet again on April 30 at the Monticello Games, which begins at 9:00 a.m. at Monticello High School.

Visit www. riverreporter.com for a complete list of results and additional photos from the Tri-Valley Invitational.