Track and field

Damp weather can’t douse competitive fire

Monticello Games survive cold and drizzle as races and field events sizzle

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MONTICELLO, NY — “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain,” goes the line from “My Fair Lady,” but in Sullivan County, the rain in track goes mainly down your back.

Track meets and rain are becoming as inseparable as peanut butter and jelly, or so it seemed as teams huddled in tents between races for the second Saturday in a row.

Between last week’s Tri-Valley Invitational and this week’s Monticello Games, track teams from near and far have had a season’s worth of dreadful weather, but the undaunted runners, throwers and jumpers continue to bear up well despite the elements.

Now in its 17th year, the Monticello Games is a classic track meet in its own rite. Pitting teams from the county against large and small teams from Section Nine’s Orange County League (OCL) and the Mid-Hudson Athletic League (MHAL), this year’s field was rounded out by the inclusion of Section One’s Byram Hills. Class A and B schools competed against each other in the scoring while Class C and D schools went head-to-head for supremacy in a separate accounting.

The day featured its share of outstanding performances, upsets and stalwart efforts by many kids, some of whose names won’t appear in the list of winners.

Track and field is about personal commitment to improving, putting in long hours of training and running several meets a week. In the end there is a great deal of growth, personal satisfaction and laudable achievements that never make headlines. It is for that reason that this reporter braves the soggy weather for hours on end to take countless pictures of kids whose names are not as recognizable as those that often bedeck the headlines.

Find a stream of pictures from the Monticello Games at www.riverreporter.com. Go back a week in the archives to peruse shots from the Tri-Valley Invitational. Kudos to the officials and Monticello High for putting on a trouble-free meet under challenging conditions.

Red Hook’s Raucci and Eldred’s Hallock named outstanding MVP track and field performers in boys’ events

At the start of the day at last week’s Tri-Valley Invitational, Red Hook’s Dave Raucci succumbed to New Paltz’s Dan Busby in the 3200. Raucci has beaten Busby before and is likely to do it again, and at the Monticello Games, with the New Paltz speedster absent, Raucci (9:39.2) bested his time of a week ago by nearly a second and took first place by defeating Byram Hills’ Phil Cankwell (10:06.1).

Raucci’s great day was just beginning. He won the 1600 in 4:32.2, beating out Rhinebeck’s Matt O’Connor (9:41.3), and got his team out to a huge lead in the 4x800 relay as the Red Raiders ran to a first place finish over second-place Tri-Valley.

Raucci was named the meet’s Most Valuable Male Track Athlete. He amply contributed his share as Red Hook tallied 128 points to win Division II. Ellenville was second with 124¼, Byram Hills was third (96), Eldred came in fourth (94), Tri-Valley was fifth (88.25) and Sullivan West placed sixth (77.7). In Division I, Middletown (55.25) outpaced Minisink Valley (35), Port Jervis (24.5) and Monticello (15).

Eldred’s Tim Hallock garnered the honor as the day’s Most Valuable Male Field Athlete. Hallock won the discus (142-11), easily outdistancing Sullivan West’s Alan Ackermann (120-9). Hallock took third in the shot put (43-8 ½), an event won by Tri-Valley’s Alan Coombe (44-11). Other field event winners included Eldred’s Kyle Anthony in the triple jump (38-10 ¾) and the long jump (17-3). Robert Macedonio of Monticello won the pole vault (13-0) while Tri-Valley’s Andy Garigliano took the hammer throw (136-8). Livingston Manor’s Dan Hinkley won the javelin (129-4) and Chris Kowalksi of Red Hook won the high jump (5-9).

On the track Ellenville heated things up with a win in the 400 by James Holbrook (52.7) and victories in the 100 (12) by Danny Stephens, the 4x200 (1:39.8) and the 4x100 relays (48.1). Sullivan West came in second in the event (49.0). Fred Langford of Red Hook (16.3) took first in the 110 high hurdles. Eldred’s Tyler Laput (16.7) came in second. Middletown’s Alex Reid (23.5) cruised to a win in the 200 while Tri-Valley’s Travis Wolfe (2:03.4) easily posted a win in the 800. Chris Weichsel of Rhinebeck (10:15.4) outpaced Sullivan West’s Mike VanWagenen (10:23.7) in the 2000 steeplechase.

Ellenville’s Stoeckeler and Monticello’s Kalber named girls’ top track and field athletes

Winning the 100 (13.1) and the 200 (28.2) and running a leg in the winning 4x100 relay, Ellenville’s Katie Stoeckeler garnered the honor of Best Female Track Athlete at the Monticello Games. Erica Kalber of Monticello was named Best Field Athlete after winning the shot put (34-10 ½), the discus (89-9) and the hammer throw (125-7).

Middletown took top honors in Division I with 124 points. Monticello came in second with 95, Minisink Valley took third (60.75) and Port Jervis finished with four points. Tri-Valley topped all teams in Division II with 126 points, besting Red Hook (110.25) and Sullivan West (96), the two-time defending Division II champion.

Tri-Valley’s Courtney Roosa (11:09.9) upset Sullivan West’s April Ackermann (11:10.5), beating her for the first time in her career. Middletown’s Dineisha Sandford (65.0) won the 400. Rhinebeck’s Erica Wiles took the 400 intermediate hurdles (73.7) and the 1000 steeplechase (3:44.5), outlasting Sullivan West’s Amanda Ward (3:47.1), while Midddletown’s Daira Velez (17.8) took the 100 hurdles.

Roosa also won the freshman/sophomore 1500 (5:32.5) while Sandford took the varsity race (5:22.9). Ackermann took the 800 (2:38.2). Her teammate Jessica Wagner came in second (2:39.9).

Tri-Valley came from behind to win the 4x800 relay with great performances by Meghan Drown and Miranda Benevides, which helped the Bears overtake Sullivan West. Jamie Clifford ran a great closing leg for the Bulldogs but couldn’t quite catch anchor leg Erin Beach. Tri-Valley’s time of 10:29.8 beat Sullivan West by over five seconds. The Bears came back to win the 4x400 in 4:34.3.

In other field events, Ackermann won the triple jump (28-10 ¾); Jessica Fisk of Livingston Manor won the long jump (13-1¼) and the high jump (4-6); and Katie Manettta of Red Hook topped all contenders in the pole vault (7-3).

Sullivan West tops Eldred and Livingston Manor in rescheduled meet

JEFFERSONVILLE, NY — Flooding in the lower portion of Sullivan West’s field event area caused the postponement of a track meet between the Bulldogs, Eldred and Livingston Manor. Rain returned at the start of the meet on May 2 but then abated, giving way to a cold and windy afternoon.

Sullivan West’s depth was too much for Eldred this year in the boys’ meet. The Bulldogs garnered 81 points to Eldred’s 60 and beat Livingston Manor 115 to 26. Eldred won the meet last year. This was the Yellowjackets’ first loss of the season (5-1).

In the girls’ meet Sullivan West defeated Eldred 91 to 50 and held sway over Livingston Manor 95 to 43.