Track and field championships

Champions in their own right

Sullivan County Meet of Champions, the Orange County Decathlon and the Orange County League Meet produce winners, records and personal bests

By RICHARD A. ROSS

WARWICK, NY — The 2005 track season is about to reach its zenith with sectional meets, the upcoming state qualifier and the New York State Championships. But the run up to the grand finale in the form of this past week’s menu of meets offered something for everyone.

On May 10, Sullivan County track and field athletes had a chance to vie against each other without the pressure of team scoring at the Sullivan County Meet of Champions held in Jeffersonville.

Further south on May 9 and 10, an elite group of athletes took part in the Orange County Decathlon held at Warwick High School. On May 13 to 14, the competition took on gigantic proportions in the Orange County Interscholastic Association championships also held at Warwick. In each of the championship meets, outstanding milestones were achieved and while some are worthy of banner headlines such as Tri-Valley’s Travis Wolfe’s New York State’s leading 3000 steeplechase time of 9:26.6 recorded at the league meet, others reflected personal bests, known only to the athletes themselves, their teammates, parents and coaches. At the conclusion of this year’s track and field season, The River Reporter will devote a huge listing of those little known achievements that unheralded track and field athletes champions made in their own right.

The results of the Sullivan County Meet of Champions can be found in a sidebar of this article.

Liberty’s Goldsmith takes third in the Orange County Decathlon; Schwartz finishes seventh

WARWICK, NY — The decathlon is a grueling two-day competition that requires participants to test their mettle in 10 events. On the first day, athletes compete in the 100-meter dash, the long jump, the shot put, the high jump and the 400-meter run. On the second day, participants attempt the 110-meter hurdle race, the discus throw, the pole vault, the javelin throw and the 1500-meter run.

In this year’s Orange County Decathlon, Liberty’s Chris Goldsmith finished third by winning the 110 hurdles in 16.7 seconds and taking first in the 1,500 run in 4:56.4 seconds. Goldsmith compiled a total of 4,594 points finishing behind Tim Marion of Warwick (5,190 points) and Ryan Darcey also of Warwick (5,147 points). Jacob Schwartz of Liberty finished in seventh place with 3,771 points.

Monticello’s Kalber and Tri-Valley’s Garigliano are recipients of sportsmanship awards

WARWICK, NY — Taking time out from her busy day of competition that saw her take first place in the shot put (38-2¼) and first in the discus (105-4) at the Orange County Interscholastic Association meet, Monticello senior Erica Kalber took center stage when she was presented with a plaque naming her as one of two Sullivan County track and field athletes designated for the Orange County League’s sportsmanship awards.

Tri-Valley’s Andy Garigliano will be awarded the honor at the Class C/D sectionals at Tri-Valley on May 19.

Carey Ambrosetti of Newburgh Free Academy and Tim Marion of Warwick were the Orange County recipients of the award. Ambrosetti won the 100 hurdles and the 400 hurdles, and Marion took second in the javelin (161-4) and second in the pole vault (13-0). Retiring track coach Tim St. Lawrence of Warwick was honored for his years of service to the sport.

Wolfe turns in New York State’s best time in 3000 steeplechase

It wasn’t the field of competition that pushed Tri-Valley’s Travis Wolfe to a New York State best time of 9:26.6 in the 3000-meter steeplechase, it was sheer desire. Wolfe set an Orange County League record in the event as he easily outpaced Kyle O’Brien of Monroe-Woodbury (9:43.4). It was the second time this month that Wolfe shattered an existing record. At the Steeple Fest held at Cornwall High School two weeks ago, Wolfe bested a record set by Chip Furman, a Tri-Valley runner whose mark of 9:32.4 was set in 1991. Sullivan West’s Mike VanWagenen came in sixth in the event with a time of 10:17.1.

The day’s big winners and most compelling stories

Navigating a huge meet like the OCIAA is an art form and often a matter of lucky timing. While the track is a good locale to scope out the numerous dashes, distance runs, relays and hurdle races, presence at the high jump, long jump and triple jump pits offers a panoply of great competition where athletes push themselves to outdo their own personal bests as they try to go one better than their ardent competitors.

The same is true of the shot put and discus throwing circles.

In the high jump pit, Pine Bush’s Rob Hoey and Kingston’s Richard Williams pushed each other along. Both cleared 6-3 but Hoey sailed over the 6-4 setting notching a personal best to take first. He missed out at 6-6½ in an attempt to break the Pine Bush record. Earlier, Hoey captured the long jump with a leap of 21-10½ inches. Alex Reid of Middletown, who garnered attention for becoming the national indoor champion in the 60-meter hurdles this past winter, took first in the 110 hurdles (14.5) and the 400 hurdles (56.3). Warwick’s Aislinn Ryan repeated her 2004 sweep of the 800 (2:17.9), the 1500 (4:38.6) and the 3000 (9:49.1). Ryan also ran a leg in Warwick’s winning 1600 relay with Melissa Mark, Kristin Peluso and Jackie Young (4:05.2). As if that wasn’t enough, Ryan also ran a leg in the winning 400 relay with the same teammates. Eldred’s Tim Hallock finished second in the discus with a toss of 144-5¾ inches. He was bested by Kingston’s Andrew Downey who threw 151-6½. Hallock took sixth in the shot put.

Goshen’s Nasim Siddeqq broke a school record with a triple jump of 47-8¼ inches. Eldred’s Kyle Anthony was third with a season personal best of 44-8¼. Newburgh Free Academy’s (NFA) boys’ 1600 relay comprised of David McFadgen Jr, James Johnson, Jarrett Johnson and Sam Stubbs (3:21.1) blazed to victory. NFA’s 400 relay was also victorious with a time of 43.4. That team was comprised of Johnson, John Bowden, Terrius McMillan and Ed Jackson. Kingston’s Mike Devereaux swept the 100 (10.5) and the 200 (22.0).

The boys’ meet was won by Warwick with 110 points. NFA and Kingston tied for second with 88 points. Tri-Valley finished in eighth place with 24 points. Eldred came in ninth with 18 points, Liberty and Monticello tied for 15th with six points and Sullivan West came in 17th with three points. In the girls’ meet, Monroe–Woodbury came out on top with 123½ points. Warwick was second with 109½; NFA finished in third with 92.4. Monticello took eighth with 21 points and Tri-Valley tied with Goshen for 14th place with two points.