Track

Getting on track: phase one, the county context

Early season guide to track and field, state qualifying standards and a recap of 2006 Sullivan County champions

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY - For those who are watching track meets for the first time, the number of events taking place simultaneously is akin to a three-ring circus. Making sense of the non-stop action requires a familiarity with the lay of the land. Here is a breakdown of many of those events, along with a thumbnail sketch of last year’s Meet of Champion winners.

Track and field events can be broken up into three general categories: running, jumping and throwing. Given the small size of many Sullivan County schools, students will often compete in a variety of events, as coaches look to garner as many points as they can by placing kids in events with hopes of their placing in the top six.

Many of the Meet of Champions (MOC) listed times and distances were surpassed in the 2006 league meet, sectionals, state qualifiers and state performances. Expect many new names to be reckoned among this year’s top track and field athletes before all is said and done.

Further comparisons will be done as teams approach the league, sectionals, state qualifiers and state meets. Times in parentheses next to each event represent the state-qualifying standards for boys (B) and girls (G). School abbreviations: Eldred (E); Fallsburg (F) Livingston Manor (LM), Liberty (L), Monticello (M), Sullivan West (SW) and Tri-Valley (TV)

100 meters (10.7 B; 12.5 G); MOC Chris Gates (F) 11.4; Christina Watts (E) 13.4.

200 meters (22.3 B; 26.0 G); MOC James Eason (M) 23.7; Ty’nessa Washington (M) 28.2.

400 meters (50.2 B; 66-0 G); MOC Kyle Anthony (E) 51.4; Te’neshia Washington (M) 61.1.

800 meters (1:37 B; 2:18 G); MOC Max Gunther (E) 2:06.3; Meghan Drown (TV) 2:26.6.

Boys 110 High Hurdles (14.8); MOC Messenger (TV) 16.0.

Girls 100 High Hurdles (15.5); Sara Alsdorf (SW) 17.2.

Boys 400 Intermediate Hurdles (56.0); Max Fiedler (TV).

Girls 400 Intermediate Hurdles (66.0); MOC Brandie Carroll (TV) 74.8.

Boys 3000 Steeplechase (9:50); MOC Mike VanWagenen (SW) 10:44.9.

Girls 2000 Steeplechase (7:15); MOC Kim McKay (L) 8:31.

Pole Vault (13-6 B; 10-0 G); MOC Jacob Schwartz (L) 12-6; Janelle Slutsky (M) 8-0.

Long Jump (22-0 B; 17-0 G); MOC Anthony (E) 22-5¼; Te’neshia Washington (M) 14-5½.

Triple Jump (44-6 B; 36-6 G); MOC Anthony (E) 44-10½; Kanacia James (TV) 32-4.

High Jump (6-5B; 5-2 G): MOC Chris Gates (F) 6-2; Carroll (TV) 4-10.

Discus (148-0 B; 117-6 G); MOC Matt Moore (F) 136-10; James (TV) 80-11.

Shot Put (51-0 B; 37-0 G) MOC Moore 44-11; Kayla Bozan (E) 27-3.

Girls 3000 meters (10:25); MOC Rianne Erlwein (SW) 11:47.

Boys 3200 meters (9:35); MOC Brendan Devine (M) 9:57.2.

Girls 1500 meters (4:46); MOC Courtney Roosa (TV) 5:10.

Boys 1600 meters (4:24); MOC Colin Seidl (SW) 4:40.3.

4x100 relay (42.8B; 49.5G); MOC SW 48.5; TV 56.7.

4x400 relay (3:23B; 4:02G); MOC TV 3:38; M 4:25.

4x800 relay (8:03B; 9:30 G); MOC SW 9:04; SW 10:56.

Other events that take place at track meets include the hammer throw, the javelin throw and the pentathlon. Sometimes freshman/sophomore races are run separately from the rest of the varsity events.