Track

Bears top Division II schools at Tri-Valley Invitational

Sullivan West’s Ackermann shatters county discus record in balmy spring track spectacle

By RICHARD A. ROSS

GRAHAMSVILLE, NY - They came from far and wide on April 21 to a site that has become a landmark for one of the best-run early spring track and field invitational in the state: Tri-Valley.

And this year they stayed dry. Dressed in a panoply of brightly colored uniforms, track and field athletes streaked by, flew through the air into long, triple and high jump pits, launched themselves into the stratosphere in the pole vault and flung objects skyward, including the shot put, discus, hammer and javelin, in displays of strength and grace.

Simply put, it was a smooth running mini Olympiad: a gem of a track meet.

With 38 schools on hand, Tri-Valley athletic director/ track coach Joe Iatauro called the small army of coaches together and gave them the lay of the land. From morning until night, everything ran like a top, except that the concession stand kept running out of food and had to restock itself to keep up with the thirsty and hungry athletes and onlookers.

This meet could be described as a participation meet wherein no athlete is excluded from getting into races and field events, no matter what their relative standing. From sixth, seventh and eighth graders to freshmen/sophomore and varsity events, the meet offered everyone a chance to test their mettle.

By the time the last event had been run, host Tri-Valley had logged the most points among the smaller Division II schools with both their boys and girls teams garnering first place, much to the delight of coaches Joe and Missy Iatauro. Tri-Valley’s boys came away with 70 points, besting rival Sullivan West in the non-league contest. The Bulldogs garnered 53.5 points to take second. Just this past week in their league match up, Sullivan West edged Tri-Valley by five points in a crucial division fray. The two schools will continue to vie against each other as they head toward subsequent milestone meets, including the Sullivan County Meet of Champions and the crucial sectionals in May.

Pine Bush was the Division I winner with 98 points, besting powerhouse Byram Hills, which piled up 78 points for second place. While the day belonged to Tri-Valley, Sullivan West’s Alan Ackermann shattered Tim Benson’s longstanding county discus record of 168-10 with a powerful heave of 172-1.

A year ago, an overhead wire robbed Ackermann of a record-breaking throw. He hit the wire again this time out, but then his record-breaking fling sailed skyward and went down the hill as fellow competitors just stood with their jaws gaping at the uncanny distance. Needless to say, Ackermann took first. Ackermann also won the shot put with a mark of 48-9—. Tri-Valley’s Ryan Loughney was second in the discus (149-4) and fellow Bear Garrett Grey was fourth (135-10).

Earlier at the hammer throw, Loughney, ranked seventh in the nation with his high-water mark of 206-6 recorded on April 14 at the Gander Invitational, tossed the hammer 199 feet to take first place. Teammates Grey and Bob Fiedler took third and fourth, respectively, with throws of 154-9 and 143-9. The hammer is not an event in the state meet. Loughney and Fiedler also locked up first and third in the 16-pound hammer with heaves of 171-1 and 109-9.

Sullivan West speedster/high jumper Donald Cooper took second in the varsity 400 (50.5) and lost a jump-off in the high jump to take second (6-2) to Rondout Valley’s Ben Warach (6-3). Cooper got first place among the Division II competitors.

Teammate Jon Figueroa iced third in the 200 (23.4), while his younger brother Dan walked off with the Division II title in the freshman/sophomore long jump (17-10). The event was won by Brandon Hill of Pine Bush, who flew 18-7 feet for first place overall. The younger Figueroa got sixth in the 200 (24.0). Colin Seidl, recovering from a week of illness, garnered a fifth-place finish in the freshman/sophomore mile (4:54).

Tri-Valley’s trio of Max Fiedler, Gavin Perrella and Gary North locked up third place in the 330 shuttle hurdles (51.5).

In the girls meet, the Lady Bears took first place in Division II with 44 points, beating out Pine Plains (38.5). Arlington (128.5) bested second-place Pine Bush (118) for the Division I crown. Sullivan West’s trio of Sara Alsdorf, Lindsey Murphy and Morgan Hawkins took second in the 300 shuttle hurdles with a time of 53.3. Murphy’s fall at the finish line cost the Lady Dawgs a first-place medal. Tri-Valley’s Courtney Roosa took second in the 2000-steeple (7:49.5). It was the best Division II time. Nicole Rosario of Pine Bush (7:22.1) won the event. Roosa got fifth in the varsity 800 (2:30.3) and fourth in the varsity 1500 (5:20).

Meanwhile, teammate Kanacia James took fourth in the varsity shot put (31.3½). James locked up second in the discus (97-10). Fellow Lady Bear Agnes Pompeii took second in the freshman/sophomore (f/s) high jump (4-6), while Heather Knox iced second in the f/s pole vault (8-0).

Monticellos Te’nesha Washington got fourth in the varsity 400 (62,6) and first in the varsity long jump (15-8—). Fellow Lady Panther Emma Cohen landed third in the f/s long jump (14-8). Monticello’s 3200 relay team garnered fifth place (10:43.9) and Jessica Fingers locked up sixth in the varsity 800 (2:31.2) and second in the f/s 1500 (5:10.4). Monticello’s 1600-relay team of Nyoke Tate, Te’nesha Washington, Cohen and Ty’nessa Washington took fifth (4:18.1).

Liberty’s Kim McKay tied for fifth in the pole vault with a leap of 7-6.

A large number of teams will reconvene for the Monticello Games on April 28, another longstanding spring track and field event renowned for its efficiency and fine venue.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of meet pictures.