Track

Meet of Champions produces county’s best

Annual meet is all about individual excellence

By RICHARD A. ROSS

JEFFERSONVILLE, NY — For a number of track and field athletes in Sullivan County, the annual Meet of Champions is their version of the Olympics. Without the ominous presence of the larger Section Nine schools, county athletes are free to go at it for local bragging rights on a level playing field.

On top of that, the meet is scored solely on an individual basis and not team points. Unfortunately the meet, which had been scheduled for May 16, was postponed due to a downpour. Its rescheduled date of May 21 was only two days prior to the Class C/D sectionals slated for May 23 at Tri-Valley.

The quest for a sectional title is every team’s goal at the outset of the season, and given the short span between the two meets, Tri-Valley coaches Joe and Missy Iatauro decided to keep their runners home and sent only their throwers along with a couple of young runners to the Meet of Champions. Eldred, as well, which just won its third Division V title in the past three years?they were tied with Livingston Manor twice in that span?kept all of its athletes home to prepare for sectionals.

This year’s meet was missing something without their presence. Both schools have a host of fine athletes and some of the events at last year’s meets were electrifying with Eldred and Tri-Valley students in the mix.

Nevertheless, the athletes from host Sullivan West, who will be vying at sectionals on the same day as the missing schools, joined Monticello, Liberty, Livingston Manor, Fallsburg and Chester, all on hand for the meet.

Monticello’s Brendan Devine won both the 3200 and the 1600 in 10:35 and 4:46 respectively. Livingston Manor’s Greg Lewis worked diligently to keep pace with him. At the OCIAA league meet, Devine set a new school record with his time of 9:32 in the 3200, thereby crossing the threshold of 9:35 for the first time in his life, a long-sought-after quest. The previous Monticello record of 9:38 dates back to the early ‘80s.

The day featured many fine performances and the crowning of champions not normally among the winners in other meets.

In the boys meet, these celebrants included Monticello’s Brendan Ferrence in the 110 hurdles (16.9), Dan Figuroa (SW) in the 100 (11.5), John Bowens (M) in the 800 (2:09) and Kienan Garn (SW) in the 400 hurdles (62.7). Other first-place finishers included prior winners, such as Alan Ackermann (SW) in the discus (159-6) and the shot put (52.4), Garrett Grey (TV) in the javelin (151-4), Donald Cooper (SW) in the high jump (5-10) and the 400 (54.1), Jeff Simpson (L) in the pole vault (12-0), Will Schlott (SW) in the triple jump (37-2¼), and Colin Seidl (SW) in the 3000 steeplechase (10:44). Teammate Patrick Knack provided the day’s entertainment with a one-time trip through the water pit bedecked in goggles and swimmies. He got tossed from the rest of the day’s competition but everyone took it with a hearty laugh (except, of course, his coach, Ron Bauer).

On the girls side of the ledger, it was a similar mix of first timers and veterans who went home with medals. First timers included Janelle Slutsky (M) in the pole vault (8-6), Lindsey Murphy (SW) in the 400 hurdles (77.8), Fallsburg’s Theresa Allen, who won the discus (109-6) and the shot put (31¼), Jasmine Walizadeh (L) in the triple jump (28-4½) and Kendra Barker (SW) in the high jump (4-8),

Veteran medallists included Sara Alsdorf (SW) in the 100 hurdles (17), Rianne Erlwein (SW) in the 2000 steeplechase (8:34), Jessica Fingers (M) in the 800 (2:36), Te’nesha Washington (M) in the long jump (14-8¼) and sister Ty’nessa in the 200 (27.4), the 100 (13.0) and the 400 (64.4). Liberty’s Caity Baker was victorious in the javelin (65.2)

There were countless personal bests recorded on a gorgeous spring afternoon. At the end of the season, look for an article entitled, “They gave it their all,” which will cite many of them.

Visit rivereportersports.com for a complete list of winners and a Meet of Champions photo album.