Section Nine Indoor Track State Qualifier

Bound for states

Six county athletes qualify for states while others make noteworthy effort

By RICHARD A. ROSS

WEST POINT, NY — For most indoor track athletes, this past winter season is fading into memory. But for the elite of Section Nine, the chance to advance, first to the state meet slated for Cornell University in Ithaca, NY on March 8 and then to the nationals at the Armory in New York City on March 15, is still an alluring prospect.

The best of the best from Section Nine gathered at West Point for the state qualifier on March 2. The meet had been postponed from February 29, due to inclement weather.

Only the top two finishers from each event and a possible third, who met the state qualifying standard, would earn berths at the state meet.

Six Sullivan County athletes made the cut. Tri-Valley’s Courtney Roosa took first in the 3000 with a stellar time of 10:49.59. Monticello’s Jessica Fingers (4:42.24) took first in the 1500. Liberty’s Matt Arielly (42-4.25) made it to states with his second-place leap in the triple jump, while Tri-Valley’s Garrett Grey (49-9.75) and Tanzeel Khan (49-0) will travel to Ithaca behind their respective first- and second-place finishes in the shot put.

Grey (59-6) was the first-place finisher in the weight throw, which is not the state event. Eldred’s Paulina Renggli (35-5.5) won the girls weight throw.

Other county athletes turned in fine performances but did not qualify. Sullivan West’s Rianne Erlwein (11:12.92) finished fifth in the 3000. Liberty’s Malcolm Strother earned fifth place for his 5-8 in the high jump and placed sixth in the 55 (6.95). Monticello’s Brendan Devine (10:19.85) finished sixth in the 3200. Liberty’s 4x800 team of Brent Kaplan, Scott Kaplan, Trevor Tate and Eric Schwartz took fifth and Tri-Valley’s Bob Fiedler (52-7.75) took fifth in the weight throw.

In addition, Eldred’s Christina Watts (7.63) was fourth in the 55, while Tri-Valley’s Ashley Weintraub (8.08) finished fourth in the 1500 meter racewalk. Monticello’s 4x800 team of Fingers, Emma Cohen, Rebecca Concors and Marisela Acevedo (10:05.10) missed out on a chance to qualify with their third-place finish.

In the girls pole vault, Liberty’s Kim McKay (8-6) and Sullivan West’s Morgan Hawkins (8-0) took fifth and sixth place respectively. Tri-Valley’s Tehnyet Kahn (29-10.5) finished fifth in the shot put, while Sullivan West’s Brittany Reddish (28-9.25) took third in the weight throw.

Former Sullivan West standout and current NFA track star Donald Cooper will be heading to states as part of his team’s winning 4x200 relay (1:33.40). Cooper also qualified in the high jump with his second-place leap of 6-4.

Visit riverreportersports.com for a list of the top six finishers in each event at the state qualifier.