Track

Glory road

Sullivan West girls and Liberty boys capture first ever Division IV spring track and field crowns

By RICHARD A. ROSS

JEFFERSONVILLE, NY — Bob Dylan’s iconic song “The Times They Are A-Changing,” was a lyrical tribute to the shifting cultural and political tides of the ’60s. That same title might now apply to the recent upheaval in the high school track and field universe of Sullivan County.

This past week, Sullivan West girls won their first-ever Division IV spring track title by polishing off Fallsburg. Liberty’s boys upended Tri-Valley after beating Sullivan West to acquire the Division IV crown and to top off a topsy-turvy week, Eldred’s girls won a non-league shocker by a third of a point as they beat Monticello.

When the Sullivan West girls team bested perennial Division IV champion Tri-Valley by a single point on April 16, the one major obstacle toward garnering the long-sought division title was set aside.

That history-making win, which shattered Tri-Valley’s 23-year streak of 129 straight dual meet wins, set the stage for Sullivan West’s girls to do what they did this past winter; namely, beat the Lady Bears for the division title.

All that remained was to dispatch Liberty and Fallsburg to garner the banner. Liberty showed its strength in sprints, the 400 relay and the long jump, but Sullivan West easily subdued the Lady Indians on April 24 by the score of 91-50.

After easily setting aside short-handed Fallsburg 105-21 on May 8, Sullivan West achieved the goal many had thought was a year away. But doubt was never in the minds of the Lady Westies, who have shown resounding grit and determination as they have rallied behind coach Joe Seidl during indoor track and now, even more fortified, in the outdoor season.

The spring track and field title is not only the first in the relatively short history of Sullivan West, it is the first one acquired by a girls track team from the former individual districts of Narrowsburg, Jeff-Youngsville and Delaware Valley in over 25 years.

Given the immensity of the win over Tri-Valley that led to this zenith of accomplishments, this season must be described as monumental.

Fallsburg got the lion’s share of its 21 points from thrower Theresa Allen, the reigning Sullivan County champion in the shot put and the discus. Allen won both events with heaves of 31-2 in the shot put and 94-6 in the discus.

Sullivan West’s Morgan Hawkins equaled her season-high mark in the pole vault as she jumped 9-0.

Liberty boys make history with sensational Division IV title win over Tri-Valley

Talking about victories that are historic and monumental in nature, one must now include the Liberty boys in teams establishing a new precedent. After beating Sullivan West by a single point on April 24, Liberty overcame serious adversity to down Tri-Valley 75-66 at a dual meet held at Ellenville on May 8 to garner its first-ever OCIAA Division IV title.

Missing sprinter/jumper Dashawn Williamson, who was out for health reasons, contending with sprained ankles that hampered speedsters Saeed Robinson and Ivan Rivera, Liberty coach Adrian Tyndell juggled his meet array to compensate. Tyndell was taking over for head coach Hazel Yaun, who had suffered a death in her family. Willamson’s loss alone meant a deficit of probably 12 points, but Tyndell figured if things went right, his team would still have enough to squeak by.

Although Ellenville, which is in the Mid Hudson Athletic Conference (MHAL), took the lion’s share of first-place finishes, Liberty was able to capitalize on its strength in sprints and jumping to stave off Tri-Valley, fighting for a three-way tie of the division crown.

Had the Bears won, it would have put Liberty, Tri-Valley and Sullivan West in a deadlock for the crown. But Liberty athletes were determined to keep that honor for themselves. Tri-Valley got its usual fine performances from its leading throwers Garrett Grey (discus 150-10) and Tanzeel Khan (shot put 48-10¼) to go along with a win in the mile from Nick Denman (4:55.34). But Liberty prevailed in the high jump with Malcolm Strother (5-8), the long jump with Tim Burgio (19-1) and the pole vault with Brent Kaplan (11-6). Track and field meet wins are a product of total points, not just first-place finishes, and Liberty’s edge in places other than first put them over the top.

Lady Bears point towards sectionals with win over Liberty; Eldred girls shock Monticello with win by a third of a point.

Tri-Valley’s girls easily triumphed over Liberty 110-31 in another Division IV match up, as they continued to mobilize their efforts toward defeating Sullivan West in the Class C sectionals to be held on their home track on May 29.

In a non-league meet at Monticello, visiting Eldred brought off a stunning upset of the Lady Panthers, besting them by a third of a point, 70 2/3 to 70 1/3. Noticeably absent from the meet was Monticello’s Jessica Fingers; but also missing was Eldred’s Grace Babula. Their absences notwithstanding, a win is a win.

Eldred sprinter Christina Watts bested Monticello’s Ty’nessa Washington in the 100 (13.3) and the 200 ( 26.9). Watts teamed up with Oquanna King, Breanna Brucher and Erika Vorstadt (57.6) for a stunning win in the 400 relay. Monticello countered with its strong distance running with Rebecca Concors winning the 800, 1500 and 3000. Eldred locked up the Division V title by besting Livingston Manor 115-25. Frank Schorling’s Lady Yellowjackets will now set their sights on the Class D sectionals held at Tri-Valley on May 29 as they look to take down reigning champion John A. Coleman Catholic.

Results of this past week’s meets are listed below, showing team totals and first-place finishers only. In the Tri-Valley vs Liberty meet at Ellenville, only Tri-Valley and Liberty winners are listed. All other event were won by Ellenville.

Boys

1,600: Nicholas Denman (TV), 4:55.4; Shot put: Tanzeel Kahn (TV), 48-10¼. Discus: Garrett Grey (TV), 150-10. High jump: Malcolm Strother (L), 5-8. Pole vault: Brent Kaplan (L), 11-6. Long jump: Tim Burgio (L), 19-1.

Girls

3200 relay: Tri-Valley (Caroline Bertholf, Shannon Hornbeck, Naomi Weise, Rachel Sanborn), 10:43.5; 100: Jessica Dunnigan (L), 13.0; 1500: Courtney Roosa (T-V), 5:40.7; 400: Roosa (T-V), 1:04.1; 400 hurdles: Kim McKay (L), 1:09.7; 800: Roosa (T-V), 2:33. 3000:Sanborn (T-V), 11:38.9; Shot put: Tehnyat Kahn (T-V), 32-1; Discus: Kahn (TV), 96-0; High jump: Agnes Pompeii (T-V), 4-8; Pole vault: Heather Knox (TV), 8-0; Long jump: Jasmine Walizedah (L), 14-0; Triple jump: Jessica Dunnigan (L), 32-1.

100-meter dash Katie Manzi (SW) 14.3; 200 Manzi (SW) 29.2; 400 Kasi Pilny (SW) 69.6; 800: Katie Dnistrian (SW) 2:50; 1,500 Chelsie Schadt (SW) 5:20; 3,000 Rianne Erlwein (SW) 12:52; 100 hurdles Lindsay Murphy (SW) 17.6; 400 hurdles Morgan Hawkins (SW) 68.3; 400 relay Sullivan West (Hawkins, Kendra Barker, Murphy, Pilny) 57.7; 1,600 relay — not contested; 3,200 relay Sullivan West (Erlwein, Jamie Moran, Stephany Robison, Dnistrian); High jump Barker (SW) 4-8; Long jump Murphy (SW) 13-71/2; Triple jump Barker (SW) 29-91/2; Discus Theresa Allen (F) 94-6; Shot put Allen (F) 31-2; Pole vault Hawkins (SW) 9-0.

Eldred 70 2/3, Monticello 70 1/3; Eldred 115, Livingston Manor 25; Monticello 103, Livingston Manor 25 (Monticello meets are non-league)

100: Christina Watts (E), 13.3; 200: Watts (E), 26.9; 400: Ty’nessa Washington (M), 66.7; 800: Rebecca Concors (M), 2:55; 1,500: Concors (M), 5:17.9; 3,000: Concors (M) 12:47.2; 100 hurdles: Pollyana Palhano (M), 17.8; 400 hurdles: Emma Cohen (M), 74.4; 400 relay: Eldred (Oquanna King, Erika Vorstadt, Breanna Brucher, Watts), 57.5; 1,600 relay: Monticello (Washington, Cohen, Colleen Thomas, Marisela Acevado), 4:39.9; 3,200 relay: Monticello (Avevado, Washington, Thomas, Andrea Dollinger), 11:13.4; High jump: Diana Schombs (E), 4-3; Long jump: Palhano (M), 16-0; Triple jump Sarah Hinkley (LM), 30-11½; Discus: Diana Hartling (LM), 75-3; Shot put: Palhano (M) 25-4—; Pole vault: Schombs (E) 8-0.