Track

Buffalo bound

Host of county athletes heading to track and field state championships

By RICHARD A. ROSS

KINGSTON, NY — It’s a chance of a lifetime and an incredible honor that few are privy to. We’re talking here about the chance to compete at the New York State track and field championships against the best of the best. Getting there is no easy task. You have to be the top finisher in your event in the Section Nine State Qualifier in either Division I (schools with 600 or more from grades 9 to 11) or Division II (under 600 students).

One additional person from each event who meets the state-qualifying standard can go as a wild card entry.

At this year’s state qualifier, held on June 4 and 5 at Warwick High School and Dietz Stadium respectively, Sullivan County athletes made their mark, especially in Division II state-qualifying performances. Following the two-day qualifier, a spate of county athletes will vie for a chance to earn a medal at the state championships slated for June 13 and 14 in Buffalo.

The county’s only Division I entry will be Monticello’s Jessica Fingers, who qualified in the 3000 (10:06.44) and far exceeded the state standard of 10:25. Fingers will also run in the 1500 with her “wild card” qualifying time of 4:40.44. She finished second to Warwick’s Tori Pennings.

In Division II boys events, Tri-Valley’s Garrett Grey will be heading to states in three events. He won the discus in 177-10, the javelin in 162-05 and the discus in 159-07. Grey is a national qualifier in the hammer and the javelin.

Teammate Tanzeel Khan heads to Buffalo for the shot put. He took first with a heave of 50-01, surpassing the state standard by one inch.

Sullivan West’s Colin Seidl will be making his second appearance at states behind his winning time of 9:55.71 in the 3000 steeplechase. Seidl will be heading to nationals behind his stellar time of 9:42 recorded earlier at Cornwall.

Liberty’s Saeed Robinson won the 400 in 51.94. Robinson is one of three Liberty athletes heading to states.

He will be joined there by Kim McKay, who won the pentathlon (2,259 points). McKay took first in two of the five events of the pentathlon. She won the 800 (2:36.74) and the 100 hurdles (18.24). She garnered second in the high jump (4-6), third in the long jump (12-10.75) and fourth in the shot put (24-05).

Teammate Jessica Dunnigan, who is only a freshman, won the triple jump (33-07). Tri-Valley will send two girls with its two boys. Danielle Darby won the javelin (78-05) and Emma Tingley qualified with a winning time of 1:10.84 in the 400 hurdles.

Sullivan West’s 1600 relay team of Kasi Pilny, Morgan Hawkins, Katie Manzi and Liz Peters qualified with a first-place finish in a zippy 4:10.87, which set a new school record. Kendra Barker will go to states as the alternate. The Lady Westies overcame a big early lead by Pine Plains as Avery Evans went out very quickly. Evans faded and Sullivan West picked up the slack. Ellenville was second in the relay as Pine Plains slipped to third.

A number of fine performances were turned in at the state qualifier that unfortunately fell short of the mark to make it to the big dance.

Monticello’s Brendan Devine led for seven laps in the 3200 but came up just short with a third-place finish behind Warwick’s Ryan Florkiewicz and Saugerties’ Matt Dunham. Devine clocked a 9:23.64, which beat the state standard of 9:35, but he was third and doesn’t get to go.

Devine will be competing in cross-country and track at Southern Indiana University in the fall. “I need to run longer races,” said the recent winner of Monticello’s Best Male Athlete award. “The 3200 just isn’t long enough.”

Monticello’s Pollyanna Palhano, the school’s Best Female Athlete award winner, finished fifth in the pentathlon with 2,110 points. She won the shot put portion of the event with a heave of 27-01. Palhano was in second place after the first day of the competition but slipped to fifth in the final tally.

Division II had its share of near qualifiers. In girls’ events, Eldred’s Christina Watts took second in the 100 (13.17) and the 200 (26.25). Sullivan West’s Rianne Erlwein was second in the 3000, with a time of 11:05.94. Tri-Valley’s 3200 relay team of Courtney Roosa, Rachel Sanborn, Caroline Bertholf and Shannon Hornbeck took second to Rhinebeck with their time of 10:26.06.

Sullivan West’s Barker finished third in the high jump (4-8). Tri-Valley’s Kaitlyn Torres took fifth in the triple jump, while Section Nine Class C discus and shot put champion Tehnyat Khan took third in the shot put 32-10.25 and third in the discus (83 feet). Eldred’s Shannon Hansen was second in the hammer throw (79-10).

Liberty’s Malcolm Strother took fourth in the 100 (11.62) and second in 200 (23.11). Fallsburg’s Dyhu Anthony got third in the 400 (52.84). Eldred’s Matt Campanella (52.85) was fourth.

Seidl took second in the 1600 behind Paul Lagno of Millbrook. Seidl ran 4:40.80. Sullivan West’s Mike Sheldon (1:01.69) took fourth in the 400 hurdles. Liberty’s 400 relay team of Strother, Robinson, Tim Burgio and Robert Davidson took third (44.96) Burgio got third in the long jump (18-11.50). Teammate Greg Castro took fourth in the pole vault (11-6), while Tri-Valley’s Will Leon got fifth (11-0).

Tri-Valley’s Grey took second in the shot put (48-11). Teammate Bob Fiedler took second in the hammer (167-02). Khan got third (162-02). Sullivan West’s Eric Delaurencio took second in the discus (138-08). Fiedler was third with a throw of 136-05.

Visit riverreportersports.com for pictures of all the qualifiers.