Track

Perfect storm

Undefeated Lady Westies defend county title; Monticello boys crest to edge Ellenville

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LOCH SHELDRAKE, NY - “The West is the best… get here and we’ll do the rest,” sang Jim Morrison in the “The End,” a classic by The Doors.

Decades later, the same phrase now applies to the Sullivan West girls indoor track team.

After capping off a perfect 21-0 Division V season, winning the title with a final sweep at West Point, the Westies defended their Sullivan County Championship title on February 4 by out-pointing rival Tri-Valley 127-116.

Monticello, which won in 2007, was third (56.4), followed by Liberty (37.5), Ellenville (22.6), Eldred (9.6) and Livingston Manor (4).

Tri-Valley, the reigning Section Nine champion, hopes to save the best by winning the big prize as they did last year. The February 20 Section Nine clash figures to be an epic battle.

On the boys side of the ledger, Monticello, which lost to Ellenville a year ago, rode its distance runners to edge the Blue Devils 93-90.5. Sullivan West was third (78), followed by Liberty (57.4), Tri-Valley (27.5), Eldred (23) and Livingston Manor (2).

Since its inception in 1987, the Sullivan County Championships meet has provided county teams a chance to vie against each other for local bragging rights. The limitations of the facility eliminates the long and triple jump, the pole vault and the enticing non-scoring weight throw, so coaches have to scheme ways to garner points.

Tri-Valley’s girls reeled off 17 straight titles before Sullivan West broke the streak in 2005. The Lady Bears won in ’06. Monticello won it in 2007 and last year Sullivan West walked off with the honors.

The past four years have produced four separate boys titleholders with Sullivan West in 2006, Tri-Valley surged ahead in 2007, Ellenville won in 2008 and Monticello was on top this time out.

Modified events can no longer be run in a varsity meet. In prior years, the “mods” events were interspersed, affording distance runners like Sullivan West’s Colin Seidl some respite between lengthy jaunts. This year, the youngsters ran first and the varsity distance races were closer together.

But Seidl still emerged as a triple champ, winning the 3200 (10:35), the 1000 (2:52) and the 1600 (4.57.4). Monticello distance mavens Dave Wilbur, James Dzurica, Tom Gonzalez and Jacob Rubin countered Seidl’s impact by garnering numerous points for second- and third-place finishes. The quartet combined to down Ellenville in the 3200 relay.

Injuries barred Eldred’s Christina Watts, who reigns supreme in the 55. She is nursing Costochondritis, an inflammation of the rib cartilage. Tri-Valley’s Rachel Sanborn was out with a near stress fracture and Monticello’s distance star Jessica Fingers still has knee issues.

More boys highlights

Monticello eighth grader Shane Jackson won the 300 (38.7) and took second in the 55, who won by Liberty’s Malcolm Strother (6.67) who won the high jump (6-0). It was the first time this season that Strother broke that barrier in a meet.

With no jumping events or pole vault, Liberty couldn’t match its success from the big meets. They hope to supersede Ellenville to capture the Section Nine title.

Liberty began with a win in the 1600 relay (3:55.6) as Tim Burgio, Ryan Harnish, Erick Cuellar and Elijah Torres edged out Ellenville. They won the 800 relay as well (1:41.2) as Burgio, Greg Castro, Bob Davidson and Strother united for the win.

Eldred’s Jonathan Counts took second in the 55 hurdles. Tri-Valley’s Bob Fiedler took second in the shot put behind Ellenville’s A.J. Boriello. Sullivan West’s Mark Tesseyman finished third.

Girls glory

Sullivan West won the 1600 relay (4:38) as Kasi Pilny, Katie Manzi, Amanda Rosenberger and Liz Peters finished just .3 of a second ahead of the Monticello team, propelled by a stellar anchor lap from Emma Cohen. Cohen won the 1500 in 5.26 and ran a leg in the Lady Monties, winning the 3200 relay along with Justine Davis, Rebecca Concors and Kristen Harrington.

Davis (11:23.5) edged out Sullivan West’s Rianne Erlwein in the 3000. Sullivan West’s Morgan Hawkins (3:22.7) beat out Concors and Tri-Valley’s Caroline Bertholf.

Lady Bear Emma Tingley stunned onlookers with a win in the 55 (7.92) over favored Sara Alsdorf of Sullivan West. Alsdorf got even with Tingley by beating her in the 55 hurdles (9.34). Liberty’s Jasmine Walizadeh took third in the event. Sullivan West piled on points with wins in the 600 by Pilny (1:54.1) and by Manzi in the 300 (46.79).

Kendra Barker reigned supreme in the high jump with a leap of 4-9. Tri-Valley’s Tehnyat Kahn won the shot put with a mark of 31-7.

Kudos to the kids and coaches who continue to make indoor track so much more than preparation for spring track.

Next up is the OCIAA league meet on February 14 at West Point. Then it’s on to sectionals, state qualifiers and the state meet at Cornell for the limited elite.

Visit riverreportersports.com for complete results and an album of photos.