Track

Jewels and gemstones

Personal records at OCIAA Indoor Championships

By RICHARD A. ROSS

WEST POINT, NY — Diamonds are forged by heat, pressure and time as simple carbon transforms into pric gems.

Indoor track’s multi-faceted stars evince speed, jumps and throws that project them into the glittering limelight.

But unseen by many, are the countless diamonds in the rough. Some emerge as crown jewels, but most remain smaller in magnitude. Regardless , each one is a gem in his or her own right. Sadly though, legions of young athletes who stride beyond measure are rarely mentioned.

At the OCIAA Championship meet on February 14, many Sullivan County kids evinced their best performances to date, auguring great promise for the sectionals on February 20 and 21. The league meet does not break down scoring by large and small schools divisions, so to finish in the top 10 is a major accomplishment given the immense talent on hand.

Brightest jewels inspire awe with top 10 finishes

Girls events: In the 1500-meter racewalk, Tri-Valley’s Ashley Weintraub took second with a PR of 7:56.64. Her previous best was 8:05.06. Teammate Michelle McNutt took third with a PR of 8:11.91, nearly 17 seconds faster than her prior best.

Sullivan West freshman Rachel Deppa took fifth with a PR of 8:13.87 setting a new school record. Deppa shaved more than 17 seconds off her previous best.

Eldred’s Christina Watts took fifth in the 55 (7.62). Sullivan West’s Sara Alsdorf took third in the unseeded 55 with a PR of 8.27. Teammate Katie Manzi took 10th in the 300 with a PR of 45.06. Tri-Valley’s Naomi Weise took 10th in the unseeded 600 (2:08.94). Sullivan West’s Morgan Hawkins got 10th in the 1000 with a PR of 3:19.46 while teammate Rianne Erlwein took fifth in the 1500 with a PR of 5:05.42. Monticello’s Emma Cohen achieved a PR with her seventh-place finish in 5:10.48.

In the unseeded 55 hurdles, Liberty’s Jasmine Walizadeh took first in 10:36. Eldred’s Erika Vorstadt (10.77) and Tri-Valley’s Kristin Offringa (11:36) were fourth and sixth in the event. Vorstadt’s time was a PR.

Sullivan West’s Kendra Barker took fifth in the high jump with a PR of 5-00. Eldred’s Diana Schombs was seventh (4-08). Schombs and Hawkins tied for eighth in the pole vault with leaps of 7-06.

Tri-Valley’s Tehnyet Khan took third in the shot put (32-00.75). Sullivan West’s Brittany Reddish got seventh with a PR of 29-11.75. Dominique Darby (T-V) won the weight throw with a PR of 39-04.25. Teammate Heidi Furman took third (31-03.75). Danielle Darby (T-V) was sixth (29-03.75), Reddish was eighth with a PR of 28-02 and Liberty’s Jeni Stolow was ninth (27-06.50).

Boys events:Colin Seidl (SW) overcame a difficult start in the 3200 to take second (9:54.21). Liberty’s Malcolm Strother took second in the high jump (5-10) and eighth in the 55 (6.92). Strother ran in Liberty’s 800 relay team that took fourth in a season-best time of 1:39.42. Tim Burgio took eighth in the long jump with a PR of 19-06.50, while Greg Castro took fourth in the pole vault (12-0). Monticello’s Dave Wilbur got fifth in the 1600 with a PR of 4:42.73. Sullivan West’s Chris Murphy took second in the unseeded 55 hurdles (10.12).

Eldred’s Joey Counts took ninth in the high jump (5-06).

Bob Fiedler (T-V) won the weight throw with a PR of 59-08. He was fourth in the shot put (45-03). Teammate Ross Bonnell took seventh in the shot put (41-09.75). Bonnell took fifth in the weight throw with a heave of 36-08. Eldred’s Bobby Warden was fourth in the weight throw with a PR of 37-04. Liberty’s 1600 relay took tenth with a season best 3:57.20

More season bests

Girls?300: Emma Tingley (T-V), 47.15. 1000: Caroline Bertholf (T-V), 3:24.29. 1500: Shannon Hornbeck (T-V), 5:24.37. Ana Loor (Mont), 5:28.20. Long Jump: Jessica Brey (SW), 13-02, Hannah Feinman (SW), 13-00, Kaitlyn Torres (T-V), 13-00, Amanda Rosenberger (SW), 12-11.50, Schombs (Eld), 12-11.50 and Joy Leon (T-V) 12-07. 1500: racewalk Samantha Martin (T-V), 9:15.57.

Boys?55 Matt Bogorad (T-V), 7.52, Eric Cuellar (Lib), 7.57. 300: Davidson (Lib), 41.73, Burgos Cruz (SW), 43.01. 600: Shaugn Goggin (Eld), 1:39.69. 1000: Ryan Harnish (Lib), 2:53.04, Jeremy Kinney (T-V), 3:05.29. 1600: Dallas Ripley (SW), 5:00.27. Tri-Valley’s 800 relay (1:51.53). Long Jump: Gerald King (Eld), 18-10.50, Castro (Lib), 17-01.50, Davidson (Lib), 16-11, Ian Halloran (Eld), 16-09 and Kyle Flynn (SW), 15-10.

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