Track

Section Nine Indoor Track Championships

Mark of perfection

By RICHARD A. ROSS

WEST POINT, NY — The Section 9 Championship meet is the local zenith of the sport, though the coming state qualifier and state meet will evince the elitist of the elite and bring even more glory to those top runners, jumpers and throwers who qualify for states and perform admirably there.

But for those assembled at West Point, this was the last hurrah of the winter season, which is, above all else, preparation for the regal spring track season that comes closer with every lengthening day.

Tri-Valley’s girls’ enormous depth propelled the Lady Bears by Onteora 94.5-86 as they reclaimed the Section 9 title wrenched from them a year ago by Sullivan West. The win capped off a perfect season for the Lady Bears, who went 28-0 to win Division V and the Sullivan County Championship.

This meet completed the same Trifecta won by the Lady Westies in 2009.

Sullivan West was hampered by the diminished capacity of Dani Myers, who had been out sick nearly all week, and Amanda Rosenberger, who pulled a hamstring.

Tri-Valley’s Caroline Bertholf won the 3000 (11:15.99). Tri-Valley also got first place in the shot put from Tehnyat Kahn (34.07.75). Teammates Dominique Darby and Heidi Furman completed the sweep of the top three spots for a plate load of key points.

The Lady Bears also won the 1600 relay as Aurora Boyes, Kristen Offringa, Bekah Polanksy and Agnes Pompeii recorded a time of 4:35.08. Onteora came in fifth in that event for the 10-2 point margin for Tri-Valley, in and of itself nearly the margin of Tri-Valley’s victory.

Sullivan West’s Rachel Deppa continued her winning ways in the 1500 race walk with a time of 7:55.20. Kendra Barker tied for second in the high jump with a leap of 4-10. Liberty’s Jessica Dunnigan won the long jump (16-10) and the triple jump (34-2) and finished a close second to Millbrook speedster Rachel Pierantozzi with a personal best of 7:50.3. Pierantozzi ran the anchor leg for Millbrook’s winning 800 relay.

Eldred’s Diana Schombs won the pole vault (8-6). Schombs tied Tri-Valley’s Karyn Sheeley for fourth in the high jump (4-6).

Here are the team results and a list of Sullivan County finishers in the top six of each event.

Class B Girls RESULTS: Team scores and key: 1. Tri-Valley (TV), 94.5 points; 2. Onteora (Ont), 86; 3. Millbrook (Mill), 70; 4. Liberty (Lib), 56; 5. Eldred (Eld), 47; 6. Pine Plains (PP), 44.5; 7. Sullivan West (SW), 43; 8. Spackenkill (Spac), 24; 9. Marlboro (Marl), 16; 10. John S. Burke Catholic (JSB), 8; 11. James I. O’Neill (JIO), 5; and 12. Ellenville (Ell), 2.

55-meter dash: 2. Jessica Dunnigan (Lib), 7.50; 3. Christina Watts (Eld), 7.84; 4. Lara Gottschalk (Lib), 7.97. 55 hurdles: 2. Breanna Brucher (Eld), 10.09; 3. Kristen Offringa (TV), 10.17; 4. Morgan Hawkins (SW), 10.23; 6. Hannah Feinman (SW), 10.32. 300: 3. Katie Manzi (SW), 45.72; 4. Rebeccah Harman (Lib), 46.14. 600: 3. Christine Donnelly (Eld), 1:49.11; 5. Amanda Rosenberger (SW), 1:51.27; 6. Morgan Hawkins (SW), 1:52.47. 1,000: 5. Rianne Erlwein (SW), 3:23.38. 1,500: 4. Caroline Bertholf (TV), 5:15.53. 1,500 racewalk: 1. Rachel Deppa (SW), 7:55.20; 2. Ashley Weintraub (TV), 8:13.86; 3. Michelle McNutt (TV), 8:15.10; 4. Samantha Martin (TV), 9:11.71. 3,000: 1. Caroline Bertholf (TV), 11:15.99; 4. Christine Donnelly (Eld), 11:41.25. 800 relay; 5. Tri-Valley 2:00.17. 1,600 relay: 1. Tri-Valley (Aurora Boyes, Kristen Offringa, Bekah Polonsky, Agnes Pompeii), 4:35.08; 3. Liberty 4:41.71. 3,200 relay: 2. Tri-Valley, 10:51.74. 5. Sullivan West, 11:20.71. High jump: 2. Kendra Barker (SW), 4-10; 4. (tie), Diana Schombs (Eld), and Karyn Sheeley (TV), 4-8; 6. Lara Gottschalk (Lib), 4-8. Long jump: 1. Jessica Dunnigan (Lib), 16-10; 2. Lara Gottschalk (Lib), 15-4.5; 4. Mareena DiMilia (TV), 14-5.5; 6. Karyn Sheeley (TV), 13-11.5. Triple jump: 1. Dunnigan (Lib), 34-2; 4. DiMilia (TV), 30-5; 6. Barker (SW), 29-9. Pole vault: 1. Diana Schombs (Eld), 8-6; 3. Hawkins (SW), 8-0; 4. Amanda Bertholf (Lib), 7-6; 5. Brucher (Eld), 7-0; 6. Vicky Tingley (TV), 6-0. Shot put: 1. Tehnyat Khan (TV), 34-7.75; 2. Dominique Darby (TV), 34-3.25; 3. Heidi Furman (TV), 30-1.25; 4. Schombs (Eld), 29-6.5; 6. Brittany Milk (SW), 28-3. Weight throw (non-scoring),: 1. Dominique Darby (TV), 42-3; 2. Heidi Furman (TV), 36-0; 3. Tehnyat Khan (TV), 34-5; 4. Shannon Hanson (Eld), 32-7.

Ellenville boys edge Liberty

Ellenville and Liberty met in the Class C Football Championship game this year, a tilt won handily by Ellenville. And now, they were again vying against each other for the Section 9 indoor track championship and all the bragging rights contained therein.

But just as they have for two years prior, Ellenville emerged the winner by a narrow margin as they outpointed Liberty 93-85. Liberty was bolstered by fine performances from its dual participating athletes who divide their time between basketball and track.

Hardwood heavies Mike McLean, Herman Drayton, Dontrea McLaurin and Danny Anderson helped Liberty immensely in this meet. McLean and Drayton took one-two in the high jump with leaps of 6-0 and 5-10 respectively. Anderson won the 300 (37.06); McLaurin teamed up with Anderson, Ryan Harnish and Erick Cuellar to win the 800 relay. He also took fifth in the long jump (19-06.75).

Eldred’s Hunter Proscia won the 1600 (4:45.06) and the 3200 (10:04.50). Teammate Alex Campanella was second in the 3200 and fourth in the 1600.

Sullivan West’s Mark Tesseyman took second in the shot put (41-4.75). Tri-Valley’s Brendan Moore won the 55 (6.73).

CLASS B Boys results: Team scores and key: 1. Ellenville (Ell), 93 points; 2. Liberty (Lib), 85; 3. Pine Plains (PP), 78; 4. Eldred (Eld), 55; 5. (tie), Onteora (Ont), and Marlboro (Marl), 36; 7. Tri-Valley (TV), 30; 8. Spackenkill (Spac), 16; 9. Sullivan West (SW), 15; 10. (tie), Millbrook (Mill), and James I. O’Neill (JIO), 10; 12. John S. Burke Catholic (JSB), 1.

55 meter dash: 1. Brendan Moore (TV), 6.73; 2. Danny Anderson (Lib), 6.81; 4. Dontrea McLaurin (Lib), 7.06; 6. Kyle Flynn (SW), 7.26. 55 hurdles: 2. Timothy Burgio (Lib), 8.70. 300: 1. Anderson (Lib), 37.06; 2. Moore (TV), 38.65; 4. Flynn (SW), 39.51. 600: 6. Mike Freeman (TV), 1:34.33. 1,000: 6. Brandon Froehlich (Lib), 2:58.05. 1,600: 1. Hunter Proscia (Eld), 4:45.06; 4. Alex Campanella (Eld), 4:52.76. 3,200: 1. Proscia (Eld), 10:04.50; 2. Campanella (Eld), 10:13.66; 6. Reed Scott (SW), 11:06.12. 800 relay: 1. Liberty 1:40.64 (Danny Anderson, Ryan Harnish, Erick Cuellar and Dontrea McLaurin); 6. Tri-Valley 1:45.64. 1,600 relay; 4. Liberty 3:56.61; 5. Tri-Valley 3:59.30; 6. Sullivan West 4:01.63. 3,200 relay: 5. Tri-Valley 9:38.29; 6. Eldred 9:38.93. High jump: 1. Michael McClean (Lib), 6-0; 2. Herman Drayton (Lib), 5-10; 3. Gerald King (Eld), 5-8. Long jump: 3. Burgio (Lib), 19-9.75; 4. King (Eld), 19-6.75; 5. McLaurin (Lib), 19-6.75. Triple jump: 2. King (Eld), 40-11.75; 3. Burgio (Lib), 40-7; 5. Harnish (Lib), 39-6.75. Pole vault: 3. Ethan Meadow (Lib), 11-0. Shot put: 2. Mark Tesseyman (SW), 41-4.75; 3. Brian Edwards (TV), 41-0.75; 4. Bobby Warden (Eld), 39-0.5. Weight throw (non-scoring); 2. Warden (Eld), 42-7.75; 4. Matt Huebsch (TV), 37-3.5; 5. Michael Hinton (Lib), 35-10; 6. Kyle Denman (TV), 35-6.25.

Visit sportinsightsny.com for more on the track sectionals and an album of photos.