Track

Great at states

Sullivan West’s Rachel Deppa takes 12th in 1500 racewalk at state championships; six others perform well on big stage

By RICHARD A. ROSS

ITHACA, NY — What a year it’s been for Sullivan West sophomore Rachel Deppa, Section Nine’s Division II racewalk champion. Deppa, the first Sullivan West girl to ever qualify for the indoor track state championships, finished 12th at states in 7:54.21. During the course of the season, she was the section’s second leading 1500 racewalker, always finishing a tad behind Newburgh senior Courtney Garrison. At states, Deppa beat Garrison for the first time. Deppa, whose PR of 7:46.16 makes her the top-ranked racewalker among NYS Class C competitors, has a very bright future.

Other Sullivan County athletes performed well at this year’s state meet held at Cornell University on March 6. Eldred sophomore Hunter Proscia finished 31st in the 3200 (10:23.96), teammate Gerald King was 24th in the triple jump (42-00) and Monticello’s Dave Wilbur was part of Section Nine’s fourth-place finish in the intersectional relay (9:04.88). Teammate Shane Jackson placed 17th in the preliminaries of the 55 (6.79). Liberty’s Jessica Dunnigan was 13th in the long jump (16-02.75) and 21st in the 55 (7.54) wherein she just missed qualifying to advance to the semifinals by one tenth of a second. Tri-Valley’s Dominque Darby was 20th in the shot put with a heave of 32-03.50.