Crucible of championships

Richard A Ross
Posted 8/21/12

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — This is Championship Week One in the glorious realm of Section IX high school track and field. In the span of a single week, heated OCIAA division rivalries resulted in …

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Crucible of championships

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SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — This is Championship Week One in the glorious realm of Section IX high school track and field. In the span of a single week, heated OCIAA division rivalries resulted in titles, the Sullivan County championships (aka, the Donna Deppa Meet of Champions) unfolded at Sullivan West, the electrifying OCIAA Throwing Pentathlon and Hammer Championships were staged at Monroe-Woodbury and the vaunted two-day OCIAA League Championships will be played out at the gorgeous Warwick track and field venue. As runners, jumpers and throwers look to marshal their best for these meets and the looming Section IX Championships that lie just ahead, many records are shattered and personal bests are often achieved.

And at every meet, young men and women evince the grace, strength and flexibility that create a treasure trove of epic moments frozen forever in time in photographs. In a crucial Division IV meet between Sullivan West and Tri-Valley, the Lady Bears edged Sullivan West by a mere six points (73.5-67.5) to capture their fifth consecutive division title. The meet was far closer than expected, given T-V’s cavalcade of seniors as compared to Sullivan West’s youth movement. The big winners for T-V were Katlynn Greffrath who amassed 20 points with wins in the 100, 200, high jump and a leg in the winning 400 relay. Sabrena Smith garnered 15 points via the 100 and 400 hurdles and the long jump. Colleen Jones got 10 points, winning the shot and discus. Those three accounted for 45 of T-V’s 73.5 points. Sullivan West’s Kelsey Dutton matched Greffath’s 20 points with wins in the 800, 1500, 3000 and 3200 relay. Eighth grader Stephanie Schwab amassed 14 points with a win in the triple jump and second place finishes in the high jump, 100 hurdles and long jump. (For times, distances and more results check out “Rivals Wrangle” on www.sportsinsightsny.com.) In the boys meet, it was Sullivan West, which pounded Tri-Valley by the score of 90.5-51.5. Mitch Paciga collected 18 points with wins in the 110 and 400 hurdles, the high jump and a second-place finish in the pole vault. Kevin Hart added 15 points, with wins in the 200, 400 and 3200 relays. Jiron Kevii amassed 14 points, with wins in the 100 and the 400 relay as well as a second in the 200 and a third in the triple jump. The Ethan Seidl had 11 points with a win in the 3200 relay and second-place finishes in the 1600 and 3200. Anthony Rydell won both the shot and discus for another 10 points in the Westies’ column. For T-V, Aidan Woolsey garnered 13 points with wins in the pole vault and the 1600 relay, along with a second-place finish in the 400. Hauk Boys won the 1600 and took second in the 800. James Tierney had second-place finishes in the 110 hurdles and the 400 hurdles. With Burke’s victories over both Sullivan West and Tri-Valley, the Eagles were crowned this year’s Division IV champions ending a three-year reign by the Bears. Meanwhile Eldred’s boys and girls clinched Division V titles. For the boys, it was their sixth consecutive division crown. It was the girls’ seventh division title in a row. Results can also be seen in the “Rivals Wrangle.” In Division III, it was Port Jervis that triumphed as the boys ended a four-year run by Monticello. These were Port’s first-ever OCIAA division titles in outdoor track. At the OCIAA Throwing Penthathon and Hammer Championshps staged at Monroe-Woodbury, athletes representing Sullivan West, Tri-Valley, Fallsburg and Monticello vied in the discus, shot put, weight throw, javelin and hammer throw against competitors from Monroe-Woodbury, Kingston, Port Jervis and Minisink Valley. Sullivan West’s Anthony Rydell took second in the hammer throw championships with a mark of 134-2. He was third overall with 2,587 points. T-V’s Mohib Khan took second in the javelin with a throw of 37.09 meters. He was fifth overall with 2,248 points. Monticello’s Heather Giza was third in the hammer throw championships with a heave of 88-11. T-V’s Colleen Jones was tops in the discus with a heave of 32.25 meters. She ranked third overall with 2,173 points. Teammate Claire Tierney was fifth in the hammer throw championships with a mark of 77-9. (See next week’s edition of The River Reporter for updates on the Donna Deppa Meet of Champions and the OCIAA League Championships.) At the OCIAA boys golf championships, Eldred’s David Powers failed to defend his title from a year ago but still made the cut to the Section IX Championships shooting 43-41-84 on the par-70 course at West Point. Powers was eighth. Sullivan West’s Ryan Graham (49-44-93) and Eldred’s Jacob McKeon (46-47-93) also made the cut. Tri-Valley and Eldred split the Division IV title ending Sullivan West’s 10-year dynasty. For much more local sports coverage and details visit www.sportsinsightsny.com. For photos from the Sullivan West vs. Tri-Valley division clash and the Throwers’ Pentathlon along with other spring sports, visit www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com.

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