New York State Champions

 55m - Kevin Malivert (Ramapo) 6.42

 
In Leaps and Bounds

Corning Senior Wins Long and Triple Jumps

by Christopher Hunt

ITHACA – The track emptied. There were no more shots from the starter’s pistol. No more sprints to the finish line. The stands were beginning to clear.

But one event remained – the boys triple jump. And anyone left in the building became a spectator while the one event left at the New York State championships became the only event that mattered. But it deserved the spotlight even if it wasn’t intentional. 

Everything added to the drama. The clappings, the sporadic shouts of encouragement. Even the official running a rake across the sand then smooth it back out while Corning’s Albert Johnson waited to start the show.

Johnson floated down the runway while the claps grew louder and the anticipation mounted. Then he hit the sand. An instant of silence followed by an eruption of applause. Johnson flew to a personal best 49 feet, 2 1/4 inches to win the triple jump at Barton Hall at Cornell University for the second of his two state titles.

Then he had to wait while Colonie’s Steve Crouse tried to match the challenge.

“I was just sitting there with my fingers crossed hoping,” Johnson said.

But Crouse, for the second straight attempt, was overly aggressive and over-rotated the start of his jump and ended up running through the pit. He finished second at 48-8. Before Johnson’s final attempt his best jump was 48-9.

“He definitely pushed me,” Johnson said. “It was fun. It’s like no matter how far you get out in the sand you’re wondering if you got out farther than he did.”

Johnson didn’t leave any doubt in the long jump. He jumped 23-6 1/2. Whenever he took the runway he drew the attention of the crowd. Clarkstown South senior Antoine McGill finished second, jumping 23-0. Johnson said he’ll compete at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships this weekend at the Armory.

“The season has been really good,” he said. “I’ve been steadily improve and no injuries. I’m excited for next week. I mean this is the state meet but the competition will be that much higher at nationals.”

Crouse’s teammate Jim Kehrer edged a tight field in the 55 hurdles to win in a personal best 7.35, the fastest time in the state this season. The UConn-bound senior rebounded from a rocky start, crept ahead of the field and crossed the finish line screaming.

“The first two hurdles were really sloppy,” Kehrer said. “Then, I don’t know. Something just hit me. I just got into a gear that I’ve never been in before from the third hurdle on.”

He also ran the second leg on Colonie’s 4x200 relay which finished second overall in 1:32.41 but won the public schools state title. Midwood won the federation championship in 1:31.70. Last year, Kehrer suffered a broken ankle early in the season and only competed at the state meet in the relay.

“It was really tough because I was here and it was like I was watching my race, the race I was supposed to be in,” he said. “So this is really big for me to come back here and win especially since it’s my last state meet.”

White Plains senior Tewado Latty tried to stifle his scream when he crossed the finish in the 300 meters. Latty has been concerned about a strained right hamstring that limited his race this season. He decided to be cautious at the start and it nearly cost him the race. Jonathan Meminger of Collegiate took command early.

“That was the first time I’ve ever been behind coming off the last curve,” Latty said. “I was just like oh no, I’ve got to catch him.”

Latty accelerated past Meminger with 20 meters left to win his first state championship in 34.90. Meminger finished second in 35.06. Latty’s gear shift on the home stretch showed maybe he finally put his worries about his hamstring behind him. 

“My coach (Lamont McCormick) says it’s all in my head,” Latty said. “I think maybe it is too.”

In the 600, Bellport senior Dennis Scruggs continued a trend that started in December at the start of the season. He won the 600 from a slower heat, clocking 1:21.83. Scruggs had run 1:20.28 at the Bishop Loughlin Games December 15, also from a slower heat. That time is the second-fastest in the nation this season but the meet coordinators only accepted performances at January 1 and Scruggs’s next best performance came at the Section 11 state qualifier when he ran 1:25.21.

“I think it worked out better for me,” Scruggs said. “In the faster heat, the guys are all racing each other in a pack it slows them up. One guy fell, they were pushing. I got to just get out and run.”

Great Neck South junior Terrance Livingston won the faster seeded section and finished second overall in 1:22.14.

Demetri Goutos of Saratoga Springs didn’t have to run through race traffic either but he did get the opportunity to play chaser. Pat DuPont of Fairport and Julian Sheinbaum of Scarsdale dominated the pace through most of the race in the 3,200. Goutos couldn’t hold the pace as, DuPont and Sheinbaum went through the 1,600 mark in 4:37.

But with two laps left Goutos started a charged that resulted in him flying past a fading Sheinbaum and then by Alex Leuchanka of Warwick Valley, who had moved into second. Goutos blew by DuPont before DuPont could even react to the move. Goutos won in 9:26.02.

“I really feel like I don’t have a lot of speed,” the junior said. “But it was like the closer I got to them the more I kept digging.”

Like Goutos, Ramapo’s Kevin Malivert was able to win his first state title in the 55 meters. Malivert took command of the race after 20 meters and won in a personal best 6.42.

“There’s a first time for everything,” Malivert said. “Really I’m just shocked. I didn’t really have a good start but my coach always tells me that if you don’t have a good start to just keep going and at least see what you can do.”

Heavily-favored Kyle Merber of Half Hollow Hills West added another accolade to his already fantasy season. He easily won the 1,600 in 4:20.84. After a win at the Millrose Games in the high school mile this season and a third-place finish at the Boston Reebok Games, a win at the state meet almost seemed secondary but it was important to Merber.

“It’s just something that tops off the season,” Merber said. “You can win races and you can win championships and winning a championship is different. Some races you go out to run fast and some you just come to win. This was about winning.”

Merber was tentative early, waiting and almost inviting anyone else to take the pace but the crowd was content to let Merber handle the tempo. 

“One thing I’m proud of is that I actually lead a race,” he said. “I’ve never done that before.”

O’Neill’s Robb Quiller won the pole vault in a season-best 16-1. The only person in the state to clear a higher height is Brian McGovern of Mount St. Michael, who cleared 16-2 at the Pepsi Hall of Fame Classic but missed the state meet after having surgery.

Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.