Girls Meet Preview - by Tim Fulton
Girls 100m Dash
Sasha Richards (Mt. Vernon) vs. Samantha Francis (Paul Robeson). The girls 100m is not loaded this year so if someone pops a good race, they cold take it. Richards and Francis have been very consistant and have the best shot.
Girls 200m Dash
Nadonnia Rodriques is one of the best sprinters in the country and has the topp seed at 24.16. I'm hoping we see a sub 24.00 time here, and with sophomore Melissa Caddle of Canarsie in there, we have a chance. Suffern's Jen Clayton is a huge talent and can run close to 24.00 as well.
Girls 400m
No Rodriques and no Mott opens the door for some other folks. Brianna Cromartie of Aquinas is the top seed at 55.23 and she could bring home the gold for the upstates schools here. Christie Verdier is the senior with a lot of experience. It should be one of these two.
Girls 800m
Charlene Lipsey knows how to win so I have to pick her, but Michelle Riley of Saratoga ran 2:10.67 at her qualifier and looks poised to go much faster. Sarah McCurdy has been national champion in this event indoor and you can never count her out. I say is takes 2:08 to win this.
Girls 100m Hurdles
Madalayne Smith of Saratoga has a 14.10 seed time though Ashley Hendrix of Uniondale and Janice Jackson of Medgar Evers both can beat her. Jackson won the indoor title. Youngster Allie Van Buren has a solid 14.44 under her belt, though that's probably a converted hand time.
Girls 400m Hurdles
Elizabth Mott of New Rochelle vs. Dalilah Muhammad of Cardozo. It's a match race. Muhammad is the state record holder and World Youth Champion last year. Mott is the newcomer to the event with a ton of experience in the sport. Your guess is as good as mine.
Girls Long Jump
Suffern's Jen Clayton has to be the heavy favorite after leaping 20-04 last weekend and since Whitney Fountain is not entered in the meet. Ashley Hendrix and Kia Allen are dangerous, but if Clayton is on, she should win.
Girls Triple Jump
The event seems wide open. Jen Clayton and Marlene Ricketts of Westbury, both sophomore's, are the top seeds over 39, but there are 5 other girls over 38, and the triple always seems to have some surprises.
Girls Shot Put
Melissa Kurzdorfer vs. Vanessa Stewart. Both Sophomore's. Both over 44-10. Both can win. A greta match up.
Girls Discus
Melissa Kurzdorfer is the top seed by 12 feet. Ashley Clasen of Shoreham has the best chance if she falters while Claire Dishing of Brockport is right there as well.
Girls 4x100m
Canarsie, Boys and Girls, Suffern, and Elmont have all run under 48 seconds. Canarsie beat Boys and Girls at PSAL Cities so they are the favorite, but it's all about stick passes here, as we all know.
Girls 4x400m
Boys and Girls ran 3:40 at Penn and they are the heavy favorites. Warwick Valley and Pine Push, both of Section 9, have a chance if they falter while Wilson Magnet is right in it for a top 3 finish as well.
Girls 1500m
Jaclyn Marshall, Emily Lipari, Mary Kate Champagne, Tori Pennings, Molly Malone, Emma Miller Bedell - what a field. Marshall looks tough to beat but I can't pick this one. I just hope it's a good, honest pace and we see a bunch of girls under 4:35.
Girls 3000m
Hannah Davidson and Samantha Roecker match up - again. Courtner Chapman of Fayetteville-Manlius and Mary Kate Champagne are in the mix as well. You have to think Davidson sets the pace and whoever can get around her can win the thing. Question is, will anyone get around her.
Girls 2000m Steeple Chase
Shelby Greany (Suffern), Meghan Gregory (Burnt Hills) and Nicole Rozario (Pine Bush) ahve the best chances, but the steeple almost always has some surprises. How fast wll they go? I'd love to see something close to 6:40.
Girls High Jump
Sarah Palmer (Schuylerville), who set the NYS Freshman record at 5-08.5, and Theresa Kennedy of Holy Names, both of Section 2, are the cream of thje crop. Janelle Clayton has gone 5-07 indoors and could steal on if she puts it together.
Girls Pole Vault
Sydnie Leroy of Port Jervis and Camille Ginyard of Vestal are the only two girls over 12-00 this year, though Michelle Quimby of Shen is at 11-11. One of these three should win.
Girls Pentathlon
Brtney Clarke and Enrica Nixon are the top two seeds. Morgan Wheeler is a great athlete and could sneak of a steal this one and Monique Roberts could do the same. I like Roberts if Clarke falters.
Girls 4x800m Relay
Warwick and Saratoga look a little better than everone else but 12 teams seeded at 9:16 or better is crazy. If the weather isn't too hot, we could see a classic race here.
