Catching up around NY State

Sure we realize our indoor season revolves around what goes on down here at The Armory. We also realize that some people may think we don't pay enough attention to the rest of NY state. So with that in mind, and the NY State meet fast approaching, let's take a look around the state., section by section.

GIRLS LISTED BELOW

BOYS ARTICLE HERE

NYAIS - Leaderboard

Dana Walsh of Convent of the Sacred Heart leads the league from the 600m to the 1000m.

Cara Roberts of Hackley leads her squad, which could be the best team in the league.

CHSAA - Leaderboard

For years the boys of the CHSAA have outshone the girls but it seems like that may be changing a little. The girls CHSAA are loaded this year.

Kimberly Mackay of Kellenberg edged Olicia Williams of St. Anthony's for the CHSAA Intersectionals title in the 1000m 2:55.11 to 2:55.56. Williams, only a freshman, is a star in the making.

Anne Carey of St. John the Baptist is a legitmate threat in the 1500m with her 4:43.48 season best.

Corrine Williams of Bishop Ford has run 26.21 for 200m while her teammate Malekah Holland has run 57.7h for 400m.

St. John the Villa's 4x800m ran 9:19.14 at the Collegiate Invitational which ranks them 1st in the state. They are led by the Claudio sisters who have great range from 400m up to the 1000m.

The star of the CHSAA is Phyllis Francis of Catherine McAuley, who set the national junor class record at 600m with her 1:29.90 winning time at CHSAA Intersectionals.

Karen Henning of St. Anthony's has thrown the weight 50-05.5 this winter and is clearly one of the best in the country in this event.

PSAL - Leaderboard

We get a chance to talk about the Cardozo girls all winter so lets take a look at some other athletes that we don't always look at.

Whitney Fountain competes at the Colgate Games a lot during the regular season but she often appears at the PSAL Championship meets a little more. She was one of the top 55m dash and long jumpers in the country last year so keep an eye out for her. She did run 38.22 for 300m at the Bronx Borough Champs this past Sunday which leads the country. The time ranks her 7th best in US history. Fountain also long jumped 18-07.5 which ranks her 2nd in the state.

Jazmine Reynolds if Harry Truman ran 7.00 in the prelims at teh PSAL Bronx Borough Champs, which ranks her 7th in the US right now.

Medgar Ever's Janice Jackson's 7.6h time in the prelims of the Varsity Classic leads the country as well. Janice, pictured left, just announced she's going to Clemson next year.

Section 1 - Leaderboard

Section 1 is loaded again this year. We've written about Jen Clayton and Shelby Greany of Suffern so lets look at Some new stars.

The biggest is North Rockland's Jackie Gamboli who set a new Section 1 record in the 1500m at 4:34.8, which leads the state and country. Gamboli has made huge improvements this season and is the biggest break out star so far.

Brie Roller of Lakeland/Panas is another breakout star as she's run 1:33.75, which is under the old Section 1 record but Mt. Vernon's Breanda Crump has run 1:32.60 this season.

Fiona Nugent of Ursuline has cleared 10-08 in the pole vault which is getting close to the Section 1 record.

Janelle Clayton of Suffern has cleared 5-07 in the high jump and is a state title contender for sure.

The 4x800m relay at state quals should be a good one as Bronxville, Lakeland/Panas, North Rockland, Suffern, and Tappan Zee have all run under 9:43.

The girls 1000m is a very deep field for Section 1 this season as 19 girls have broken 3:10.

Section 2 - Leaderboard

Shenendehowa was one of the best cross country teams in the country so it's no suprise they have some stars on their winter team. Danika Simonson leads the section with a 2:58.00 1000m which she ran at Albany University the same day she ran 4:44.5 for the 1500m and helped her team win the Section 2 Div. 1 Sectionals. Teammate Lizzie Predmore ran a solo 9:59.6 3K at the same meet.

The distance girls of Section 2 are just amazing. Burnt Hills Sam Roecker ran 9:51.18 in the 3K at Yale, the same day that teammate Molly Pezzulo ran 9:56.13. Burnt Hills leads the country in the DMR at 11:59.71.

The girls at Saratogs Springs have been doing some fine running as well but their star is actually sprinter/hurdler Madalayne Smith, who's 7.09 55m dash was a Section 2 record. She has also run 7.8h for 55m hurdles and long jumped 18-02. Colonie freshman Kyle Plante has been making a name for herself. Plante ran 1:36.95 for 600m and 58.0 for 400m and has long jumped 17-09.25. The long jump is actually a very good event for the Section 2 girls this winter with Plante, Smith, Klarissa Ricks of Holy Names, and Morgan Wheeler of Averill Park all over 17-9.25.

Michelle Quimby of Shenendehowa leads the Section in the pole vault with a height of 11-06.

Section 3 - Leaderboard

The Section 3 girls are best known for the Fayetteville-Manlius girls, the three time defending National cross country champions. But there are plenty of very good programs in Section 3.

Fay-Man's Courtney Chapman has already run 4:44.65 for 1500m and 10:09.23 for 3K, and you can bet she'll be ready for more as the bigger meets approach.

The Cicero North Syracuse girls ran 9:48.97 in the 4x800m at the Stanner Games and Liverpool has already run 9:50.25.

CBA's Melissa Zajdel leads the Section in the 600m in 1:37.71 wile CNS's Lindsay Raulli leads the Section with a 5:20.62 mile.

The best girl in the Section though is NY Mills junior Linda Hadfield, who's 12-04 pole vault leads the state and ranks her 6th in the nation. Her season best was a new section 3 record. (photo by www.tullyrunners.com)

Section 4 - Leaderboard

The best girl in the triple jump in NY state is Olivia Weeks, who's season best of 39-06 is good for 7th in the country. She has also long jumped 17-10 and run the 55m dash in 7.66.

Corning's Kate Rosettie leads the Section in the 1500m in 4:57 and the 3K in 10:24, though I suspect she can run a lot faster.

The Corning girls and the Elmira District girls (Elmira Southside and Elmire Free Academy combined for the indoor season) appear to be the best teams in the Section.

Section 5 - Leaderboard

Hilton's Sarah Ritchie leads the Section in the 1000m with a time of 3:00.83 run at Hobart/Smith's track, not known as the fastest track around.

Shaylyn Tuite of Pittsford-Mendon ran a very nice 4:44.92 1500m to lead the Section.

The best girl in the Section may be Aquinas sprinter Brianna Cromartie, who ran the 300m in 39.55 at RIT.

The girls at Fairport have run 9:27 and 3:57 in the 4x8 and 4x4 relays, both very good times that will make them state medal contenders for sure.

Aquinas also boasts Olivia Guy in the long jump who's season best leap of 18-00.5 leads the section and ranks her 7th in the state.

Geneseo's Rachel Frost 5-05 leap in the high jump also places her among the state best, as does Lyon's Alexis Smith 37-04.5 triple jump.

Section 6 - Leaderboard

Williamsville East freshman Kala Allen, the surprise 400m state champion last spring as an 8th grader, has been doing some fine running this winter. Allen did make one trip to The Armory this winter, for the Track Universe Invitational on January 3rd. She ran 25.8h for the 200m and 58.0h for the 400m. She has also run 7.45 for the 55m dash and 1:38.50 for the 600m. She leads her section in 300m as well with a 39.87.

Lancaster's Melissa Kurzdorfer has already broken the NY State record in the weight throw when she tossed 57-07.5 at the Rock and Roll Throw Off. She also leads the country in the shot put with a career best 47-11.75, just 3.25 inches shy of the NY State record.

Williamsville South's Allie VanBuren has already run 8.29 for the 55m hurdles while her teammate Kailyn Arcary has run 8.33. Grand Island's Jenna Raepple leads the section in the triple jump with a leap of 36-02, which ranks her 12th in the state

Section 7 - Leadboard

Genna Hartung of Seton Catholic leads the Section in the 1000m, 1500m, 3000m, and one mile and is the bst athlete in the Section. Alexandra Reale of Ticonderoga is a solid sprinter with a 7.3h 55m dash to her credit.

Seton Catholic's 10:10 4x800 is the top relay in the section.

Section 8 - Leaderboard

We do see a lot of Section 8 here at The Armory but let's take a look at them anyway. Emily Menges ran 2:53.42 for the 1000m in December and is still a contender for the state title.

Another Emily, Emily Lipari, has run some great races this season as well. Lipari's 9:50.21 leads the nation in the 3K while her 4:41.46 1500m leads the Section. She has also run 4:53.29 for the mile and chose to run the 1500m at states since Section 8 has already held their qualifier.

Donna-Lee Hylton ran 39.27 for the 300m while her teammate, Charlene Lipsey, may be the best runner in the section. Lipsey leads the state in the 600m with her 1:29.85 time. Lipsey has not lost a race this season, and considering she doesn't shy away from top quality competition, that's pretty impressive.

We haven't even mentioned the girls of North Shore. Samantha Nadel ran 9:51.96 innthe 3K and is a state title contender. Brianna Welch continues to run very well in the 1000m and mile, while their DMR team that ran 12:00.32 at Yale is ranked 2nd in the US. Section 8 is better than is has been in a very long time, if not ever.

Section 9 - Leaderboard

The Cornwall girls have more to them than Aisling Cuffe. Dana Welsh leads the Section in the 1000m in 2:58.97. Cuffe lead the section with her 9:58 3K and their 4x800m ran 9:29.30 at the varsity Classic.

Perhaps the best athlete in the Section is Sydnie Leroy of Port Jervis, who's 12-00 pole vault ranks her 2nd in the state.

Holly Cavalluzzo of Central Valley has run 5:11.70 for 1600m as an 8th grader.

The 600m has Megan Patrignelli of Monroe Woodbury. Wasn't it only a few years ago that a 1:34 600m pretty much made you a state title contender? Not anymore as 11 NY State girls have broken 1:35.0. That's amazing. Check it out below.

One glaring omission is of Lillian Griebesland of Warwick Valley, who is still out with a torn achilles tendon she suffered in cross country. It seems to have affected the entire Warwick team this winter as they have been very quiet.

The Newburgh Free Academy girls are very tough again this winter. They have run 1:44 for the 4x200 and 3:54 for the 4x400m and they lead the Section in 11 events

Section 10 - Leaderboard

Maggie Lapinski of Canton leads the Section in the 600m, 1000m and 1500m while Michelle Smith is tge top jumper in the Section.

Section 11 - Leaderboard

Mary Kate Anselmini of Ward Mellville has done some fine running and leads the Section in the 1000m t 2:57.53 and the 1500m at 4:49.50.

Amy Cheung of Connetquot leads the state in the 1500m racewalk.

Stephanie Barnes of Bay Shore is 2nd in the state in the triple jump with a season best leap of 39-00.25.

Vanessa Stewart of North Babylon tossed the shot 46-11.75 on December 9th but has been quiet of late. The match up of Stewart and Kurzdorfer at the State Championships could be a highlight of the season.

Overall the Section actually seems a little down this year but they still have the ability to place a lot of athletes at the state championships.