The best of NY State come together at Cornell University this weekend for the NY State Federation Championships. The best athletes from the CHSAA, PSAL, AIS, and NYSPHSAA will battle for the state championships.

An event by event breakdown of tops seeds and athletes to watch

COMPLETE MEET ENTRIES

MEET INFORMATION

GIRLS MEET PREVIEW

Girls 55m Hurdles - Philson vs. Smith

Looks like Lateisha Philson of Cardozo vs. Madalayne Smith of Saratoga Springs. Philson was the MVP of the PSAL City Champs last week after winning the HH and 55m and running on the winning 4x200. Smith lost ti Janice Jackson of Medgar Evers last winter but Jackson is no longer on her HS team and will not be racing this weekend. If you're looking for a sleeper, Kailyn Arcury of Williamsville South could surprise. The freshman has run 8.15.

Girls 55m Dash - Hannon vs. Smith

Elmont freshman Valencia Hannon is the top seed in 6.99 but expect Madalayne Smith of Saratoga to also challenge here. She has a season best time of 7.09, which is also the Section 2 record. Junior Shilesha Johnson of Spring Valley is the next seed at 7.15.

Girls 300m Dash - Francis vs. Cromartie

Chamique Francis of Cardozo will be tough to beat in this race. The sophomore has run 38.94 already, but if I had to pick someone, how about Brianna Cromartie of Aquinas, who's 39.55 came at RIT, so she has the flat floor experience. Jamiee McClary of Mercy (Rochester) has also run very fast flat track - 39.64.

Girls 600m Run - Lipsey vs. Francis sisters

This event is loaded this year with more girls under 1:35 than I can remember. It's appears as if Charlene Lipsey of Hempstead is the favorite but Phylis Francis of McAuley should be considered a co-favorite. Both have run under 1:30. Phylis's sister Claudia is also entered with a 1:31.80 seed time she ran at the PSAL City Champs. I was at that race and I think she has more in her, though she usually runs longer races.

Girls 1000m - It's anyone's race

This is one of the most wide open races in the meet. The girl with the fastest time in the state will not be on the line - Claudia Francis of Cardozo (2:50.43). Emily Menges of Graden City started out at 2:53.42 at Loughlin in December but she ran with her leg wrapped at Easterns and looks like she might be dealing with an injury. This race might come down to the two CHSAA girls - Kim Mackay of Kellenberg and Olicia Williams of St. Anthony's (2:55.11 to 2:55.56). If I had to pick a girl who could upset these ones I'd pick any of the section 2 girls who all ran fast on Albany's indoor track.

Girls 1500m - Gamboli, Greany, Lipari, or Chapman

Jackie Gamboli of North Rockland is the suprise of the winter. She beat Shelby Greany of Suffern two weeks in a row, each time lowering the Section 1 record, the final time of 4:34.38. It's hard to beat Shelby 3 times in a row but Shelby will be running the 3K beforehand. Courtney Chapman, the lead runner of the 3 Fayetteville-Manlius XC team which won their 3rd straight National title this past fall, has run 4:37 and has to be considered a co-favorite.

I haven't even mentioned Roslyn junior Emily Lipari, the two-time Foot Locker All American. If the pace is slow, she can kick with the best of them. Do not overlook Danika Simonson of Shenendehowa, who ran an outstanding 1200m leg on Shen's DMR at Eastern's. She is running very well right now and is very capabale of winning this race.

The depth of this field is fantastic with Molly Pezzullo (Burnt Hills), Sydney King (Saratoga), and Hayley McMahon (Arlington) all in the mix for medals.

Girls 3000m - Greany, Roecker, Predmore, Cuffe, Nadel - You Pick!

Two Foot Locker finalist in Greany and Cuffe will toe the line. Greaney (Suffern) ran 9:50.1h alone at the Section 1 Class A Champs, lapping runners. Cuffe's (Cornwall) 9:58.49 came at the Hall of Fame Classic and she ran alone the 2nd half of the race. Roecker (Burnt Hills) ran 9:51.18 at Yale in a competitve race to edge out Nadel (North Shore). Predmore (Shenendehowa) has a season best of 9:59. Expect all of these girls to be in it through 2600m or longer.

Girls 1500m Race Walk

Amy Cheung of Connetqot is the top seed in 7:11.98 though Garden City freshman Molly Josephs is the 2nd seed in 7:12.95. The top 9 seeds are all within 11 seconds. Joseph's was 4th last year. Last years runner-up Emilija Vaskyte is the 3rd seed. Hard to say who takes this race but there will be more girls up front in the lead than many of these girls are used to. Who wins the race may come down to who races best in traffic.

Girls 4x200m Relay -Cardozo vs. Mt. Vernon

Benjamin Cardozo is the top seed at 1:40:97 run at The Armory and Mt. Vernon is the top seeded NYSPHSAA team in 1:42.98. Cardinall Spellman of the CHSAA has also run very fast and could mix it up at the front. Upstate's best chance to place high seems to be Edison Tech, who's season best of 1:46.90 was run on a flat track.

Girls 4x400m - Cardozo, Newburgh, Mt. Vernon, and Brentwood

Cardozo is once again the top seed (3:51) in this race and they have some nice depth and could win both. Mt. Vernon is the No. 3 seed (3:55) and they also have depth and can use some different girls here. It's really hard to pick against Cardozo, so I won't, but Mt. Vernon always seems to find a way to surprise some people. Watch out for Brentwood with a 3:56.92 seed time and New burgh with their 3:54 seed time. Upstate's Fairport has a seed time of 3:57 and could surprise for the NYSPHSAA title if some of these other teams falter.

Girls 4x800m Relay - Bronxville, Cornwall, Shen, or FM.

Bronxville's 9:19 leads the way this winter in an event that seems to be a little slower than previous years. Shenendehowa is quite capable of winning as their 9:21 seed time indicates. Cornwall ran 9:23 at West Point so they're a proven threat as well. One advantage Bronxville has is that none of their girls are running open events, and in a race that promises to be very close, that could be the difference. Fayetteville-Manlius is in the race with a season best time of 9:30 but you can never count this squad out.

Girls Intersectional Medley Relay

It's got to come down to Section 1 and Section 2 with how fast their 1500m legs are. Section 8 will have Rachel Ngu (Syosset) on the anchor so if their close they could steal it.

Girls High Jump - 7 girls over 5-06

Chamique Francis (Cardozo), Sally Gale (Nyack), Janelle Clayton (Suffern), Alexis Broz (Schulerville), Sarah Palmer (Schulerville), Morgan Wheeler (Averill Park), and Emily Hren (East Hampton) have all cleared 5-06. Broz set the NYS frosh record at 5-07.75 and she's the top seed. Clayton has been jumping very consistantly of late. This is going to be very exciting.

Girls Pole Vault - Hadfield, Quimby, or LeRoy

This should be a battle between Linda Hadfield of NY Mills, Sydnie Leroy of LeRoy, and Michelle Quimby of Shenendehowa, the only three girls in the state over 12-00. Hadfield leads the field at 12-04, a new Section 3 record. Quimby won the state ttile last winter.

Girls Long Jump - Clayton's the favorite

Suffern's Jen Clayton is the defending champion and favorite to repeat with a season best leap of 19-05 though five other girls in the meet have jumped over 18 feet. Brentwood's Essence Felder seems to be Clayton's biggest threat with a season best of 18-08 though Manhassett's Patricia McNish is right behind her at 18-06.

Girls Triple Jump - Weeks vs. Barnes

Olivia Weeks of Notre Dame (Elmira) who leads the state at 39-06. Weeks was 3rd last year though she did win a state title last spring. The top challenger is Bay Shore's Stephanie Barnes who has also gone over 39 feet this winter. Suffern's Jen Clayton hass't competed much in the event and could shock some people with a good day.

Girls Shot Put - Kurzdorfer vs Stewart

Melissa Kurzdorfer has had a heck of a season. She broke the state record in the weight throw and the Jr. Class State record in the shot put (47-11.75). But to win a state title she'll need to beat North Babylon's Vanessa Stewart, who has a season best of 46-11.75. Kurzdorfer has been consistent while Stewart has been more up and down. Either way, expect one of these two to win the gold medal. Lockport's Erin Miller is an athlete to keep an eye on with a season best of 44-01.