Section 6 Roundup

Class A

Coach Kevin Carriero's Lancaster Legends continued their WNY dominance in team events as they won both the boys and girls class A titles at the WNY relays.  This event, which has been a mainstay on in the WNY schedule since the early 1990's, will be Coach Carriero's last as Lancaster coach, as he has announced his retirement, following the end of the outdoor season, after 49 years at the helm of the Lancaster program.  

As usual Lancaster was led by their throwers as Jon Surdej and Andy Pietrantoni took 1st and 2nd overall in the shotput, thereby winning the shotput event for the legends.  That same pair combined in a close battle for 2nd place in the weight throw as the were narrowly eclipsed by state leader William Gross and his teammate Tyler Doty from St. Joseph's Collegiate.  The Lancaster boys also earned 1st place points in class A from the high jump tandem of Aiden Zerkowski and Michael Wolford, the double 4x200 relay featuring Brady Owczarczak, Nick Cimino, Nick Wolcott, and Derek Walter, along with their distance medley relay team of Collin Rice, Elijah Kerner, Jared Rogalski, and Armani Merlino-who posted a 10:59.87, good for NYS #5.  In possibly the most impressive race of the day Frontier's foursome of Preston Bova, Brian Gleason, Connor O'Brien, and Joshua Peron took the 4x800 relay in 8:10.79, good for NYS #2.  

On the girls side in class A Lancaster held off a strong challenge by West Seneca West and won by 24 points.  Once again the Legends were led by their throwers as Natalia Surdej who combined with Christine Wolford to win the shot put and Elizabeth McKenzie to win the weight throw.  In the weight Natalia launched a PB of 53'10.5, good for NYS #2.  

Class B

Coach Carriero wasn't the only coach in his final WNY Relay meet as his longtime friend and competitor, Bill Malican, is also in his final year at Hamburg.  It is believed Coach Carriero and Coach Malican, back when they were section chairmen (late 1980s/early 1990s), started this meet.  In following suit with Coach Carriero, Coach Malican's Hamburg Bulldogs were able to pull off the wins in Class B, both for the boys and girls.  

On the boys side Hamburg was able to hold off 5 time defending champion, Sweet Home to win by 8 points.  Hamburg was led by solid performances from high jumpers Tyler Divine and Nick Hafner who combined for 11'2" to win.  Hafner then combined with Jacob Wicher to win the class B long jump in 37'7".  Hafner finished his strong day to combine with Sean Hoelscher to place 2nd in the 55 hurdle relay.  Senior Kaleb Luton from Sweet Home had a strong day running a PR of 8.04 to post the fastest individual time of the day in the 55 Hurdles and had the 2nd best individual long jump of 20'7.5", also a PR for him.

The girls from Hamburg had a slightly easier run of it, defeating 5 time champion Sweet Home, by 31 points.  Hamburg did a good portion of their damage on the track, with their strong and deep group of mid-distance runners.  The Hamburg girls took 1st place for class B in the SMR (Claire Danyluk, Deborah Borysewicz, Isabella Jeter, Raechel Zielinski), 1500 Racewalk (Alexis Borzelleri and Lindsey Mayer), the double 4x200 relay (Madelyn Kruszka, Emmy Walker, Charlotte Reczek, and Zielinski), 4x200 (Danyluk, Maria Covelli, Borysewicz, and Jeter), and the 4x400 (Danyluk, Walker, Reczek, and Zielinski).

Class C

Cheektowaga continued their mastery of Class C on the boys side winning by 17 points over both Pioneer and Holland/East Aurora.  Cheektowaga was led by the tandem of Jake Kaminski and Lamar Reeves who combined to win the high jump, long jump, and 55 hurdles.  The highlight of the day for the two may very well have been in the high jump were Jake had a PR of 6'4 and Lamar a PR of 5'8, to win with a combined height of 12'.  Jake's leap is currently NYS #5.  The team was also aided by winning class C in both the shot put and weight throw by the tandem of Jayden DuBard and Isaiah Sharpe.

On the girls side Holland/East Aurora were able to upend defending relay champion Cheektowaga, who won by 1 point the previous year.  HEAT's mid-distance pack led the way as the team won the 4x800 relay (Ava Danieu, Megan McLaughlin, Celia Cocca, Maggie McLaughlin), the double 4x200 relay (Sarah Pawig, Teresa Welker, Ali Dixon, and Abby Siener), and the DMR (Karis Ertel, Cocca, McLaughlin and Mclaughlin).  Senior Jayna Galley had a PR in the high jump going 5'2, good for NYS #10, and combined with freshman Paige Siener to win that event.  Jayna also anchored the HEAT team in the 4x400 (Mclaughlin, Cocca, and Olivia Ranalli) to a win and a WNY lead time in that event of 4:15.88.