As a preview for the NY State Championships this weekend we decided to take a look at some athletes we either haven't seen much of at The Armory this season, if at all.
PREVIEWS BY CHRISTOPHER HUNT
John Drabik (Colonie) & Mark Canady (Edison Tech): Drabik popped a big one at the Section 2 Division 1 championship, clocking a 6.1 hand-time, which is the second-fastest time in the country this season and the fastest in the state. He ran 6.3 to win the Section 2 state qualifier Feb. 27. His biggest competition will be Edison Tech’s Mark Canady, who has a 6.36 FAT time from winning the Section 5 state qualifier. Canady has got to be the favorite going in with two 6.36 FAT times headed into the state meet.
Zavon Watkins (Liverpool): Watkins (above, right) twice set the national sophomore class record in the 1,000 this season. First he won the 1,000 solo at the Stanner Games in 2:29.30 then he bettered that time at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational. He finished second after pushing a hard pace in 2:27.59, the second-best time in the country this season. Watkins isn’t afraid to run from the front and it’s just as likely that he’ll be chasing a fast time in addition to his first individual state championship in the 1,000.
Mike Quercia (Marcellus): It’s fair to say that the 600 is still relatively new event for Querica, who was one of the best quarter-milers in the country last spring. Quercia only started running the 600 seriously this season but there’s not reason he can’t challenge the state record at Cornell. The Texas-bound senior first showed is prowess at the New Balance Collegiate Inviational with a win in 1:19.37. But then he matched the mark at the Section 3 state qualifier on the flat track at Manley Fieldhouse. The state record is 1:18.80 set by Terrance Livington (Great Neck South) last year. If Newburgh’s Randy Patterson presses Quercia in the last 200 they could possibly both dip under 1:19.
Alex Hatz (Fayetteville-Manilus): The fact that I haven’t seen Hatz run this season makes me feel cheated. From the 1,000 to the 3200, Hatz is probably the best in the state and certainly one of the best in the country. He won the invitational mile at Boston Indoor Games after having kidney surgery over the summer and missing nearly the entire cross country season. Whatever he wants to run, he’s going to win. It’s more a matter of how fast he wants to run. Personally, I’d like to see him go under 4:08 in the 1,600 or under 9 minutes for the 3,200. Remember when he ran 2:26.44 at Manley Fieldhouse at the Section 3 state qualifier last year?
Davion Wint (Columbus): So truth be told, I didn’t know much about this kid before the PSAL Championships. Then he went and beat John Thomas of Sheepshead Bay and Megar Evers’ Andre Jordan, setting the nation’s fastest time, 33.94. It was almost a half-second PR for the junior, which only means that he’s in peak shape headed into the state meet. Especially since he ran a personal best 34.24 the week before. The 300 final could look exactly like the PSAL 300 final, with Thomas, Jordan and Wint three-abreast down the final straightaway.
Kareem Crawford (Curtis): Crawford doesn’t have many marks this season because he missed most competitions for religious reasons. But that didn’t stop Crawford from blitzing to a win in 7.45 at the PSAL Championship and spoiling Sheepshead Bay’s expected hurdles-rout. Crawford’s time ties for the fastest time in the state and eighth-fastest in the country. Now remember, he doesn’t have many races under his belt this season, which could mean he won’t be sharp or it could mean he has fresh legs. I say 7.45, means fresh legs.
Madalayne Smith (Saratoga Springs): It’s a shame we don’t get to see her run more often but Smith is one of the best hurdlers I’ve ever seen in person. More importantly, she continues to get better. Not only is she powerful and quick but she’s seasoned and consistent. That’s what makes her the favorite to repeat as state champ in the 55 hurdles. Smith also is the top seed in the 55 dash, which could be a very impressive double for her and shows that she’s working on her speed. Cardozo sophomore Lateisha Philson, who clocked 7.98 at the PSAL meet, will no doubt, challenge Smith. But Smith still holds the national leader, 7.90 at the Yale Classic in January. Smith ran 8.0 twice at the Section 3 qualifier. With Philson and Smith together in the final at the state meet, someone is going to run a US #1.
Kyle Plante (Colonie): The sophomore broke the state freshman class record (38.53) while winning the state championship in the 300 last year. She ran a 38.59 at the Bishop Loughlin Games in December but has yet to dip under 40 seconds since. Now that would be alarming had she not won the 200 meters at the Eastern States Championships Feb. 23 in 24.25, the third-best in the country this season. Although Cardozo’s Chamique Francis opted out of the 300, Plante will certainly find resistance from Mount Vernon freshman Deajah Stevens, who ran 38.65 last month. Plante is a tough runner that finishes strong and apparently so is Stevens. Expect fireworks in the last 50 meters.
Kelsey Margey (Harborfields): Margey is one of the least talked about stories of the season. In only her first season running track, the sophomore soccer/lacrosse player, posted personal best of 2:51.33 in the 1,000 and 4:56.94 in the full mile. Plus she qualified and finished sixth in the invitational mile at the Millrose Games. Margey becomes the favorite in a 1,000-meter field that has tons of interesting storylines. Warwick Valley’s Lillian Greibesland is rounding in to form after missing all of last year with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Greibesland since committed to compete for N.C. State next year. Megan Patrignelli of Monroe-Woodbury ran 4:25.65 for 1500 meters outdoors but hasn’t found the same form indoors. That was until she popped a 2:55.24 to win the 1,000 at the Section 9 qualifier last week. And if the race is close there’s a chance that someone could steal it, like Bronxville’s Henrietta Miers, who ran a personal best 2:55.27 and probably has the best finishing kick in the field.
Mikayla Pearce (Maryvale): The sophomore goes in as the second seed in both the long and triple jump. She sprung a season best 38 feet, 5 inches at the Section 6 state qualifier last week in the same meet where she recorded a personal best 19-1 while winning the long jump. All that says she’s peaking at the right time. Suffern’s Jen Clayton is the clear favorite in the long jump, but if Clayton has an off day and Pearce is on her game, she could come away with a state title. In fact, Pearce has the top PR in the triple jump field as well, meaning there’s a chance that she could walk away with double-gold.