By Christopher Hunt
Photos by Tim Fulton
WHITE PLAINS – She could only think about the .57 of second that she wanted back.
That was the difference between Cornwall’s Aisling Cuffe flashing her infectious smile after the race and shrugging her shoulders at the second New York State record she set in as many days.
Cuffe won the 1,600 at the Loucks Games Saturday in 4:40.56, the fastest time in the country this season. A new 1,600 state record was established after Cuffe's run, as there was no official record before. The mile record is 4:42.40 set by Saratoga Springs' Nicole Blood in 2004.
“I’m mad now,” Cuffe said. “Point five-seven. That’s all I needed. I’m mad now but I’ll be happy later.”
Cuffe, who was named the meet’s most outstanding performer, wanted the prestige that comes with a sub-4:40 race, knowing it will likely be her last opportunity to run 1,600 meters for her high school career. Most other competitions either race at 1500 or a full mile. Cuffe, who is signed to Stanford, admitted that she hoped to run faster, but spent most of her time talking about Bronxville freshman Mary Cain, who broke the state freshman record Friday night in the 3,000.
“I guess (today’s race) went out a little fast for me, maybe not for Mary, but for me,” Cuffe said. “I can’t stop talking about Mary. I want to give her a shout out. What she’s doing is incredible.”
Cuffe may not have been completely satisfied with her performance but the same could not be said for Clinton senior Tsian Haywood.
Haywood sent squeals of joy through the air after her last attempt in the triple jump soared out to 40 feet, 0.50 inches. The mark is almost a foot and a half improvement over Haywood’s previous best, although a 2.2mph wind reading made the mark illegal.
“Every phase felt good,” she said. “I feel great. It feels like I want to cry.”
Haywood needed a huge jump if she wanted to win. Cornwall’s Olivia Jebb posted her own personal-best at 39-0 and was leading when Haywood took the runway for her last attempt.
“I just knew I had to give it everything I had,” Haywood said. “I think I can do it again.”
Freshman Laura Leff of West Genesee scored a meet record, winning the 2,000 steeplechase in 6:52.74 in a solo effort. Leff broke a meet record of 6:54.36 set by Suffern’s Kara McKenna in 2004. It was also good for a school and Section 3 record.
“Three records in one race is pretty awesome.” Leff said.
Medgar Evers junior Sandrae Farquharson won the 400 in a bounce back race. Farquharson went down with a strained hamstring at the New York Relays last month and then struggled in the championship final at Penn Relays. She motored through the first 300 meters Saturday and won in 55.85.
“It was ok, even though I started to fade in the last 30 meters,” Farquharson said. “I’m really not looking at the time. I just wanted to see where I was at since my race a few weeks ago (at New York Relays).
Medgar Evers also scored a win against Cardozo in the 4x400. The Cougars won in 3:48.04 while Cardozo clocked 3:48.23.
Cardozo’s Lateisha Philson won the 100 hurdles in her first hurdle race since injuring her hamstring indoors at the Eastern States Championships back in February.
“It hurts,” Philson said. “I’m still feeling pain. It’s getting frustrating.”
Philson said she is considering taking the next month off from racing and training through to the national championships.
“This isn’t going away,” she said, clearly annoyed. “I’m getting tired of it.”
Mount Vernon’s Tanaya Yarde on the 400 hurdles in a personal best 61.48. The junior squeezed ahead of Notre Dame-bound Michelle Rotondo of Garden City off the last hurdle. Rotondo was second in 61.87.
“I was scared,” she said. “I didn’t know what was going to happen. I’ve never raced (Rotondo) before. I didn’t know how she ran or what she could do. I was just trying to win.”
Yarde’s former teammate Deajah Stevens of New Rochelle won the 200 in 24.84. Stevens transferred from Mount Vernon to New Rochelle after she moved in the middle of the school year. Stevens said the biggest adjustment hasn’t been acclimating to coach Andy Capellan’s program but adjusting to her advancement placement courses at New Rochelle.
“Everything else is the same,” she said. “Races are still the same.”
Rotondo may have been a part of the fastest relay in the country that includes two middle schoolers. She joined seventh grader Emily O’Neill, eighth-grader Emma Gallagher and junior Taylor Hennig to win the 4x800 in 9:14.26, the third-fastest time in the state and eighth-best in the country.
Medgar Evers won the 4x100 in 47.83.
