Three Dawg Day
Jeffersonville Whirlwind Tour Provides Early Glimpses Of Bulldogs Track, Softball and Baseball
Softball: Hancock 8, Sullivan West 2
Baseball: John S. Burke Catholic 16, Sullivan West 4
Girls Track and Field: Non-league: Sullivan West 104, Livingston Manor 29; Sullivan West 113, Chester 10; Livingston Manor 52, Chester 10
Boys Track and Field Non-league: Sullivan West 110, Livingston Manor 30; Sullivan West 100, Chester 39; Livingston Manor 66, Chester 56
By RICHARD A. ROSS
Photos at www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
Scenes from Sullivan West track, softball and baseball (clockwise): Sullivan West's Mitch Paciga wins the 110 hurdles. Sullivan West shortstop Carly Grishaber tags out a Hancock's Kayla Berringer via a fine throw from third baseman Victoria Haas. Burke's Tom Sullivan went 3-for-4 in the Eagles' win over Sullivan West in the opener of their Division IV series. Sullivan West's Hannah Feinman wins the 100 hurdles. She also captured the long and triple jump.Livingston Manor's Neal Mock comes around the final turn of the 800. Sullivan West's E.J. Franskevicz swings away at a pitch from Burke's Ryan St. John. Chester's S. Ryan wins the 800 and Amanda Rosenberger sets off at a speedy pace in the uncontested 400 relay. Rosenberger won the the 100 and 200.
JEFFERSONVILLE, NY—It’s not often that a school has three home sports events going on simultaneously in the same town. Sensing a chance to zoom in with my camera to capture track, softball and baseball photos all in one whirlwind afternoon, I headed out to land all three for the price of one.
Literally speaking, with gas prices as high as they are, I find myself looking to be much more efficient with my sports sojourns knowing I’ve got five schools I have to cover completely and that means a slew of photos for baseball, softball, track and field, boys and girls golf and tennis. It’s a lot of ground to cover so I do look for opportunities wherein I’ll find a mix of what I’m searching for in the same place.
The easiest sport to accomplish this is track and field. Not only are there dual meets to visit, but there are also the invitationals, the league and county meet as well as the sectionals. Track meets do present a different challenge and that is that events are taking place simultaneously on the track, in the jumping pits and at the throwing circle. Sometimes you’ve got to choose to shadow one event knowing you’re missing another so by season’s end, it is necessary to see to it that you’ve gotten photos of all of the events and the athletes that participate in them.
After a decade of covering track meets I have this down to a science but naturally, since I was only spending a limited amount of time at this small track meet that featured Chester and Livingston Manor against their larger hosting non-league counterpart, it was going to be just a glancing overview of some of the events including long jump, 110 hurdles, 3200/3000, 100 and the pole vault.
The bright sun and blue sky gave the kind of gorgeous background I look for at track meets. No doubt when it comes to the iconic Tri-Valley Invitational slated for April 21, the weather will revert to its usual fare for that meet with rain and cool temperatures. If we’re lucky, that’s all we’ll see. In bygone years it’s been far worse.
Sullivan West had little competition at this meet except in a few events. Even with its diminished numbers, the girls team readily outpointed both schools. Sullivan West’s boys team fared well too. Listed below are the first place finishers. It will be interesting to see how the Westies hold up against stiffer competition. Tri-Valley will offer the most significant challenge in Division IV as the Bears far outnumber their rivals and in track, depth is vital to racking up points towards team victories.
100 meters: Amanda Rosenberger (SW) 13.4; 200: Rosenberger (SW) 28.0; 400: Rosa Martinez (SW) 73.0; 800: S. Ryan (Chester) 2:29; 1,500: Ryan (Chester) 5:47; 3,000: Corrine VanWagner (SW) 13:22; 100 hurdles: Hannah Feinman (SW) 19.8; 400 hurdles: Kristina Sumfleth (SW) 74.3; 400 relay: Sullivan West (Rosenberger; Sumfleth; Martinez; Feinman) 55.4; 1600 relay: Sullivan West (Rosenberger; Deppa; Martinez; Myers) 5:43.6; 3,200 relay: Sullivan West (Myers; Deppa; Rhodes; VanWagner) 13:35; high jump: Arthi Calo (LM) 4-8; long jump: Feinman (SW) 14-4.75; triple jump: Feinman (SW) 30-6; shot put: Kelly Ellis (LM) 27-10.5; discus: Autumn Thiel (SW) 69-11; pole vault: Sumfleth (SW) 7-6.
100 meters: Hunter Cassisi (C) 12.9; 200: 1. Matt Cardona (SW) 25.1; 400: Shaughn Goggin (SW) 57.6; 800: Reed Scott (SW) 2:33; 1,600: Scott (SW) 5:06; 3,200: Scott (SW) 11:34; 110 hurdles: Mitch Paciga (SW) 17.8; 400 hurdles: John Masten (SW) 65.6; 400 relay: Chester (Cassisi; Matt Perry; Lawrence Young; Billy Bukowski) 50.3; 1,600 relay: Sullivan West (Sam Smith; Goggin; Ben Kline; Masten) 4:16; 3,200 relay: Sullivan West (Scott; Goggin; Jonah Bauer; Eric Hableri) 9:36; high jump: Cardona (SW) 5-10; long jump: Nick Zeimis (LM) 16-7; triple jump Mastens (SW) 34-7.25; shot put: Jesse Jurgen (LM) 36-2.5; discus: Anthony Rydell (SW) 107-3; pole vault: Ben Kline (SW) 10-6.
From the track I ambled across the road to the softball diamond where Sullivan West was trailing 3-1 to Section IV’s Hancock in a non-league tilt. Fresh off their commanding win over Family School and the forfeit they benefited by in the second game as part of the Benny Chesnick tournament, the Westies hoped to build on their 2-2 record but alas it was not to be.
Staying only for an inning or two I could not provide any details of the loss except to say that the Lady Bulldogs weren’t able to parlay baserunners into runs in the time I was on hand. The following brief details come from the Times Herald-Record.
Hannah Schwatz had an RBI triple for Sullivan West in a non-league loss in Jeffersonville.
Sullivan West is 2-3. Lindsay McGraw struck out 15 and went 2-for-3 with a triple for Hancock (3-1).
Into my car I jumped thankful for the blast of air conditioning in the 85 degree swelter. The brief ride to capture some baseball at Lion’s Field got me there in time to see Sullivan West holding a 3-1 lead behind a pair of RBI from Greg Stevenson and one run batted in from Patrick Pierce.
Pierce was on the mound and the lefty was already up to 62 pitches as I watched Burke tie the game and go ahead 4-3 as it used timely hitting and heads up base running to make up the deficit and take the lead. By game’s end Sullivan West would score only one more run while the Eagles piled it on. Strong pitching by Ryan St. John was key in holding the Bulldogs at bay in their season opener. The series continues down at Burke on April 17 and resumes in Jeffersonville on April 19.
Once again, these details are from the Times-Herald Record.
Ryan St. John struck out seven and scattered seven hits over 52⁄3 innings of work and Tom Sullivan was 4-for-5 in the OCIAA Division IV victory for Burke Catholic (3-3, 1-0 OCIAA).Sawyer Erlwein and Greg Stephenson each had two hits for Sullivan West (0-1, 0-1 OCIAA).
For an album of photos from all three Sullivan West encounters, visit www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
Cats And Dawgs Redux
Monticello Clicks On All Cylinders In Dominant Win Over Injury-Plagued Sullivan West Youngsters; Monties’ Victory The Latest Chapter In An Ongoing Back-And-Forth Non-League Rivalrry
Monticello 3, Sullivan West 0
By RICHARD A. ROSS
rross@sportsinsightsny.com
Scenes from the Monticello vs. Sullivan West soccer match won by the Lady Monties 3-0 (Clockwise): Monticello's Annie Purcell turns the ball upfield. Purcell would score the first goal of the game. Team photos showing the Monticello Lady Panthers and the Sullivan West Lady Bulldogs, Annie Purcell drives it home, Monticello's Jordan Fredell wins a ball and is pursued by Sullivan West's Dana Borowski. Sullivan West's Kristina Sumfleth reaches out to handle a ball. Monticello's Brianna Bennett races up the field towards the Sullivan West end of the field.
MONTICELLO, NY—Darkening gray skies suggested an end to the brief respite of gorgeous weather in a soccer season already all too familiar with rain. And to be sure, by day’s end there would be a change of weather as far as Monticello was concerned as they were about to uncork what Coach Bill Stento would later refer to as his team’s “Best performance” since he assumed the coaching reins two years ago.”
They say “Into every life a little rain must fall,” but figuratively speaking as far as the lady soccer teams from Monticello (2-4) and Sullivan West (3-5), are concerned, the response to that bit of wisdom would have be, “Enough already!”
I’m referring here not merely to torrential rains and soggy fields, but more poignantly to the dampening effects of adversity brought on by tough opponents, injuries and the scarcity of wins.
As the teams got set to play on this late September afternoon, the memories of their October 2, 2009 night clash came to mind and while this year’s young Sullivan West squad currently fields only one veteran from that fray in Hannah Feinman, you can be sure that the Monticello elder stateswomen remember it all too well.
Back in October of 2009, the last time these two teams played, Jordan Fredell received a bloody nose from the intense action. No doubt, she and other Montie veterans remember it well making this day's win that much sweeter.
The photo of Jordan Fredell with blood emanating from her nose says it all about that over-the-top physical game appropriately named “Cats and Dawgs.”
That fray was won by the Lady Bulldogs who nearly saw a 3-0 lead turn into a stultifying defeat at the hands of the fiery Lady Monties who tied it up with just six minutes left to play. Perhaps the soccer gods saw fit to give the two teams a year off from each other before aligning the stars for this rematch.
For Sullivan West Coach Mike Ellmauer, the prospect of fielding a young team populated by one freshman and nine sophomores to go alone with three juniors and eight seniors was already going to be a challenge.
That was before a spate of injuries began to take their toll. Senior Stephanie Hauschild is out for the season with what may be a torn ACL. Amanda Rosenberger missed time from a knock in the head. Keeper Jordan Parsons has been to the school of hard knocks and on it goes.
Parsons left her cleats in her locker and couldn’t man the cage this day, leaving the task up to junior Cassidy Sauer, more agitata for Ellmauer who still hoped his team could muster the moxie to sunder the struggling Lady Monties who had only one win to date coming into this game.
Hope is one thing; reality is often another. Monticello quickly took advantage of Sullivan West’s inexperience which manifested itself most assuredly in its recurring inability to kick the ball out of its own end, make effective throw ins and goal kicks and pass the ball to people in space.
The result was that nearly the entire game was played in the Sullivan West end.
Sullivan West kicked off but the Monties had it almost immediately as Jordan Fredell, Annie Purcell and Kerissa Bennett all got touches on the first Lady Panthers’ push up. Sauer was called upon to make a save right away, a preview of coming attractions as the view of charging white jerseys was going to become a familiar sight erelong.
Monticello's Stef Viera heads the ball between Sullivan West's Amanda Rosenberger and Giselle Vega.
When Sullivan West failed to clear a goal kick, Purcell, Monticello’s talented year-round soccer maven drove it home just 3:09 into the first period for the 1-0 lead on an assist from Mara Resnick.
Sullivan West freshman Carly Grishaber fired one on goal but SW couldn’t hold the ball in the Monticello end. Monticello won the majority of the 50-50 balls, but Sullivan West tried to use its speed up front with Feinman and Rosenberger to make something happen.
Feinman got a breakaway and nearly scored as Monticello freshman keeper Katrina Zicot held on for the save.
Purcell was getting her fair share of shots, looking for her second goal but she failed to hit the mark. Montie sophomore Katelyn Radlein fired one on goal and missed. A subsequent push by Feinman saw the ball quickly swerving back towards Sauer as the Monties took the ball back. Becky Mitchell to Mara Resnick resulted in a missed shot but the Monties kept up the pressure.
Rosenberger sent it up to Giselle Vega on the right corner but Monticello’s back line defense was proving to be effective in kicking the ball out.
Purcell fired a shot as Sauer was out. That led to a corner kick which hit Kerissa Bennett on the top of the head. A biz dizzy but grinning, the feisty forward played on. Monticello passed the ball effectively but continued to struggle to finish as shots were often poked or sent wide.
Sullivan West backline defenders Kassie Thelman and Katie Taylor were doing a good job of keeping things out of harm’s way.
That is until Mara Resnick scored at 27:18 in on an assist from Kerissa Bennett to make it 2-0. Resnick sent it in to the left side of the net as Sauer lost the ball, leaving Resnick free to poke it in.
Rosenberger had a nice shot from Rosenberger that crossed in front of the goal but Sullivan West had no one at the opposite post to drive in a goal in what was a vast empty space.
Cats and Dawgs war veteran: Sullivan West's Hannah Feinman was a freshman the last time these teams went at it. The speedy junior had her breakaways but couldn't connect this time out. She'll try to reverse that outcome on October 11 when the venue switches to Lake Huntington under the lights.
Monticello nearly scored off a corner kick. Purcell’s subsequent corner kick went behind the goal affording the Lady Bulldogs another charge up the field. Feinman’s shot, like Rosenberger’s prior one just needed someone at the opposite post to send it in. Again, no one was in position..just another manifestation of the steep learning curve this team will have to surmount.
Monticello took the 2-0 lead into the halftime break.
Monticello picked up where it left off with an attack led by Brianna Miller. A third goal eluded the Lady Panthers as they didn’t follow shots that sat in front of the goal at times or dangled in front of the opposite post.
In a scary moment, Grishaber had to be helped off the field after injuring her knee. Needless to say her absence was yet another blow to the already depleted SW troops. The nature or extent of her injury was not known at the time of this writing but she was unable to play the rest of the game. She insisted on standing for the handshake.
She is the last of the Grishabers and follows in the footsteps of her brother Logan and sister Shelby. The trio share a tough, gritty work ethic even in the face of injury and adversity. Here’s hoping Carly is okay and back at it soon.
Monticello would score its third goal as Heather Miller drove it up the field and fired an unassisted goal in at 15:13. That would be the end of the scoring for the match.
Zicot recorded three saves for Monticello; Sauer had 15 for Sullivan West.
Monticello Coach Bill Stento was clearly pleased with his team’s play. “We got off to a rough start down at Port. We had gone to a five-man midfield with two forwards and it really wasn’t working. So we went back to three and today it really clicked.”
Stento added, “The experience shows. I had these girls when they were freshmen and sophomores and now they’re juniors and seniors. They’ve been playing together at this level for two years. I’ve told the girls the wins we get won’t necessarily be pretty, they’re more apt to be scrappy”. Monticello faces Burke on October 3.
Kaboom! Kerissa Bennett bangs in goal to the right side of the net to make it 2-0, the Monticello lead at the half. Heather Miller punctuated the win with a goal in the second period..
Sullivan West Coach Mike Ellmauer sized things up this way: “We get to play them again and hopefully we can pull something out in the second half of the season.” Ellmauer alluded to his team’s inexperience and nagging injuries as “The things that are killing us.”
Ineffective throw-ins, goal kicks and a failure to clear the ball are major issues as they keep the team back in an ongoing defensive posture leaving people out of position for an attack when the opportunity presents itself.
Sullivan West (3-5) is also 0-2 in the division. “We’re trying to make the best of it,” Ellmauer said.
For the hard-working Lady Bulldogs, the hope is that with the experienced gained over the upcoming games that they can trigger a change in the weather to emerge from this early gloom into the brighter light of late season success.
They’ll host Monticello under the lights on October 11. I guess we’ll call that one “Cats And Dawgs III.”
For an album of photos visit www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
Lens Scape
Fall Afternoon Whirlwind Tour Affords Glimpses Into Girls Tennis And Soccer
Girls Tennis: Liberty 4, Fallsburg 1
Girls Soccer: Fallsburg 5, Family 0; Liberty 2, Sullivan West 1
By RICHARD A. ROSS
rross@sportsinsightsny.com
From hither to yon (Clockwise): Liberty's Anastasia Fitzpatrick prevailed over Fallsburg's Emily Cassidy in singles by the score of 6-4, 6-2. Sullivan West's Kassie Thelman vies for a ball with Liberty's Maria Cuellar. Fallsburg Coach Mike Gellar gives some sideline tips to his Lady Comets, Liberty's Nikole Snyder scores the game-tying goal in the second half. Fallsburg's Samantha Wiles had two goals in the Lady Comets 5-0 shutout of Family. Heidi Furman won her singles match 6-1, 6-0 over Liberty's Caity Robisch.
SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY—Cutting my teeth during my newspaper career as an award-winning sportswriter and photographer , I developed my skills in both disciplines. These days as an independent photojournalist and self-made entrepreneur, I still work at both.
But truth be told, my livelihood is far more dependent on my photograpic skills since this website is free reading. And while people tell me my writing style is unique and compelling, it doesn’t pay the bills.
Consequently, I have taken at times to alighting here and there to avail myself of more picture-takngc opportunities in lieu of always staying put for an entire game to “tell the story,” in my own inimitable way.
With so much happening concurrently on any particular day, were I to stay at one venue solely, I would find myself “missing out,” on things happening elsewhere. I understand the reality of being only one person. Problem is I have the ambition that would be better served by a legion of clones.
Starting out at Fallsburg for an opportunity to shoot both the Comets and visiting Liberty teams a bit, I quickly panned both teams as they volleyed. Tennis players love their sport and for the smaller schools, even being battered by behemoths like Minisink Valley, Cornwall and Washingtonville etc, it’s fun to get out on the court and work on your skills. Encouragment from Fallsburg Coach Janet Carey and Liberty’s Beth Quatrale makes for a valuable experience. Here are the results from the day’s match:
Singles: Heidi Furman (F) d. Caity Robisch 6-1, 6-0; Anastasia Fitzpatrick (L) d. Emily Cassidy 6-4, 6-2; Brittany Williams (L) d. Shannon Smith 6-1, 6-1.
Doubles: Magali Ramirez-Maria Symanski (L) d. Dominique Darby-Heather Schoenleber 6-2, 6-3; Cheyanne Holwell-Brandi Vankeuren (L) d. Selena Giron-Rachael Schmitt.
Lady Comets Get A “W” Versus Family
Chalking up their second win of the season, with the other coming against League rival Eldred, surely felt good for Coach Mike Gellar and his amiable and hard-working Lady Comets. Played on gray skies with rain looming, the Comets got going right away as Samantha Wiles scored on PK just a little over six minutes in.
Wiles would add another goal in Fallsburg’s unrelenting attack to go along with single strikes from Celia Garcia, Kali Seastrand and Kassie Foertsch. Assists came from Wiles, Garcia, Naomi Moody, Valentina Gonzalez and Foertsch. Fallsburg’s Brooke Rappaport recorded five saves as the Comets improved to 2-3.
The Rivalry Resumes As Liberty Comes From Behind For A Division IV Win Over Sullivan West
Face it, when it comes to girls soccer in Sullivan County, the rivalry between Liberty and Sullivan West is never-ending. During seasons too numerous to mention, they have split their season series and taken turns knocking each other out of playoff contention.
For the young Lady Westies who have to now step up following last year’s mass exit of talent due to graduation, this game on Liberty’s pitch was a chance to throw down the gauntlet and speedy Hannah Feinman wasted no time in doing just that as she scored on a breakaway in the game’s early minutes.
Physical play and unstoppable defense on energy led to a stalemate for the rest of the first half and nearly half of the second until Nikole Snyder picked up a ball from Lara Heslop and drove it by Westie keeper Jordan Parsons to tie it up at one.
Sullivan West had a couple of nice breakaways but Liberty backline defenders were able to turn the ball back up field. With Liberty now controlling the flow, you could sense something was going to give and it did.
Selena Vargas sent a perfect corner kick in front of the net and Zaira Pabon sent it home for the game-winner. Expect an intense rematch when the teams resume their kerfuffle on the Westies’ pitch in Jeffersonville later this season.
Justice Dingevan recorded ten saves for Liberty. Parsons had 12 and Cassidy Sauer who came in to replace Parsons who was banged up from the game-tying goal play had two saves.
Goalie saves: L – Justice Muniz 10; SW – Jordan Parsons 12; Cassidy Sauer 2.
Records: Liberty 2-2 (1-1 OCIAA); Sullivan West 3-3 (0-2 OCIAA).
For an album of photos visit www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com
The Great ‘C’-Scape
Tri-Valley Girls Capture Section Nine Class C Track Championship For Fifth Straight Year; Stars From Sullivan County Schools Shine Across The Spectrum Of The Storied Meet
Boys: 1. Pine Plains 149; 2. Tri-Valley 135; 3. Rhinebeck 103; 4. Sullivan West 100; 5. Liberty 93; 6. Fallsburg 64; 7. John S. Burke Catholic 35; 8. Millbrook 19; 9. Chester and James I.O’Neill 16.
Girls: 1. Tri-Valley 211; 2. Liberty 113; 3. Sullivan West 102; 4. Pine Plains 84; 5. James I. O’Neill 76; 6. Millbrook 49; 7. Rhinebeck 48; 8. John S. Burke Catholic 19; 9. Fallsburg 17.
By RICHARD A. ROSS
rross@sportsinsightsny.com Complete meet results: http://ny.milesplit.com/meets/94908/results/161508
Scenes from a Golden Day: Class C championship moments include (clockwise) Tri-Valley seventh grader Autumn Bender wins the 3000, Liberty's Jessica Dunnigan wins the 100. She came back to win the 200, the long jump and ran a leg in the winning 400 relay. Liberty's Kane Sauchuk wins the 400 hurdles.Tri-Valley's Hauk Boyes triumphs in the 3000 steeplechase. Sullivan West's Dani Myers wins the 2000 steeplechase. Tri-Valley's Kaitlynn Greffrath wins the high jump. Liberty's Erick Cuellar wins the 400 after taking the 100 and 200. He capped off the day by running a leg in the winning 1600 relay. Fallsburg's Michael Robinson won the triple jump. He is pictured here in the long jump. O'Neill's Megan Clark won the pole vault with a leap of 12-0.
KINGSTON, NY—The days of my epic stories are just about over as it seems I have to choose between being a photographer or a writer, especially when it comes to mega-events such as Section Nine track meets an overwhelming workload and the exigencies of Mother Nature which zapped my electricity and phone rendering my best of intentions useless.
Coming home with 531 photos in my camera and encountering a tornado-like storm that consigned me to a darkened isolation and then looking over the countless times, distances and places from the meet, much of which deserves major exposition by way of the stories I’ve written over the years, I threw my hands in the air and said, “I give up.”
Loading the photo album which appears on www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com took six hours alone and here I am sitting in an Internet Café with no power or phone at home and just unable to write the tale with the verve and acumen I’ve evinced since 2002. That includes what I wanted so much to say about the Class D victories by the Eldred boys and girls who grabbed the titles for the third straight year and to throw in a last kudos to the Monties from the Class A meet as well.
I hope to soon get a CD of photos from that marvelous Class D encounter and post them on my photo site in tribute to the Yellow Jackets whom I respect beyond words.
That the Tri-Valley girls claimed the Class C title for the fifth straight year came as no surprise to me. Deep and talented, the Lady Bears were unbeatable in my estimation but kudos to the T-V boys for their second place finish to Pine Plains. Liberty and Sullivan West girls put up an epic effort but T-V’s depth and talent is just beyond the pale.
The meteoric rise of T-V’s boys team continued. A sweep by the Bears of both genders is becoming more and more of an imminent possibility in the coming year.
Notable performances by individuals from Liberty, Sullivan West and Fallsburg were part of the fabric of the day. All I can do at this juncture is to reel off the list of winners. Swamped with work for school presentations next week (slide shows) and the specter of days without power, I’m cognizant of how abrupt this coverage is and how it shortchanges the kids whose names are not on this brief list. With scoring going to eight places, there are so many who deserve praise. The best I can do is to link the complete results so that you can see who did what.
The day had its share of epic performances including Jessica Dunnigan’s long jump of 17-8 1/4. Dunnigan’s day was golden to say the least with wins in the 100 (12.89), 200 and the anchor leg in the Lady Indians winning 400 relay (52.39).
Tri-Valley seventh grader Autumn Bender captured the 3000 (11:21.85) divesting Sullivan West’s Dani Myers of a chance to repeat as champ in the event. Bender attacked the race with a vengeance and took advantage of Myers’ slower start unlike the one the stalwart Lady Westie had used to run 11:04 in the OCIAA Championships. Myers found her grit later by winning the steeplechase as she kept T-V’s Caroline Bertholf from repeating in that regard.
T-V’s Hauk Boyes captured the 3000 steeplechase in 11:20.54. He is the first Bear to win the event since Travis Wolfe.
Imagine the surprise when it was announced that T-V’s Mareena DiMilia had made it to the finals in the 100 hurdles after missing her steps and tumbling to the track. DiMilia got right up and raced to the finish making the cut. Then in the finals she beat out SW’s Hannah Feinman to take third place. DiMilia was a stunning winner in the shot put besting teammates Dominique Darby and Heidi Furman. All of this in a spring when she divided her time between track and softball.
Liberty’s Erick Cuellar gave the Indians a vanload of points with a sweep of the 100, 200, 400 and a leg in the winning 1600 relay.
Here are the winners of Class C. (Since there are now Class B schools in Sullivan County I’m not writing about those schools, nor can I go into the fine efforts cashed in by Class C kids from schools outside of Sullivan County. I’ll make an exception for O’Neill’s Megan Clark who won the pole vault and the high hurdles.
A wonderful athlete and a charming person with exemplary skills and self-discipline, Clark embodies what I so love about high school athletics at its best. As Megan is moving to Georgia at the end of this school year, I want to take this opportunity to wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors. She will be greatly missed.
Here are the County Class C girls gold medalists: 100 Jessica Dunnigan (Liberty) 12.89; 200 Dunnigan 26.50; 3000 Autumn Bender (T-V) 11:21.85. 2000 Steeplechase Dani Myers (SW) 8:18.27; 400 Hurdles Rebeccah Harman (Liberty) 1:10.79; 400 Relay B (Liberty) 52.39 (Dunnigan, Lara Heslop, Amanda Bertholf and Nikole Snyder); 1600 Relay Sullivan West (4:28.27) Rianne Erlwein, Rosa Martinez, Laura Vennes and Kristina Sumfleth; High jump Kaitlynn Greffrath (T-V) 4-11; Long jump Dunnigan (L) 17-8 ¼ – A personal best leap for the state-bound Dunnigan whose jump meets the qualifying standard. Dunnigan is the reigning state champ in the 200. Triple jump Hannah Feinman (SW) 33-08.50; Shot put: Mareena DiMilia (T-V) 34-08-50; Discus Dominique Darby (T-V) 109-11; Javelin Heidi Furman (T-V) 84-07.
Sullivan County boys gold medalists: 100 Erick Cuellar (Liberty) 11:93; 200 Cuellar (L) 23.56; 400 Cuellar (L) 53.44; 400 Hurdles Kane Sauchuk (L) 51.89; 3000 Steeplechase Hauk Boyes T-V) 11:20.54; 400 Relay (SW) 47.31 Kyle Flynn, Sam Smith, Rob Feeney, Andy Kinch. 1600 Relay (L) 3:42.34 Cuellar, Dylan Blackwell, Raiquann Malloy and Sauchuk. Triple jump Michael Robinson (Fallsburg) 42-03-75; Shot put Brian Edwards (T-V) 41-10.50; Discus Edwards (T-V) 141-03. Javelin Chris Lockwood (L) 136-09.
* I Will come back and add pix and highlights from Eldred’s Class D boys and girls championships thanks to photos /notes from Tom Brucher. At this juncture I’m not quite sure when that will be included but it will get here eventually.
For an album of photos from the Section Nine Class B/C Championships and instructions on how to order reprints and other keepsakes, CLICK HERE: http://sportsinsights.smugmug.com/Sports/Section-Nine-Class-B-and-C
