A successful spring for each of the Skaneateles track and field teams would culminate with strong efforts in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championship meets, contested at the University at Albany, and very nearly led to a gold medal for Connor Hill.

Hill was competing in the Division II (small school) 400-meter dash, where he carried the school record of 49.57 seconds into the event.

In the final heat Friday afternoon, Hill beat that mark, and beat most of the field, too, lowering his time to 49.23 seconds, and it put him in second place. Only Renssalaer’s Liam Lynch fared better, winning the state title with a time of 49.06 seconds.

A day later, Hill joined Griffin Lawson, Cooper Watt and Kai Soderberg in the 4×800 relay, with Tommy Hagen and Zach Blair serving as alternates.

Again, Skaneateles would flourish, finishing fourth in the Division II NYSPHSAA portion, and fifth overall, with a time of 8:06.69, far faster than the 8:17.38 the Lakers had posted before. Pleasantville took top honors with a clocking of 7:53.64.

The Lakers were part of two girls relay events. It started in the 4×100, where Amanda Wetmore, Katelyn Ellison, Cecilia Marrinan and Angela Krause got together and not only reached the medal podium, but got even with CBA.

Back at the Section III state qualifier on June 5 at Cicero-North Syracuse, the Brothers had beaten the Lakers, 50.00 seconds to 50.64, but here Skaneateles got the best of it, improving to 49.86 seconds and rising all the way to fourth place as CBA (50.06 seconds) got fifth place. Everyone chased Tapestry (Buffalo), who won in 48.39 seconds.

Alternates in the 4×100, Olivia Gage and Maddie Peterson were part of the show in the 4×400, joining Shannan Roberts and Mia Grasso, backed up by alternate Julia Willcox.

Again showing their speed, the Lakers, whose season-best time was 4:01.46, posted 4:02.94 on this day, but that got them in fourth place in the NYSPHSAA portion and fifth overall. Bronxville roared to victory in 3:56.84.

Kaitlyn Neal, who finished behind Jordan-Elbridge rival Abby Gugel in the 3,000-meter run in the June 5 state qualifier at Cicero-North Syracuse, had a chance to get even eight days later in Albany.

But Neal could only manage 10:18.30, below her season-best 10:13.11, and was seventh in Division II as Gugel, in 10:15.78, was fourth. Briarcliff’s Caroline Pennacchio won in 10:13.43.