Smith advances to State Championship
By Kurt Wheeler
Five members of the Cazenovia Indoor Track teams competed at the elite State Championship Qualifier Meet at OCC’s SRC Arena on Feb. 18 for the right to represent Section 3 at the NYSPHSAA state title meet. The group was led by Chloe Smith who advanced to the state championship with a career-best effort in the 55-meter dash.
Cazenovia sprinter and jumper Smith picked the perfect day to have the best performance of the season. The speedy sophomore posted a personal best of 7.55 seconds in the semi-finals of the 55-meter dash to place sixth overall and claim the final spot in the finals.
Thirty minutes later, she ran the race of her life, achieving her second career best of the day with a time of 7.47 to finish second overall among all runners of all classes in Central New York and earn a bid to the state championship meet. Smith also posted her best long jump of the season during meet with a 15-11.75 effort. She competed in the spring track state championship meet in that event last June and is the school record-holder in the outdoor (spring) track long jump.
Maddy Gavitt wrapped up a stellar season of competition for the Lakers, earning the right to compete in three different events at the state qualifier, she opted to focus on her top two, the triple jump and long jump. She finished 11th overall in triple jump at 33-2.25 and 15th in the long jump at 15-8.75.
Gavitt is the Lakers’ outdoor record holder in the triple jump, competing in that event at states in 2016. She was joined at the meet by senior Captain Katie Robbins, who was competing at the indoor state qualifier for the fourth time in her career. Robbins finished seventh overall in the pole vault and completed her indoor track career number two on Cazenovia’s all-time list for indoor pole vault.
Justin Gagnon of the boys squad also competed in the prestigious meet, placing 15th in the semis in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 8.87 seconds.
Two other Lakers had earned a bid to the meet but could not attend when its date was shifted into the school vacation due to weather. Page Hunt qualified in the high jump with her stellar 4-10 effort at sectionals while Meggie Hart had qualified in both the 1,500-meter and 3,000-meter runs.
Hart is the indoor school record holder in the 3,000, improving on her own record time at sectionals on Feb. 14. She had hoped to break the 1,500-meter indoor record at the Qualifier before the date was changed. She ran the fastest leg on the school record 4×1500 meter relay last season and had been just four seconds from the individual mark earlier this season.
Smith will conclude the Lakers’ successful indoor track season at the NYSPHSAA Championship meet which will be held on March 3 at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island New York.
