Liverpool indoor track and field star Zavon Watkins fully expected to add a state 1,000-meter championship to his growing collection of titles during Saturday’s state meet at Cornell University’s Barton Hall.
But Watkins could not quite escape a crowded group of runners at the race’s mid-point and, by the time he reached full speed and got clear, was chasing Marcellus senior Jesse Garn to the finish line.
Watkins, the Section III record-holder at this distance, finished in two minutes, 29.54 seconds – just behind Garn, who won in 2:29.28, a difference of just 0.26 seconds.
All this was part of a large effort by local indoor athletes from Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse, many of whom would post high finishes.
In the 55-meter hurdles, the Warriors’ Joe Spernyak climbed to the medal podium. He qualified ninth in 7.81 seconds, then improved to fourth place in the final with a clocking of 7.78 seconds as Richmond Ahadzi (Sheepshead Bay) won in 7.44 seconds.
Moving to the 4×200 relay, Liverpool’s quartet of Keewan Rondinello, Kameron Arnold, Steve Fiorello and Ryan Ronk finished ninth in 1:37.20. CNS’s Chris Buchanan joined Mike Coogan, Eric Bzdick and Amos Webb on the Section III squad that finished ninth in 9:03.92.
As for action in the girls state meet, Liverpool rose to seventh in the 4×200 relay as Shanice Leach, Armani Moore, Connie Torres and Hannah Anthes were seventh in 1:49.50. Rachel Putman was 23rd in the 600-meter run in 1:41.82.
CNS’s Katie Osborne competed in the long jump, going 15 feet 9 1/4 inches for 22nd place. Both Nicole Watterud and Nicole Campagna were in the distance medley relay, helping Jessica Gallagher and Megan Holzwarth take ninth place in 10:53.99.
