A mark that stood for more than three decades finally fell, thanks to the work of Liverpool’s 4×400 relay team at Wednesday night’s Section III indoor track and field state qualifying meet at SRC Arena.
The Warriors’ quartet of Zavon Watkins, Steve Fiorello, Keewan Rondinello and Ryheim Lawes tore through the 1,600 meters in three minutes, 26.40 seconds. That broke the sectional record of 3:26.54 CBA set all the way back in 1979.
Liverpool had to be that good, since Fayetteville-Manlius finished second in 3:28.86. And Watkins tacked on another victory in the 1,000-meter run, rallying past Hannibal’s Ben Griffin to win in 2:34.87 to Griffin’s 2:35.41.
Not only that, but the Warriors beat rival Cicero-North Syracuse in a tight 4×200 relay. Rondinello, Fiorello, Lawes and Ryan Ronk finished in 1:33.26, half a second better than the Northstars’ quartet of Mark Broughton, Frank Volino, Avery Yarn and Keenan Miller, who was second in 1:33.76.
Over in the girls state qualifier, C-NS’s Katie Osborne had her own star turn. She beat Cazenovia star Paige Biviano, 8.84 seconds to 8.96, in the 55-meter hurdles, where teammates Jessica Wheeler, Hannah Szumloz and Justine Seliger occupied the fourth, fifth and sixth spots, respectively.
In the long jump, Osborne went 17 feet 6 ¾ inches to beat the field by half a foot. She also was third in the high jump, clearing 5 feet 4 inches.
Mariah Thomson stepped in and won the shot put with a toss of 36 feet 4 inches, more than two feet ahead of anyone else. Jade Jenkins rose to second in the triple jump, going 34 feet 3 ¾ inches, while Javielle Fanizzi (33 feet 9 ½ inches) was fourth.
Liverpool freshman Ore Akinpelu dazzled, too, as she won the 600-meter run in 1:38.95. Moving to the 4×200 relay, Akinpelu teamed with Connie Torres, Tammy Brodie and Catherine Rowell to win in 1:47.36, nearly two seconds ahead of runner-up Cazenovia (1:49.28).
Nicole Barrett, by clearing 9 feet, took third in the pole vault, just ahead of Wheeler in fourth place. C-NS’s Taylor Parry was fifth in the 1,500-meter run in 5:19.88.
For the C-NS boys, Mike Hyde cleared 13 feet in the pole vault, but was second behind Old Forge’s Connor Rockhill, who won with 13 fee 6 inches. Cameron Shaughnessy (12 feet 6 inches) was fourth.
Anthony Lupia claimed second place in the mile in 4:33.88, while Volino went 7.70 seconds in the 55 hurdles, second to Oswego’s Cory Keefe (7.63 seconds). Broughton was fifth in the 55-meter dash and Joe Castaldo took sixth in the shot put.
Watkins and Osborne lead a strong, deep local contingent to next Saturday’s state championship meet, which starts at 9 a.m. at Cornell University’s Barton Hall.
