Among the favorites in the OHSL Liberty division, the Solvay boys track and field team passed one of its biggest hurdles last Wednesday afternoon when it edged past Marcellus in a 72-69 classic.

Winning required the Bearcats to sweep the field events. Brian McLeod helped in that count, claiming first in the high jump by clearing 6 feet 1 inch and also taking the triple jump (40’7 ½”) and long jump (exactly 20 feet) before he was done.

Frank Pucello swept the throwing events, heaving the shot put 40’9 ½” and the discus 109’5”, with Josh Marotti clearing 12 feet in the pole vault. Marotti also would get to first place in the 110 high hurdles in 16.8 seconds and combine with Carmen Sarno, Owen Ryan and DaShawn Procks for a victory in the 4×100 relay in 47.8 seconds.

As for Marcellus, it saw star runner Ryan Manahan win three times, going 800 meters in 2:12.2, running the mile in 4:56.5 and winning the 400-meter dash in 52.4 seconds.

Justin Garn was first in the 400 hurdles (1:02.4) as Nate Waite won the 100-meter dash in 11.6 seconds. Garn, Pat McGuane, Tristan Duger and David Stopen combined to claim the 4×800 relay in a clocking of 9:13 flat.

Marcellus easily won the girls meet over Solvay 120-21, led by Abby Fallon, who claimed three events as she went 14’ in the long jump, ran the 100 in 13.4 seconds and the 200 in 29.4 seconds.

Rachel Garn was victorious in the 800 (2:36.9) and 1,500 (5:19.70) meter runs, with Schuyler Stuart first in the 3,000 in 12:59.7. Haley Randall (100 hurdles), Shannon Twombly (400 meters) and Zoe Higgins (400 hurdles) also won races.

Cayla Dutton, in the high jump, and Kaitlyn Heath, in the pole vault, also finished first for the Mustangs. Johanna Sylcox threw the shot put 27’8”, but Solvay’s Samantha Waters prevailed in the discus, heaving it 76’4 ½”.

The Mustangs managed to sweep the 4×100 (55.9 seconds), 4×400 (4:52.0) and 4×800 (10:54.5) relays, too, as Garn, Randall, Fallon, Twombly, Higgins, Tori Stopen, Emily Townsend, Nellie Ramsden and Eliza Bell took part.

Two days earlier, Solvay’s boys won its league opener, defeating Phoenix 78-63. In a meet delayed from an April 10 weather postponement, the Bearcats spread around its winning performances, starting with sprinter Nick Cometti, who took the 100-meter dash in 11.8 seconds and the 200-meter dash in 24.6 seconds.

Eric Goodrich needed 54.2 seconds to beat the field in the 400-meter dash as Matt Battaglia covered 800 meters in 2:11.8.

Battaglia and Goodrich also ran legs in the 4×400 relay (3:40.1) as Goodrich, Mike Nicolini, Colton Francemone and Nate Carr claimed first in the 4×800 in 8:52.90. Battaglia, Carmen Sarno, Isaiah Lee and Owen Ryan won the 4×100 relay in 47.2 seconds.

Marotti, second in the 110 high hurdles (17.5 seconds), did win the pole vault, clearing 11’6”,while McLeod topped 6’2 ½” in the high jump.

Solvay lost the girls meet to Phoenix 91-46. Abby Frateschi did win the 1,500-meter run in 5:54, while Taylor Guinta took the triple jump by going 27 feet 2 inches. Haylie Virginia led the Firebirds with four titles in the 100 hurdles, 400 hurdles, long jump and triple jump.