Freshman long jumper Chloe Smith capped a successful season of competition for the Cazenovia girls track and field team with a strong performance at the New York State Championship Meet at Union Endicott on June 9.
Smith, the youngest jumper in the competition, showed remarkable poise in a field dominated by more experienced juniors and seniors. The Laker star leaped 15 feet, 10 inches, good for 12th place in the New York State Division II (small schools) field. If she could have replicated her school record qualifying distance of 17-6.5 set one week earlier, she would have finished second in the competition, an exciting scenario for future years.
Smith’s state championship experience culminated another excellent season for the Lady Lakers track team. The Lakers finished with a 5-1 record, earning second in the OHSL Liberty Central Division, second at the combined Liberty League championship meet and third in Section 3, Class B1. The winning season raised their dual meet record to a cumulative total of 53-3 since 2010.
Six members of the Lady Lakers squad earned all-league honors, led by Meggie Hart, the team’s “Most Valuable Runner,” who earned first team honors in the 2,000-meter steeplechase and second team honors in the 1,500-meter run. Maddy Gavitt was also a 1st team selection, winning the triple jump. Chloe Smith (long jump), Molly Carges (discus), Katie Robbins (pole vault) and Molly Hart (3,000-meter run) also earned second team honors.
Junior Maddy Gavitt, named the team’s “Most Valuable Field Athlete,” led the Lakers at the sectional championship meet, setting a new school record in the triple jump with a leap of 35-10.5. Senior Delaney Yates earned the team’s “Career Contribution Award” for her long-term role as a competitor and leader over her four years in the program.
Four members of the team advanced to the State Qualifier Meet, led by junior Captain Katie Robbins along with Meggie Hart, Maddy Gavitt and Chloe Smith. Smith dominated the competition, winning the overall Section 3 title in the long jump and setting a new school record.
The Lakers were also highly successful in the classroom, earning NYSPHSAA Scholar-Athlete team status with 26 girls achieving an average of over 90 percent during the season. Despite graduating Captains Delaney Yates, Caeli Carroll and Rachel Cali and eight other seniors, the team looks forward to another successful season in 2018 with 30 returning athletes and a host of talented girls moving up from the successful modified team.
