Kaitlyn Neal had the most difficult of tasks – topping herself.
Having shattered her own Section III record in the 3,000-meter run by more than 11 seconds in the Feb. 24 state qualifying meet, the Fayetteville-Manlius senior aimed even higher during Saturday’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association championship meet at Cornell University’s Barton Hall.
Neal, with her record-setting time of 9:28.59, was, by a wide margin, the fastest qualifier in the 3,000. Neal’s teammate, Samantha Levy, was also in the 3,000, but she, like everyone else, would end up chasing Neal from the moment the gun sounded.
Though she couldn’t turn the race into a rout, Neal did finish in nine minutes, 29.85 seconds, comfortably ahead of Corning star Jessica Lawson, who was second in 9:35.50. Levy had a strong showing, too, as she finished seventh in 9:59.94.
F-M also saw Neal join Sophie Ryan, Phoebe White and Rebecca Walters in the 4×800 relay. Posting a time of 9:22.93, the Hornets rose all the way to third place, trailing only Mamaroneck, who won in 9:09.05, and Saratoga Springs, who was second in 9:13.45.
Ryan, on her own, took part in the 600-meter run, and also earned a medal, getting all the way to sixth place in 1:36.72. Rush-Henrietta’s Sammy Watson won the 600 in 1:30.59 and also would claim the 1,000-meter run, plus run a leg in the Royal Comets’ state title-winning 4×200 relay team .
Jamesville-DeWitt sophomore Alexandria Payne took part in both the 55-meter hurdles and high jump. A false start derailed Payne in the hurdles, but she did clear 5 feet 1 inch in the high jump to gain 21st place as Midlakes’ Aubrianna Lantrip won, clearing 5’8”.
Running for the Section III side in the distance medley relay, J-D’s Casey Keane helped Kayla Barber, Gabrielle Dewhurst and Vanessa Eberhard post 10:51.05 for seventh place as Section I prevailed in 10;22.64. Butler was also in the 3,000, chasing Neal, but winning her heat and getting 10th place in 10:08.85.
Christian Brothers Academy sprinter Anna Schug was in the 300-meter dash. With a time of 42.26 seconds, Schug took 20th place, unable to make the finals, where Amanda Crawford (Paul Robeson) won in 38.81 seconds.
Schug’s teammate, Kiana Ferguson, was in the long jump, while East Syracuse Minoa’s Mia Montgomery was taking part in the triple jump, and each of them recorded solid finishes.
Montgomery, with a top attempt of 35 feet 8 ¼ inches, was 10th in the triple jump as Westbury’s Denisha West won with 38’ ¾”. As for Ferguson, her top long jump of 16’6” put her in 13th place, while Rush-Henrietta’s Lanae-Tava Thomas won with 19’4 ¾”.
Moving to the boys state meet, F-M’s Bryan Geehrer was the sixth-fastest qualifier in the mile, looking to improve on his time of 4:23.26. he couldn’t quite do so, settling for 10th place in 4:27.70 as Corning’s Kevin Mosher (4:20.44) claimed the top spot.
Patrick Perry was in the 3,200-meter run, getting second place in his heat and 15th overall in 9:33.62, with Saratoga Springs’ Aidan Tooker prevailing in 9:03.81 and Liverpool’s Ben Petrella third in 9:08.87.
ESM saw sectional state qualifier champion Jeremy McGrath take part in the 55 hurdles. With a preliminary-round time of 7.78 seconds, McGrath made it to the semifinals, but though he improved to 7.74 seconds, he didn’t make the final, settling for 12th place as Infinite Tucker (Huntington) won in 7.38 seconds.
