The Cazenovia girls track and field team fell short in their bid for another undefeated season, suffering a 58-83 loss to a talented Skaneateles squad on May 10. Both sets of Lakers came into the contest undefeated with the OHSL Liberty Central crown on the line. The Cazenovia girls have been undefeated during six of the past seven seasons with three sectional and six league titles during that span. Their 2017 record of 5-1 brings their overall won-loss total to 53-3 since 2010.
Meggie Hart led the Lakers on the track, winning both the 1500 (5:08.6) and the 3000 meter run (11:32.3) and earning second in the 800. Virginia Soler added a point in the 800 at 2:48.6 while Molly Hart captured third in the 1500 at 5:35.5. Delaney Yates and Peyton Basic were the other bright spots for Cazenovia on the track as Yates scored in both the 100 meter hurdles (17.7) and 400 meter hurdles (1:14.9), both in season-best times. Basic achieved a career best of 1:05.1 to score in the 400 meter dash. Their efforts weren’t enough though as Skaneateles won nine of 11 track events.
The girls continued their pattern of excellence in the field, outscoring Skaneateles 38 to 16, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit on the track. Five different athletes won field events for Cazenovia out of six events in total. Maddy Gavitt led the way, winning the triple jump in an outstanding 34-4.5, taking second in the long jump at 15-8 and second in the high jump at 4-8. Chloe Smith won the long jump with a season-best leap of 15-9.5.
Molly Carges won the discus with a throw of 87 feet, took second in shot at 28-5.5 and captured third in the high jump at 4-8. Jamie Joseph won the shot put at 30-3 while Katie Robbins won the pole vault at 8-6. Paige Hunt also scored in the vault with a personal best of 8-0 while Caeli Carroll added a best of her own (78-6.5) to place in the discus and Emily Mahoney added a point in the triple jump at 31-1.
The Lakers travelled to Baldwinsville on May 12 in search of peak performances to hit sectional and state qualifier standards before the start of championship meets this week. Katie Robbins led the way in that effort, clearing 9 feet in the pole vault to earn a bid to the qualifier meet. Maddy Gavitt hit the sectional mark in the pole vault (7-6) and the qualifier standard in the long jump with an excellent leap of 16-2. Gavitt also scored in the triple (32-3.75) with teammate Emily Mahoney close behind in a career best 31-9.75.
Meggie Hart ran her fastest 2000 meter steeplechase of the year, earning fifth in 7:35.75 as Caitlin Clonan also hit the sectional standard in the event at 8:52.12. Brenna Hughes led the Laker sprinters, running a huge season best in the 200 at 28.08 while Kirsten Underwood had her best 100 meter of the spring at 13.46 seconds. They were joined by Delaney Yates and Taylor Tilison to run the 4×100 meter relay in 54.08 seconds.
The Lady Lakers will be in action at the OHSL Liberty League Championship meet hosted by Marcellus on May 17. Cazenovia will try to repeat their victory in the meet from a year ago as they also gear up for sectionals on May 25.
