By Kurt Wheeler
The Cazenovia girls track and field team earned two league victories on April 30 to remain unbeaten and move to the top of the standings in the OHSL Liberty Central Division. The Lakers upended Solvay 106 to 35 and overwhelmed Marcellus 114 to 27. The girls were back in action on May 5 as they achieved a series of state qualifier performances at the Rome Invitational.
Senior Captain Jamie Joseph was a leader on the track, winning the 800 (2:32.4) and helping two relays to victory. Fellow Captain Meggie Hart also won multiple events, capturing the 1,500 in 5:19.4 and the 3,000 in 11:33.3 as well as anchoring the 4×800 relay.
Chloe Smith won the 100 (13.3) and anchored the 4×100 to victory. Other events winners on the track included Peyton Basic in the 400-meter dash (1:07.3), Clara Rowles in the 400-meter hurdles (1:17.3) and Maddy Gavitt in the 100-meter hurdles (17.8). In total the Lakers won 10 out of 11 events on the track against both opponents.
Six different Lady Lakers earned victories in the field events as they outscored Solvay 43 to 11 and Marcellus 46 to 8 in the jumps and throws.
Claire Edwards threw a personal best of 89-8 to win the discus while Joseph won the shot against Marcellus (31-1.25). Chloe Smith captured the long jump with a 15-9 leap while Maddy Gavitt triumphed in the triple jump at 32-1. Paige Hunt won the high jump with a personal best of 4-10. Katie Robbins rounded out the field event victories with a win in the pole vault at 8-0 and added second place points in the long jump (personal best of 15-1.25) and triple jump (30-1).
The girls responded to their first taste of warm, spring weather on May 5 with a series of impressive performances at the Rome Invitational. Joseph and Hart once again led the team as each achieved two State Championship Qualifier-eligible performances.
Joseph captured second in the shot put with a throw of 32-10 and returned to run the fastest 800 meter by a Laker in nearly a decade, placing fourth in 2:23.93 (just two seconds from the school record). Hart earned second in the 3,000 with a 10:58.44 effort and returned to place second in the 2,000meter steeplechase at 7:53.6. Maddy Gavitt also posted a Qualifier performance, hitting 33-1.75 in the triple jump.
Numerous other Lakers achieved season best efforts at the meet, including Paige Hunt, who placed fifth in the pole vault at 8-0, narrowly missing a personal best of 8-6. Peyton Basic (1:05.97) and Cavy Moynihan (1:07.72) both raced to best times in the 400-meter dash while Kelly Frost hit her best time in the 400-meter hurdles at 1:18.82. Clara Rowles qualified for sectionals in her first ever steeplechase race at 8:46.5.
The Lakers will be back in action at home on Monday this week and travel to Phoenix on May 9 as they seek to clinch the league title. They also compete at the CNS Invitational on May 11 in a busy week of action.
