The Cazenovia girls indoor track team jumped out to a quick start in their 2018-19 campaign as they finished second among 18 teams at the Jack Morse Relays hosted by OCC on Dec 8. The Lakers scored in every event to total 79 points, with only Class A powerhouse Liverpool ahead of them at 101.
The team’s field event athletes led the way with numerous sectional-qualifying performances and top finishes. Senior Captain Maddy Gavitt led the team as she hit sectional standards in three events and contributed to three top finishes. The relay format meet combines the efforts of either two or four competitors in each event for a team score. Gavitt’s long jump of 14-7.5 partnered with Chloe Smith’s 15-4.75 to win the event. Smith also finished first individually in the entire field. Gavitt also equaled her personal best in the high jump (4-10) to combine with Paige Hunt (4-8) for second and teamed up with Ava Gavitt in the triple jump to capture third.
Hunt had a personal best indoor performance of her own in the pole vault (8-6) as she teamed with Christina Brown and Carley Lounsbury (6-6 each) to win pole vault. Lily Sorbello led the weight throwers with a sectional standard throw of 27 feet and teamed with Captain Eva Salzman for fifth. Claire Edwards (25-7) and Mackenzie Yates (25-5) teamed up to place third in the shot. The Lakers also earned second in the 55 meter hurdle event as Lili Gavitt (sectional time of 9.98) teamed up with Freshman Melanie Michael (10.60).
Senior Captain Clara Rowles led the Lakers’ track effort as she contributed to second place finishes in both the 4×800 and 4×1500 meter relays. Rowles (2:45.5) teamed with Emily Reff (2:51.7), Julia Reff (2:43.1) and Molly Dolan (2:50.4) to post an 11:10.72 in the 3200 meter relay. She posted a 5:32 to lead Molly Hart (5:34.96), Mary Williams (6:00.82) and Madeline McGreevy (6:04.34) in the 4×1500 event.
The Lakers’ 4×200 team of Chloe Smith (28.6), Taylor Tilison, Grace Dolan and Caryn Gagnon raced to fifth place in 2:00.93. Smith also partnered with Tilison to capture sixth in the 2×55 meter dash relay. The 4×400 meter relay was led by Senior Captain Grace Rajkowksi (1:09.4) with Meg Seeley, Kaitlyn Puffer and Hannora Race contributing to the fourth place effort of 4:45.07. Rajkowski and Race returned to team up with Julia Reff and Molly Dolan to capture eighth in the sprint medley relay (5:16.26).
The Lady Lakers, who won seven consecutive sectional titles from 2011 to 2017, finished second in last year’s championship. With 61 girls on the roster, the largest in the program’s history, Cazenovia hopes to capture their eighth crown in February.
