Before league and Section III championships could get underway, a trio of area indoor track and field teams went to Utica College’s Hutton Dome last Friday for the Utica Challenge Invitational.

In all, more than 30 teams from across Upstate New York took part, leading to intense competition and few points for the local sides, despite some fine times and distances.

West Genesee saw Natalie Buckhout, in 2:33.42, lead a pack of Wildcats in the 800-meter run, finishing sixth as Olivia Lockwood was seventh in 2:35.22 and Mia Mitchell (2:36.07) was eighth. Abby Kuppinger finished eighth in the 600-meter run in 1:45.26.

In the 4×200 relay, Kuppinger, Mikeayla DeJesus, Sandy Gardino and Caitlin Mills rose to fifth place in 1:51.86.  Buckhout, Mitchell, DeJesus and Alana Eastman were eighth in the 4×400 relay in 4:29.57, while Westhill had Angie Mesa-Espinosa, Kennedy Rose, Kendra MacCaull and Marisa Rosati finish ninth in 4:32.28.

Westhill’s Ashley Heffernan was third in the pole vault, clearing 8’6”, while also getting 10^th place in the 55-meter hurdles in 9.74 seconds. Lennah Abraham had a sixth-place weight throw of 35 feet 2 inches, with Brigid Heinrich (31’10 ¾”) in 10^th place.

On the boys side for West Genesee, Matt Bartolotta provided a highlight by going to fifth place in the mile, his time of 4:34.68 good enough to advance him to the state qualifying meet in February.

Also for WG, Esisas Brumfield took ninth place in the 55-meter dash in 6.86 seconds, joining Dan Gill, Jakob Petrocci and Patrick Peris to earn eighth place in the 4×200 relay in 1:38.74.

Jordan-Elbridge had Sean Dristle finish sixth in the 3,200-meter run in 9:59.27. The Eagles’ Logan Kinney, Matt Sheldon, Kenny Williams and Michael Bennick were ninth in the 4×400 relay in 3:48.78. The J-E girls were 10^th (10:43.15) in the 4×800 as Abby Burns, Vassianna Klock, Hannah Fichter and Coral Uhle took part.

Westhill’s Evan Ballard got seventh place in the shot put with a toss of 43 feet and was eighth in the weight throw, heaving it 47’1”, while Mike Ferrara was 10^th in the 1,000 in 2:46.27.