by Kurt Wheeler

SYRACUSE –

The Cazenovia girls indoor track team closed out the regular season with its biggest victory of the winter, scoring 162 points to top the 13-team field at last Saturday’s afternoon session of the Bob Grieve Memorial Invitational.

All told, the Lakers won seven events and scored in 15 of 17 as they nearly outscored second place Jamesville-DeWitt (84.5) and third place Oswego (81) combined. And it was especially impressive as Cazenovia was missing four top athletes due to all-county band and college visits.

Katie Whitney, Melanie Michael and Susie Pittman paced the Lakers, achieving State Qualifier eligible performances as they won their events.

Whitney ran her fastest 55-meter dash ever as she took first in 7.63 seconds. Michael improved on her 55-meter hurdle time again to win in 9.43 seconds and Pittman shattered her career-best to high jump 5 feet, 1 inch for the victory.

Whitney (27.9 split) and Michael also combined with Caryn Gagnon and Jane Lee to run the Lakers’ best 4×200 of the season to take second in 1:57.94. Gagnon added a sixth-place finish in the hurdles in 10.26 and ran a strong 55 sprint of the season for Cazenovia (8.16) in her first attempt at the event.

Pittman also earned first in the pole vault, tying her best at 7’6” for the win, and added a personal best 45.85 effort to take third in the 300 meter dash.

Faith Wheeler was close behind in the pole vault, earning third at 7 feet, while Anna Reger captured sixth at 6 feet. Meghan Mehlbaum added a sixth place, 47.31 effort in the 300, her best of the winter.

The Lakers dominated the distance events, scoring 62 points in the three events from 1,000 to 3,000 meters plus the 4×800 relay.

Olivia Wong led the way, winning the 3,000 in 11:41.14. She returned to take third in the 1,500 at 5:32.40 and ran a leg on the Lakers’ second place relay. Dinah Gifford and Zoey Gagne added third and fourth-place finishes in the 3,000 with Gifford also adding to the relay and Gagne scoring in the 1,500 as well.

Claire Braaten earned a victory of her own, capturing the 1,000 in 3:26.12, with Wheeler one stride back to take second in 3:26.49. Kate Millson was sixth in 3:50.30 in her first effort in the event. Braaten returned to earn fourth in the 1,500 at 5:40.91 as she and Wheeler also contributed to the team’s 11:19.49 performance in the 4×800.

Bonnie Pittman led the team in the middle distance, capturing second in the 600 in a season-best 1:54.63 and leading off the Lakers’ second place 4×400 relay with a personal best leg of 1:09.1.Kenzie Halliday (sixth) and Ilsa Denton (seventh) also scored in the 600.

Sofie Reger, Maleigha Coffee and Meghan Mehlbaum (1:06.5 anchor leg) all achieved personal bests as they helped Cazenovia to its top 4×400 time of the winter in 4:41.68. Maya Gilmore, Emily Benedict, Kiana Vazquez and Sedona Millard all ran season-best times as they took first place in the Sprint Medley Relay at 5:26.5.

Kylie Anthony earned fourth in the triple jump at 31’6 ¼” and fifth in the long jump at 14’ ¼”, both season bests. Erin Kuhn (10th in the triple) and Rachel Molloy (tenth in the long) also jumped well for Cazenovia.

Kenzie Halliday topped the Lakers in the weight throw with a 24’7 ½” effort with Danielle Smith adding two season bests in the weight (22’11”) and shot put (24’4 ½”).

Every Laker that missed this meet should be back on Wednesday as they take on an outstanding Westhill team and eight other squads for the Onondaga High School League Liberty division championship.