CICERO – This was exactly where Hannah Boyle and Kate Putman wanted to be – battling the best, along with one another, for New York State Public High School Athletic Association titles on its home track.
The NYSPHSAA meet at Bragman Stadium would feature the two Cicero-North Syracuse runners battling for top honors in the Division I (large school) portion of the 800-meter run – and Boyle finishing on top.
Putman had gone 2:09.89 at 800 meters during the season, with Boyle third-ranked at 2:10.39. Here, their times were similar, but it was Boyle, at two minutes, 10.84 seconds, finishing a second clear of Putman’s 2:11.92.
And though they finished second and fourth overall, respectively, they were the top two finishers in Division I, so Boyle earned the state championship, with only Allegany-Limestone’s Angelina Napoleon (2:08.58) going faster.
The 1,500-meter race took place the next morning. Boyle had gone 4:27.91 for the top seed ahead of Putman’s 4:29.43, and here both would top those high standards while beating everyone else, regardless of division.
Not until the final lap was Boyle able to get ahead of Putman for good, and with her time of 4:22.48, Boyle earned the state championship, while Putman, in 4:24.66, was well clear of Saratoga Springs’ Emily Bush (4:28.37) in third.
Also on Friday, Northstars freshman Grace Murray claimed fourth place in the Division I 400-meter hurdles, her time of 1:06.49 not as quick as her 1:05.06 earlier this season, but still good for the podium as Paul Robeson’s Kamoy Campbell prevailed in 1:02.39.
Running again in the Federation 400 hurdles on Saturday, Murray claimed seventh place in 1:05.81, improving from the day before as Campbell went 1:01.17 to win it.
Lilly Capria, a lively presence in the high jump, battled for state honors on Saturday morning. Capria’s clearance of 5 feet 3 inches matched her season best and helped her to ninth place in Division I, an event won by Webster Schroeder’s Camryn Cole, who cleared 5’8”.
Meanwhile, Liverpool had a state champion of its own in distance runner Ryan Hagan, who earned the NYSPHSAA title in the boys 1,600-meter run right after Boyle and Putman had run in the girls 1,500.
With one lap to go, Hagan was behind Saratoga’s Ryan Bush, but with his finishing kick was able to catch Bush as the pair nearly hit the finish line together.
Hagan, in 4:11.76, was just ahead of Bush’s 4:11.82, which meant the state public title because the actual race winner, LaSalle Institute’s Gitch Hayes (4:09.94), was a Federation runner.
Before this, Hagan reached the medal podium in the boys 800 on Friday afternoon, finishing in 1:55.60, sixth overall but fifth among all Division I runners and third in the NYSPHSAA standings. Hayes. in 1:53.69, edged Julian Smith (Ward Melville), who posted 1:53.86, for the overall win.
Liverpool’s Allie Cary took part in the girls shot put, having thrown it 36’5” to reach the state meet. Her throw of 33′ 3/4” put her 11th overall, an event won by North Rockland”s Deborah Estabine with 41’1 1/2”.
