Bethlehem’s Sam Smith and Guilderland’s Ian Tapler won individual titles at Saturday’s Suburban Council Indoor Track and Field Championships at the University at Albany.
Smith claimed the high jump title by clearing 6 feet, 2 inches, while Tapler won the 55-meter hurdles in a time of 8.27 seconds. Guilderland teammate Dashawn Gates finished third in the 55 hurdles with a time of 8.38 seconds, and Smith claimed sixth place with a time of 8.61 seconds.
Gates also finished sixth in the 300-meter dash with a time of 38.42 seconds, while Bethlehem’s Paul Buelher finished fourth in the long jump with a distance of 20 feet, 7.75 inches. Bethlehem had a second-place finish in the 3,200-meter relay, and Guilderland’s 1,600-meter relay team finished third.
On the girls’ side, Guilderland’s Karley Giles took second place in the high jump by clearing 5 feet, 2 inches. Lea Cure was fifth in the 3,000-meter race with a time of 11:03.90, and Ernestine Skipper finished sixth in the long jump with a distance of 15 feet, 6.5 inches for the Lady Dutch.
Bethlehem’s Connie Mistler-Ferguson grabbed fifth place in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 9.50 seconds in her heat. The Lady Eagles’ 3,200-meter relay team finished fifth in a time of 10:00.61.
Bethlehem’s Jake Platel won his second consecutive league title in the pole vault last Thursday at Shenendehowa High School. Platel cleared 15 feet, 1 inch. Cyndi Harder tied three other people for fourth place in the girls pole vault after clearing 7 feet, 6 inches.
Bethlehem returns to the University at Albany Sunday for the inaugural running of the Great Dane Classic. It is the final meet before the Section II, Class A championships the following weekend.`