It took until the final event of the day for the Shaker boys track and field team to secure the Section II, Class A title.
Led by Brian Gallagher’s first-place finish, the Blue Bison took two of the top four places in the pentathlon to earn enough points to edge Shenendehowa for the team title at last Thursday’s rain-soaked meet in Guilderland. Shaker finished with 134.5 points, while Shen placed second with 131 points.
Gallagher was one of four individuals to win their events for Shaker. Oluebebe Abara edged teammate Jaquell Chandler at the finish line to win the 110-meter high hurdles with a time of 15.3 seconds. Chandler returned the favor by edging Abara for first place in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles with a time of 55.6 seconds, and Prince Abban finished first in the triple jump with a distance of 45 feet, 3.75 inches.
Shaker also claimed a Section II title in the 3,200-meter relay. The team of Craig Weiss, Christian Delago, Chris Vanzetta and Mike Libruk took first place in a time of 8:08.9, less than one second ahead of runner-up Bethlehem.
Shen’s strengths were the long-distance races and the throwing events. Alex Leuchanka finished first in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races with respective time of 4:16.1 and 9:331.5, while Evan Palmer swept the shot put and discus events with respective throws of 56 feet, 4.5, inches and 161 feet, 7 inches. Jamie Glover contributed a victory in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in a time of 9:45.5, and Brian Campoli added a first-place finish in the 400-meter dash with a time of 49.7 seconds.
The next five places in the team standings were tightly bunched together. Bethlehem was third with 53 points, while Ballston Spa placed fourth with 49 points. Saratoga Springs finished fifth with 43 points, Albany took sixth place with 42 points and defending champion Colonie was seventh with 40.5 points.
Bethlehem’s Jake Platel and Sam Smith successfully defended their Class A titles. Platel won the pole vault by clearing 14 feet, while Smith finished first in the high jump by clearing the bar at 6 feet, 4 inches.
Saratoga’s Alex King took first place in the long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 8 inches, and Niskayuna’s Louis Serafini won the 800-meter race with a time of 1:56.5.`