Madalayne Smith was a busy girl during one part of last Friday’s Section II Class A Girls Track and Field Championships in Colonie.
The Saratoga Springs senior ran the 100-meter high hurdles and 100-meter dash finals back-to-back, and then walked over to the long jump pit to compete in the third of her four events.
I’ve been doing this since eighth grade, so I’ve grown accustomed to it, said Smith.
Smith has also grown accustomed to winning ` a point she proved again when she won the 100 hurdles and 100 dash titles. Smith earned the 100 hurdles title with a time of 14.3 seconds, and then she edged Colonie sprinter Kyle Plante for the 100 dash championship with a time of 11.8 seconds.
Smith’s victory in the 100 dash avenged a loss to Plante in the Suburban Council Championships one week earlier at the same track.
`She had her day, and I had my day,` said Smith.
Smith’s exploits couldn’t quite help Saratoga take the team title, though. That honor belonged to Shenendehowa, which received strong efforts from its distance runners to edge the Blue Streaks 124-113.5.
Lizzie Predmore and Nicole Irving traded victories in the 1,500- and 3,000-meter races for the Plainsmen. Predmore took first place in the 1,500 with a time of 4:34.0, while Irving finished third with a time of 4:38.5 ` two seconds behind runner-up Cassandra Goutos of Saratoga. Irving then won the 3,000 with a time of 9:58.3, while Predmore placed a close second with a time of 9:58.6.
Kathleen Klein (400-meter dash), Maddesen Weekes (pole vault) and Samantha Koss (shot put) also won individual events for Shen. Kelly Fredette (200-meter dash) and Brianne Bellon (800-meter race) claimed Sectional titles for Saratoga.
On the boys’ side, Shen ended Shaker’s reign as Sectional champions by edging the Blue Bison 135-133 at last Thursday’s Class A meet in Clifton Park.
Tyler Prendergast led the Plainsmen with victories in the shot put and discus. Prendergast had a throw of 50 feet, 1.75 inches in the shot put and a toss of 151 feet, 8 inches in the discus. Ballston Spa’s Anthony Russo was second in the discus with a throw of 147 feet, 9 inches.
Brian Campoli and Dan Harris contributed victories on the track for Shen. Campoli took first place in the 400-meter dash with a time of 48.95 seconds, while Harris won the 1,600-meter race with a time of 4:19.7. Saratoga’s Tim Mount and Sam Place finished a respective second to Campoli and Harris.
Grant McLeod added a victory in the high jump for the homestanding Plainsmen. McLeod cleared the bar at 6 feet, 4 inches to edge Ballston Spa’s Tim Schmitt, who cleared it at 6 feet, 3 inches.
The Scotties had an individual champion in Max Groves, who took first place in the 3,200-meter race with a time of 9:39.77. Harris was second with a time of 9:44.72.
Shen won the 1,600-meter relay with a time of 3:20.30, while Ballston Spa claimed the 3,200-meter relay title with a time of 8:04.43.
In other Sectional track action, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake won the boys title and placed second in the girls team standings at last Thursday’s Class BB meet at Broadalbin-Perth High School.
The Spartans easily handled the field in the boys meet, as they finished with 122 points. Runner-up Averill Park finished with 86 points.
BH-BL runners won five of the nine track races. Drew Loeffler finished first in the 400-meter dash with a time of 50.20 seconds, Chris Fernandez took first place in the 800 with a time of 1:53.90, Otis Ubriaco won the 1,600 with a time of 4:26.20 and Scott Maughan claimed the 3,200 title with a ime of 9:47.80.
Sean Pezzulo added a victory in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:52.60 for the Spartans.
BH-BL also dominated the relays, claming championships in the 400-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter events.
On the girls’ side, BH-BL won two individual events and a relay to place second to Holy Names in the team standings. Holy Names finished with 136 points, while BH-BL finished with 86 points.
Rachael Cyrus and Kiersten Anderson claimed individual titles for the Spartans. Cyrus won the 800-meter race with a time of 2:16.80, and Anderson finished first in the 3,000 with a time of 10:18.60.
BH-BL’s relay victory came in the 3,200, where the team of Kayla Dubois, Allison Fernandez, Maya Schank and Melanie Taylor finished with a time of 9:53.80.
BH-BL, Ballston Spa, Saratoga and Shen will send their top athletes to the state qualifier Thursday and Friday in Johnstown.“