More state meet gold for Smith in hurdles

PHOTOGRAPHER: Bob Weiner

Saratoga Springs senior sprinter Madalayne Smith celebrated her birthday with a pair of state championships to pace a strong Section II contingent on the final rain-plagued day of the New York State Track and Field Championships Saturday at Vestal High School’s Dick Hoover Stadium.

The University of Connecticut-bound speedster not only won the girls’ Division I 100-meter hurdles in 13.82, but she also came back two hours later to capture the girls’ Federation 100-meter hurdles in 14.09. Smith now has six state titles between her indoor and outdoor career.

“My times weren’t what I had hoped for,” said Smith, who lowered her Section II record to 13.78 in Friday’s trials. “We didn’t seem to have enough time to warm up today, but I didn’t feel any pressure. I just wanted to run the fastest time I could run. I knew a couple of the better girls weren’t going to be in the race, because I saw it on-line, but that didn’t make any difference to me.

“I think I’ve had a fabulous varsity career, so far, and it’s not over yet, because I’m going to the nationals next week.”

Although Smith’s times weren’t what she expected, at least she came away with two more gold medals, something her top-seeded Blue Streaks teammates failed to do in one of the meet’s headline events.

After a two-hour rain delay just before the relays were scheduled to start, Saratoga came back out on the wet track and looked strong early in the 4 x 800, but was overtaken by Garden City, which followed Emily Menges’ 2:07.5 anchor to a state-record time of 8:49.88, snapping the mark of 8:50.41 by Boys and Girls High School in 2002.

Although Saratoga ended up finishing third behind Fayetteville-Manlius, the Blue Streaks still clocked a Section II-best time of 8:50.70 — the fifth fastest in U.S. history — with junior Amanda Burroughs, senior Colleen Hollowod, sophomore Maragaret MacDonald and senior Brianne Bellon rounding out the team. Bellon’s split was under 2:09.

Saratoga had just set the sectional mark (8:54.66) in last week’s intersectional qualifier. Shenendehowa, which had the No. 3 performance on the all-time sectional list at 8:58.85, finished fourth in 9:03.97. Danika Simonson, Sam Crisafulli, Lizzie Predmore and Alex Burtnick comprised the squad.

“I know the girls wanted the state title, but they also wanted to break their own record, and they did that,” said Saratoga coach Linda Kranick. “We set a new Section II record by shaving four seconds off. I’m so proud of them. That Garden City team may be the best 4 x 800 relay team I’ve seen, but we’re ecstatic with our performance. I think the delays and the intense heat may have taken its toll.”

Ten teams finished under 9:12, and Garden City climbed to second on the all-time national list, with Fayetteville-Manlius (8:50.56) fourth.

The boys’ 4 x 800 was also competitive, with Liverpool taking top honors with a 7:38.78. Shaker made a strong showing for fourth in 7:46.85 with the team of Ryan Egan, Chris Herman, Matt Conti and Christian Delago, and Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake was seventh in 7:48.13.

There were many other outstanding performances by area athletes.

Klarissa Ricks, a junior from Holy Names, not only won the D2 100-meter dash in a personal-best 11.96, but she also took the D2 long jump in 18-0 3⁄4 and was second in the Federation D2 long jump in 18-2 1⁄4. Ricks later finished second in the Federation 100, running a 12.00. Her 11.96 is third fastest in Section II history and best ever by a Section II girl in sectional or intersectional competition.

“I wanted to win every event I was entered in, but I also knew it was tough,” said Ricks. “I tried to stay hydrated. You are using different muscles in each of the events I compete in, so you have to stay loose.”

Schuylerville junior Sarah Palmer won her fourth state championship by taking the D2 high jump with a leap of 5-7 that also gave her a silver medal in the Federation competition behind Valley Stream’s Joanne Imbert (5-8).

“I hit that 5-7 on my first jump,” she said. “I knew it was a pretty good jump, but then [Imbert] came back on her next jump to beat me,” Palmer said.

Fonda-Fultonville senior Shane Smith followed up Friday’s victory in the Division II discus with a Federation title at 170-9. He also wound up with a pair of seconds in the shot put, throwing 57-4 in the D2 finals and 58-6 1⁄2 in the Federation event.

Tehresa Coles of Colonie was fourth in the girls’ DI discus (123-9), Tim Mount of Saratoga was fourth in the D1 400 meters (49.20), Megan Seeley of Hudson Falls was fourth in the girls’ D2 discus (123-11), Shenendehowa’s Lizzie Predmore was fifth in the girls’ Federation 1,500 run (4:31.38), Colonie sophomore Kyle Plante was third in the girls’ Federation 400-meter hurdles, Holy Names senior Kolbi Smith was third in the girls’ Federation shot put (41-4 1⁄2) and Seeley finished fifth in the Federation discus (121-7) .

Albany High’s Kareem Morris was second in the boys’ Federation 200 (21.81), Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake’s Scott Maughan was fourth in the 3,000 steeplechase (9:35.16), Fonda-Fultonville’s Shane Smith was second in the Federation shot put (58-61⁄2) and Shaker finished fourth in the boys’ 4 x 800 relay with Ryan Egan, Christopher Herman, Matthew Conti and Christian Delago.

Both Smith and Mount from Saratoga Springs represented Section II on the Sportsmanship Award team. It was the second straight year that Smith was selected for that honor.

In Federation team scoring, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake and Fonda-Fultonville tied for fourth among the boys with 18 points, while Holy Names was second with 28 points and Saratoga was 11th with 16 in girls’ scoring.

TOP SECTION II RESULTS

GIRLS

D2 100 — Klarissa Ricks, 1st (Holy Names), 11.96; Federation 100 — Klarissa ricks, 2nd (Holy Names), 12.00; D1 100 hurdles — Madalayne Smith, 1st (Saratoga) 13.82; Federation 100 hurdles — Madalayne Smith (Saratoga) 14.09; Federation 400 hurdles — Kyle Plante (Colonie), 3rd, 59.94; D2 Long jump — Klarissa Ricks, 1st (Holy Names) 18-03⁄4; Federation long jump — Klarissa Ricks, 2nd (Holy Names), 18-21⁄4; D2 Shot put — Kolbi Smith, 2nd (Holy Names) 41-6; Megan Seeley, 3rd (Hudson Falls) 40-6¼; D1 Discus — Tehresa Coles, 4th (Colonie), 123-9; D2 Discus — Megan Seeley, 4th (Hudson Falls) 123-11; D2 4 x 400 relay — Holy Names 5th (Ford, Stodgell, Tuffey, Isabelle), 4:03.89; Federation 1,500 — Lizzie Predmore, 5th (Shenendehowa) 4:31.38; Federation high jump — Sarah Palmer, 2nd (Schuylerville) 5-7; Theresa Kennedy, 3rd (Holy Names) 5-6; 3,200 relay — Saratoga 3rd (Amanda Burroughs, Colleen Hollowood, Margaret MacDonald, Brianne Bellon), 8:50.70 (Section II record); Shenendehowa, 4th (Danika Simonson, Sam Crisafulli, Liz Predmore, Alex Burtnick), 9:03.97

BOYS

D1 200 — Kareem Morris, 2nd (Albany) 21.88; Federation 200 — Kareem Morris (Albany) 21.81; Federation 400 — Tim Mount (Saratoga), 4th, 49.8; 3,000 Steeplechase — Scott Maughan, 4th (BH-BL) 9:35.16; D2 shot put — Shane Smith, 2nd (Fonda), 57-4; Federation shot put — Shane Smith, 2nd (Fonda) 58-6½; Federation discus — Shane Smith 1st (Fonda), 170-9; 4 x 800 relay — Shaker, 4th (Ryan Egan, Chris Herman, Matt Conti, Christian Delago), 7:46.85.