Johnston ‘flying’ in record leap

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jim Schiltz

Nastasja Johnston turned in a couple of good efforts in the long jump preliminaries Tuesday at the Schenectady Girls’ Invitational.

Not quite good enough for the fast-rising Columbia sophomore, though.

“On the last one, my coach said I was a foot behind the line. I didn’t think so,” Johnston said. “I think he was trying to motivate me. He did.”

Johnston proceeded to break her own meet record with a 17-111⁄2 in the finals, while two of Section II’s other young stars prevailed again on the oval surrounding Larry Mulvaney Field as Shaker freshman Maryanna Lansing eased to a victory in the 3,000 and Guilderland sophomore Emily Burns rallied to take the 1,500.

Columbia junior Cali Palumbo also came from behind for a 400 hurdles win, and Schalmont senior Isabella Borini took the 100 hurdles in the meet’s closest race. Glens Falls senior Miranda Haraughty doubled in the sprints and her schoolmate, junior Zoe Doolittle, doubled in the weight events at the 42nd annual showcase.

“I had a feeling I was going to do it,” Johnston said of her meet record. “I wanted to get up to the 18s, but I was a little off today. I didn’t get in the air as well as I did the last few meets. I’m still happy with what happened.”

Some great things have happed to Johnston in her brief career, including a Schenectady meet-record jump of 17-91⁄2 last spring. Last week in a dual with Colonie and Shenendehowa, she popped an 18-91⁄2 for the the No. 3 all-time area mark.

“My mom said, ‘You looked so great.’ She said, ‘You were flying,’ ” Johnston said. “I was literally crying after that. I felt so happy.”

Emily VanDenburgh of Shaker went 19-1 last season and Klarissa Ricks of Holy Names soared 19-103⁄4 in 2011 for the top all-time long jump performance in Section II.

“I’m going to try to get up to 19 this season,” said Johnston. “I’ve got 18-9. Nineteen is not that much more. If I keep practicing . . .”

Johnston’s workout partner, Columbia senior Eva Kiehl, placed second in the long jump with a 17-91⁄4. Kiehl later copped the triple jump title, covering 36-9, after placing second here last year.

“Eva has taught me so much,” said Johnston. “I’ll be glad to take over for her. Next year, I’ll be teaching the younger girls.”

Johnston went 17-7 and 17-21⁄4 to finish her preliminary jumps. In the finals, she went 16-5 before setting the meet record, and closed with a 17-103⁄4. Johnston also placed second in the 400 and ran a leg on the Blue Devils’ second-place 1,600 relay.

Palumbo gave Columbia its third victory in the 400 hurdles when she edged Abigail Marco of Guilderland. Palumbo went 67.10, and Marco had a time of 67.17.

“I just kept pushing through to the line,” said Palumbo. “A lot of people ease up just before the line.”

Palumbo was never in front until her dramatic surge at the end.

“I did a similar finish in another race and won it,” said Palumbo, who hadn’t run the 400 hurdles before this year. “I stuck my chest out, and that was just enough to do it.”

Lansing ran a 10:35.23 to win the 3,000, pulling away on the last lap to shake off a game bid by Cara Sherman of Mohonasen. Sherman, another member of Section II’s outstanding sophomore track and field class, ran a 10:46.18.

“I was more about going for a win,” said Lansing. “Try to finish strong and get a victory.”

“She ran a great race Saturday in the 1,500 at Hudson Falls and came back with a 58 [relay] quarter. She looked awesome,” said Shaker coach Marbry Gansle. “Today, she only ran one race because we’ve been on a busy schedule. I told her to just go out and have fun.”

Lansing won the 1,500 last year here and Burns took the 3,000. Burns had to go hard to net another top prize at Schenectady.

“My goal going into the race was to try to stay with the front people. If I felt good, I’d try to go to the lead,” she said. “I tried, but they caught up.”

Race leader Shannen Kerin of Colonie began to sprint on the backstretch of the final lap. Burns hung with the freshman and overtook her with about 15 meters to go. Burns ran a 4:50.33 to Kerin’s 4:50.73.

“She started kicking. I tried to stay with her,” said Burns. “I thought if I was going to catch her, I had to do it at 100. It took a little longer. It was a great feeling when I did it.”

Shaker claimed its second straight team title with 108 points, and Columbia totaled a runner-up 102. Natalie Horton, Bethia Nivens, Danielle McLean and Madison Rowland gave Shaker a win on the 400 relay (51.41).

“I wasn’t going to beat my kids up. We’ve been in so many meets,” said Columbia coach Doug Hadley. “Going into this, if you told me we were going to win this or we were going to come close, I’d say you were crazy.”

Borini won the 100 hurdles in 15.98, just clipping Gloversville’s Chanel Thomas (15.99). Mikeisha Kelly of Colonie won the 400 (58.34), schoolmate Kiersten Kaminski won the 800 (2:19.14), and both 10th-graders ran a leg on the Garnet Raiders’ first-place 1,600 relay (4:06.75). Haraughty won the 100 in 13.13 and the 200 in 26.22. Doolittle won the shot put with a 361⁄2 and the discus with a heave of 108-9.

The boys’ Schenectady invy is Thursday.

Team scores

Shaker 108, Columbia 102, Colonie 79, Guilderland 643⁄4, Glens Falls 47, Fonda-Fultonville 41, Troy 39, Queensbury 34, Gloversville 34, Averill Park 26, Mohonasen 24, Amsterdam 203⁄4, Bishop Maginn 15, Schalmont 10, Mechanicville 8, Berne-Knox-Westerlo 5, Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons 33⁄4, Schenectady 13⁄4.

Individuals/relays

100 — Miranda Haraughty (GF), 13.13; Madison Rowland (Shak), 13.28; Asia Cornwall (Colu), 13.36; 200 — Miranda Haraughty (GF), 26.22; Alicia Bousa (Colo), 26.79; Eden Zeitler (AP), 27.25; 400 — Mikeisha Kelly (Colo), 58.34; Nastasja Johnston (Colu), 60.36; Elaina Ryan (AP), 60.37; 800 — Kiersten Kaminski (Colo), 2:19.14; Kayleigh Lavender (Shak), 2:20.63; Megan Ottati (Amst), 2:24.28; 1,500 — Emily Burns (Guild), 4:50.33; Shannen Kerin (Colo), 4:50.73; Aubrey Martino (Shak), 5:03.75; 3,000 — Maryanna Lansing (Shak), 10:35.23; Cara Sherman (Mohon), 10:46.18; Katherine Guilbo (Colu), 11:00.88; 100HH — Isabella Borini (Schal), 15.98; Chanel Thomas (Glove), 15.99; Abigail Marco (Guild), 16.69; 400IH — Cali Palumbo (Colu), 67.10; Abigail Marco (Guild), 67.17; Shannon Lavender (Shak), 70.38; 400 relay — Shaker (Natalie Horton, Bethia Nivens, Danielle McLean, Madison Rowland), 51.41; Gloversville, 52.33; Colonie, 52.94; 1,600 relay — Colonie (Kiersten Kaminski, Mikeisha Kelly, Ally Oerter, Alicia Bousa), 4:06.75; Columbia, 4:14.21; Queensbury, 4:14.31; 3,200 relay — Colonie (Gina Capobianco, Jackie Malecki, Kaitie Schillaci, Amanda Chambers), 9:43.32; Queensbury, 9:46.19; Shaker, 9:47.42.

High jump — Courtney Avery (Troy), 5-6; Madison Rowland (Shak), 5-0; Cali Palumbo (Colu), 5-0; Pole vault — Kendra Lizzote (Guild), 10-0; Jaclyn Levy (Guild), 10-0; Rebekah Hentnik (FF), 8-6; Long jump — Nastasja Johnston (Colu), 17-111⁄2 (meet record); Eva Kiehl (Colu), 17-91⁄4; Chanel Thomas (Glove), 16-63⁄4; Triple jump — Eva Kiehl (Colu), 36-9; Daniella McLean (Shak), 33-5; Kayla Catalfamo (Shak), 32-7; Shot put — Zoe Doolittle (GF), 361⁄2; Riley Martin (Troy), 33-10; Whitney Martuscello (FF), 32-10; Discus — Zoe Doolittle (GF), 108-9; Whitney Martuscello (FF), 101-1; Camryn Savoie (FF), 98-0.