High school notes: Johnston shooting for 20-foot jump

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jim Schiltz

Record-setting long jumper Nastasja Johnston will be among a large Section II contingent at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals today through Sunday at North Carolina A&T University’s Aggie Stadium.

A junior at Columbia, Johnston won the state Division I long jump title a week ago with a Section II-record 19-10 1⁄2. She followed up by taking the Federation championship Saturday with a 19-9 1⁄2 on her first attempt, and added a 19-7 1⁄4 on her second effort.

“Twenty is the next step,” said Johnston.

As a sophomore, Johnston’s best was an 18-9 1⁄2 in a dual meet. She went 19-0 twice this season before the state meet — at a dual meet and again at the state meet qualifier. Aside from her victory there, she was tops at the Niskayuna Warrior Classic, Lady Eagles Invitational, Colonie Relays and Queensbury Invitational.

“This season has been great,” said Johnston, after winning the Federation title. “This is amazing.”

Though she owns the Section II record, Johnston is No. 2 on the all-time area list with her 19-10 1⁄2. Klarissa Ricks of Holy Names cleared 19-10 3⁄4 at the 2011 Penn Relays. Section II records can only be set at sectional meets, the state meet qualifier, the state meet itself and year-ending national competitions.

Johnston will compete in Sunday’s final field event in the Championship Division. That division will include Section II athletes Ellery Bianco and Aidan Tooker of Saratoga Springs, Emily Burns of Guilderland and two girls’ relay teams from Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake.

Section II’s Emerging Elite Division group includes Nikari Carota of Queensbury, Steve Booker of Bethlehem and two relay teams from Saratoga Springs.

Section II Roster

Girls

Championship

400 hurdles — Ellery Bianco (Saratoga Springs). 2,000 steeplechase — Emily Burns (Guilderland), Mariellen Penzer (Saratoga Springs), Colleen Maloney (Columbia). 4×1-mile relay — Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (Emily Digman, Allison Fernandez, Dani Martino, Janelle Rothacker, Stephanie Carrier); Niskayuna (Lexi Sciortino, Abigail Spears, Megan Wagner, Erica Wasserbach). 4×800 relay — Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (Emily Digman, Allison Fernandez, Dani Martino, Janelle Rothcaker, Alexis Scott). High jump — Samantha Hjelmar (Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake). Long jump — Nastasja Johnston (Columbia). 1-mile race walk — Meaghan Podlaski (Niskayuna).

Emerging Elite

Two-mile — Estela Smith (Holy Names). 100 hurdles — Nikari Carota (Queensbury). 4×100 relay — Saratoga Springs/Kinetic (Ellery Bianco, Kelsey Bridell, Mimi Liebers, Olivia Ventra, Valentine Starnes). 4×400 relay — Saratoga Springs/Kenetic (Mimi Liebers, Sija Los, Amelia Mahoney, Ellery Bianco, Valentine Starnes). 4×800 relay — Bethlehem (Natalie Muller, Keeley Hogan, Abbi Wright, Danika Jensen, Holly Machabee); Guilderland (Emily Burns, Jennifer Hoffman, Jenna Robinson, Sarah Forman). Pole vault — Kara Snyder (Colonie); Kalli Manley (Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake).

Freshman

Mile — Amelia Mahoney (Saratoga Springs); Peyton Czupil (Shaker).

Junior High

Mile — Keelyn Cummings (Saratoga Springs); Lena Ruggles (Saratoga Springs); Peyton Engborg (Saratoga Springs); Carly Weaver (Saratoga Springs), Samantha Vetter (Saratoga Springs); Katie Showers (Niskayuna).

Boys

Championship

Two-mile — Aidan Tooker (Saratoga Springs). 2,000 steeplechase — Aidan Tooker (Saratoga Springs); Jordan Johnson (Colonie). Triple jump — Brian Greenberg (Bethlehem).

Emerging Elite

Two-mile — Steve Booker (Bethlehem). 4×200 relay — Bethlehem (Conor Kimmey, Ben Young, Najee Barnette, Aidan Sheehan, Scott Mistler-Ferguson). 4×400 relay — Bethlehem (Conor Kimmey, Najee Barnette, Aidan Sheehan, Scott Mistler-Ferguson, Zach Flagler). 4×800 relay — Bethlehem (Steve Booker, Zach Flagler, Alex Carlson, Liam Martens, Brian Abbey). 1,600 spring medley relay — Guilderland (Drew Burns, Joseph Cornell, Xavier Flowers, Sean Murphy, Sean Taylor); Scotia-Glenville (Kevin Bekkering, Alec Swider, Martin Dearaway, Grant Norton, Matt Manda). Distance medley relay — Bethlehem (Alex Carlson, Zach Flagler, Noah Bell, Steve Booker, J.J. Besse).

Freshman

Mile — Noah Carey (Guilderland). Two-mile — Carey (Guilderland).

Junior High

Two-mile — Noah Tindale (Guilderland).

Warriors to Underclass tourney

Defender Rebecca Curro, midfielder Marissa DiVietro and goalkeeper Asa Goldstock of Niskayuna will compete in the July 11-13 Under Armour Underclass Lacrosse Tournament at Towson University in Maryland.

The trio helped Niskayuna reach the Section II Class B championship game last month.

They’ll be joined on the Upstate New York team by Guilderland attacker Cara Quimby and Queensbury midfielder Mary Rahal, who were on the 2013 edition that went 1-3 in pool play and lost two games by a single goal.

The Underclass tournament is part of the Under Armour All-America Lacrosse Classic weekend, which includes the July 12 senior showcase games.

The Underclass event will have 10 girls’ teams and 10 boys’ teams, with athletes from the 2015-17 graduating classes.

Shaker coach Kara DePaula Lynch is a member of the Upstate team staff.

What they’re doing

Robbie Knightes concluded his first season with the St. John’s University baseball team as the nation’s leading Division I freshman batter.

The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake graduate was the Big East regular-season batting leader at .397, and hit .399 (55-for-138) overall for the No. 8 spot among all Division I players.

The third baseman had 15 multi-hit games with 26 RBI and 20 runs scored. He was named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America team by Collegiate Baseball Magazine, made the Big East all-tournament team, and landed a berth on the All-Big East second team.

Knightes was a two-time Suburban Council first-team selection and helped BH-BL win the 2011 state Class A championship. Knightes also excelled as a basketball player with the Spartans.

Burnt Hills graduate Bret Denis and Colonie graduate Chris Kalica also had impact junior seasons at St. John’s (35-20). Denis hit .346 and was tabbed an All-Big East second-teammer. Kalica posted a 6-3 pitching record.

Here and there

Schoharie baseball player Richie Martino set school records this spring for stolen bases in a season (33) and career (63), The senior broke the records of 21 (season) and 54 (career) set by Cody LaBadia in 2011. . . .

Jamil Hood (Green Tech, Class AA), Jim Giammattei (Scotia-Glenville, Class A), David Burch (Voorheesville, Class B), Dan Calhoun (Hoosic Valley, Class C) and Jack Sherwin (Argyle, Class D) have been selected Section II Coaches of the Year by the Basketball Coaches Association of New York. Hood, Giammattei and Calhoun guided their teams to state public school championships, and Giammattei’s Tartans capped a 27-0 season by adding a Federation title. . . .

Pat Mulcahy is ending a 32-year run as LaSalle Institute’s athletic director, but will continue to teach physical education at his alma mater. LaSalle added lacrosse, indoor track, skiing, swimming and wrestling during his tenure. . . .

Cobleskill-Richmondville’s Seth Billington will be joining the St. John Fisher football team as a linebacker. Billington was named a Class B West Division first-team all-star as a linebacker and quarterback, and participated in the Section II all-senior game on defense. . . .

Massapequa (Class A) beat Fayetteville-Manlius, 16-2; Yorktown (Class B) edged Jamesville-DeWitt, 10-9; and Bronxville (Class C) downed Cazenovia, 13-10, to secure boys’ state lacrosse championships Saturday at Hofstra University. Massapequa eliminated Niskayuna in the semifinals.

In the girls’ state title games at Cortland, West Genesee (Class A) beat West Islip, 15-10, Manhasset (Class B) defeated Victor, 11-7, and Skaneateles (Class C) clipped Cold Spring Harbor, 12-11. Manhasset was a semifinal winner over Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake.