Shenendehowa relay state champ

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jim Schiltz

Shenendehowa's Hannah Reale, Olivia Lomascolo, Jada Dennis and Jade Dennis, from left, won the state 3,200 relay Saturday.

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CICERO — With a big boost from her friends, Hannah Reale got that third state outdoor title.

The Shenendehowa senior ran the anchor leg after her teammates opened up a lead, and the Plainsmen prevailed in the Division 1 and Federation 3,200-meter relay Saturday at the state track and field championships at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.

Reale’s bid for a third public school open 800 title did not go well Friday, with the Wisconsin-bound star placing eighth among Division 1 runners, and 14th overall.

“Sometimes you wake up and you have it, and sometimes you don’t,” Reale said after hugs and pictures with her fellow champs, twins Jade and Jada Dennis and Olivia Lomascolo. “I had surges. It wasn’t my day. I had to refocus. It’s different when you’re running for three other girls.”

The foursome clocked an 8:55:04, with Jade Dennis building a slight lead, Jada Dennis holding it, and Lomascolo breaking the race wide open before Reale’s finishing touch.

“The sophomores [Dennis twins] did an amazing job, and Olivia pulled it a little further,” Reale said. “I had to finish what they started.”

Lomascolo’s third leg was something special, the determining factor in the race as the senior tore away from the pack.

“My last high school race,” Lomascolo said. “I didn’t want to have any regrets. I wanted to do everything I could to help us get a state title.”

Bronxville (9:07.52) and Corning (9:09.17) followed Shenendehowa across the finish line.

“I knew if Jada handed off and we had a lead, our seniors weren’t going to give it up,” Shenendehowa coach Rob Cloutier said.

Cloutier predicted before the race that Reale would run with great hunger, and she did with a 2:11.29 split.

“I could have gone off in a corner and cried,” Reale said of 800, which brought her two Division 1 New York State Public High School Athletic Association titles and a Federation first and third the past two years. “That’s life. It’s how you pull it together for people around you.”

Reale completed the second-fastest 3,200 relay in Shenendehowa history. It was also the No. 1 time in the state this season, the No. 2 time in the nation this season, and the No. 3 time on the Section II list of best performances.

“What’s more important than the time is how every girl gave everything for each other,” Reale said.

Lomascolo and Reale talked after that 800 Friday.

“After yesterday, she said, ‘I’m not going to look back,'” Lomascolo said.

The state outdoor relay win was the second in Cloutier’s 11 years as the head of the Shenendehowa girls’ program. The other came in the 3,200 relay on the same C-NS track in 2009.

“That was my second year,” Cloutier said. “It’s hard to win these things.”

The Saratoga Springs’ boys’ foursome of Ryan Postlewait, Ezra Ruggles, Peter Muller and Shea Weilbaker took third in Division 1 and fourth in the Federation results in the 3,200 relay with a 7:49.10. Weilbaker won the D1 and Federation 3,200 Friday.

NATION’S BEST

Niskayuna junior Marty Dolan was among a group of the five fastest 3,000-meter steeplechase runners in the nation, and finished fifth as seeded, after hanging with the leaders before tailing off with a couple laps to go.

“I wanted to stay with them and pick one off if possible,” Dolan said after getting fourth in Division 1 and fifth in the Federation scoring with a 9:31.22. “I was up there.”

Dolan moved up after placing sixth in Division 1 last year and seventh overall.

“The last time I raced them was last year,” said Dolan, who came in with a 9:29.46 seed time. “I was watching their numbers online. Fast group.”

CONTENT RAM

Amsterdam junior Gabby Stanavich placed third in the Division 1 100 hurdles (14.79) and came back later Saturday to get fifth in the Federation race (15.06). She had plans to compete in the 400 hurdles, too, but a trip and a face dive over the last hurdle at the state qualifier last week eliminated that chance.

“It worked out at the end,” Stanavich said. “Without the 400, I was a little stronger. I definitely improved on my performance and time from last year.”

NOTABLE

Emma Willard junior Sharde Johnson went 5-7 in the high jump to earn Division 2 and Federation first-place awards. Saratoga Springs freshman Anna Evans took third in the D1 high jump at 5-4.

Guilderland 11th-grader Isabella Bruno won the Federation triple jump with a 38-0, and Friday’s D1 triple jump winner, Shenendehowa senior Alexandra Tudor, was fourth at 37-7 1/4. Tudor was also third in the Federation long jump Saturday at 17-10 3/4.

Ichabod Crane junior Ama Boham won the D2 100 hurdles with a 14.69, topping the school-record of 14.84 she ran in Friday’s preliminary.

Cohoes senior Natalie Ricci won the D2 200 in 25.43 about an hour after placing third in the 100 (12.50)

Niskayuna senior Donnovan Tucker took third in the D1 and Federation 1,600 with a 4:11.65.

STATE FINALS

BOYS

Division 1

1,600 – 3. Donnovan Tucker (Nisk), 4:11.65; 8. Matt Cavaliere (Beth), 4:16.05; 3,000 steeplechase – 4. Marty Dolan (Nisk), 9:31.22; 9. Tim Dwyer (BS), 9:54.30; 3,200 relay – 3. Saratoga Springs, 7:49.10; High jump – 12. Cooper Zwanka (Colu), 6-2; 13. Jonathan Ray (Shen), 6-2.

Division 2

200 – 6. Jaylen Pritchett (HuF), 22.86; 1,600 – 7. Peyton Howard (Grwch), 4:28.73; 3,000 steeplechase – 11. Henry Goca (Ren), 10:24.48; 3,200 relay – 9. Schalmont, 8:14.52; High jump – 4. Dominic Jack (SG), 6-2; 10. Andrew Yacobucci (Cana), 6-0.

Federation

1,600 – 3. Tucker (Nisk), 4:11.65; 9. Cavaliere (Beth), 4:16.05; 24. Howard (Grwch), 4:28.73; 3,000 steeplechase – 5. Dolan (Nisk), 9:31.22; 17. Dwyer (BS), 9:54.30; 25. Goca (Ren), 10:24.48; 3,200 relay – 4. Saratoga Springs, 7:49.10; 24. Schalmont, 8:14.52; High jump – 10. Jack (SG), 6-2; 19. Zwanka (Colu), 6-2; 20. Ray (Shen), 6-2; 25. Yacobucci (Cana), 6-0; Discus – 8. Michael Gabriel (Grwch), 148-7; Shot put – Gabriel (Grwch), 54-9 3/4; Pentathlon – 10. Ahmed Praileau (AA), 3,097; 13. Aaliuz Mack (Schen), 3,012.

GIRLS

Division 1

1,500 – 6. Amelia Kokernak (Nisk), 4:39.91; 100H – 3. Gabby Stanavich (Amst), 14.79; 2,000 steeplechase – 6. Faith DeMars (BS), 7:03.25; 3,200 relay – 1. Shenendehowa, 8:55.04; High jump – 3. Anna Evans (Sara), 5-4; 7. Caroline Peyron (Shen), 5-2.

Division 2

100 – 3. Natalie Ricci (Coh), 12.50; 200 – 1. Ricci (Coh), 25.43; 1,500 – 11. Abby Dodge (IC), 4:54.67; 100H 1. Ama Boham (IC), 14.69; 4. Lucia D’Acchille (Grwch), 15.70; 2,000 steeplechase – 7. Brynne Wright (Grwch), 7:10.88; 3,200 relay – 5. Greenwich, 9:27.33. High jump – Sharde Johnson (EW), 5-7.

Federation

200 – 6. Ricci (Coh), 25.75; 400 – 6. Lauren Santiago (Amst), 58.54; 1,500 – 12. Kokernak (Nisk), 4:39.91; 23. Dodge (IC), 4:54.67; 100H – 5. Stanavich (Amst), 15.06; 6. Boham (IC), 15.41; 2,000 steeplechase – 19. Wright (Grwch), 7:10.88; 400 – 6. Shenendehowa, 49.24; 1,600 – 7. Amsterdam, 4:00.58; 3,200 relay – 1. Shenendehowa, 8:55.04; 14. Greenwich, 9:27.33; High jump – 1. Johnson (EW), 5-7; 6. Evans (Sara), 5-4; 12. Peyron (Shen), 5-2; Triple jump – 1. Isabella Bruno (Guild), 38-0; 4. Alexandra Tudor (Shen), 37-7 1/4; 6. Tori Whimple (MH), 36-8 1/4; Long jump – 3. Tudor (Shen), 17-10 3/4; 5. Brittany Castelluccio (FF), 17-7 1/2; 7. Olivia Chamberlain (CR), 17 1/2; Discus – 5. Madison Krochina (Stil), 115-11; Shot put – 8. Krochina (Stil), 36-7 1/4; Pentathlon – 14. Hailey Ballard (Q), 2,933; 25. Jensen Kingsley (Sara), 2,561; 30. Caitlyn Burns (SG), 2,256.

Reach Gazette Sportswriter Jim Schiltz at 518-395-3143, [email protected] or @jim_schiltz on Twitter.