Nisky girls again win Division II title

PHOTOGRAPHER: Marc Schultz

Ben Guerin of Ballston Spa won the boys' 1,000 Sunday.

ALBANY — Individual glory took a backseat to team success as Niskayuna used its depth in some unusual places to capture its fourth consecutive Section II Division II girls’ indoor track championship Sunday at the University at Albany.

Columbia won the boys’ team title, but an extremely balanced Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake team was the runner-up in both the girls’ and boys’ divisions, scoring more than 100 points in both.

The Niskayuna girls piled up 147 team points, despite winning only four individual events. The Silver Warriors won two of the three relay events (the 4×200 and 4×800), and triumphed in dominating fashion in two field events. Senior Kristina Koes was the long jump champ in 16-1.75, followed by senior Grace Minkin (16-0.5) and junior

Sarah Decker (15-3.75). Minkin triumphed in the triple jump (34-8.25), with Decker finishing second (31-7).

Koes teamed with junior Zoe Harris, sophomore Marissa Wise and eighth-grader Kaleigh West on the winning 4×200 meter relay. Hailey Walthers, Katharine Hesler, Madeleine Beltramo and Skyler Smith took the 4×800 meter relay.

“This year, the sprints and jumpers did more than expected,” Niskayuna coach Jason DeRocco said. “We swept the long jump and went 1-2 in the triple jump. In the 55 dash, our eighth-grader finished second in her first year of competing. We had other kids on the team for five or six years. It was a cross-section of experience that they brought to the table.”

Although the Silver Warriors didn’t dominate the longer races as usual, they made up for it in unexpected areas, like the sprints and field events.

“Niskayuna has a tradition in the distance races, and our girls did their job getting points, but Burnt Hills was just fantastic in that area this year,” DeRocco said.
“It was pretty awesome finishing first as a team,” said West. “I think most of the time we are pretty much doing our own thing instead of thinking about team points.”

But senior Madeleine Hesler, who picked up points in the 1,500, 3,000 and 4×400 relay, admitted that sectional time is a mixed bag between individual and team glory.

“I definitely go into every race trying to finish as high as I can in every event, but it’s also in my mind how everyone else is doing,” she said. “We want to cheer everybody else on. It’s fun to be part of a winning team.”

The versatile Koes agreed.

“Definitely throughout the season track is a very individualized sport,” she said. “But in sectionals, we have to come together as a team. We have a pasta party, we hang out together, and we have a team vibe. It was all about cheering each other on and being there for each other. We were a little nervous at the end waiting for the final team results, because somebody from Burnt Hills could have had a great day in the field events, but we were hopeful, and it was awesome hearing that we won the title again.”

For runner-up Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, senior Rory Graham won both the 1,000 meter run and the 1,500 meter run. She was also a member of the winning 4×400 meter relay with Hannah Lewis, Alexis Patrick and Ali Wisniewski. The Spartans’ Lauren Kruzikas and Janna Hackenberg finished 1-2 in the pole vault.

Three Amsterdam Rams won individual titles as sophomore Charli Beekman won the 55 meter dash, senior Gabby Stanavish took the 55 meter hurdles, and senior Lauren Santiago captured the 300 meter dash.

Ballston Spa junior Faith DeMars won the 3,000 meter run, and the Scotties’ Moriah Byrd, a senior, triumphed in the shot put.

COLUMBIA TOO STRONG

The Blue Devils held off BH-BL in the Division II boy’s championship as Columbia senior Tyler Lopresti won the 300 meter dash and the 600 meter dash and fellow senior AJ Weinstein secured the high jump, long jump and triple jump. The Blue Devils swept the relay races.

BH-BL’s Nick Hunziker won the 1,600 meter run, while the Spartans’ Tyler Berg and Aidan Gillooley went 1-2 in the 3,200 meter run. BH-BL rolled up numerous points by finishing in the top five throughout the card.

Amsterdam’s Marcos Santiago won the 55 meter hurdles, and Ballston Spa junior Ben Guerin took the 1,000 meter run.

MOHONASEN ROLLS

Mohonasen scored 163 points and nearly doubled up second-place Averill Park to claim the Division III girls’ title, while Albany Academy edged Broadalbin-Perth 111-96 to win the boys’ crown.
Junior Emma Sinisgalli won both the 600 meter run and the 1,000 meter run, and Kate Sherman captured the 1,500 and the 3,000 for the Mighty Warriors, who also won all three relays. Lena Calkins tacked on a title in the pole vault.
In the DIII boys’ competition, Josh Jeffes won both the 300 and the 600 for Scotia-Glenville.

DIVISION II
GIRLS
Team scores: Niskayuna 147, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake 109, Amsterdam 60, Columbia 50, South Glens Falls 44, Ballston Spa 39, Holy Names 21, Emma Willard 21.
Individual events
55 – Charli Beekman (Amst) 7.45, Kaleigh West (Nisky) 7.57, Marissa Wise (Nisky) 7.66.; 300 – Lauren Santiago (Amst) 41.8, Hannah Lewis (BH-BL) 43.01, Kristina Koes (Nisky) 43.46.; 600 – Isabel Vogel (HN) 1:43.22, Kaiden Ring (Colum) 1:43.73, Skyler Smith (Nisky) 1:44.21; 1,000 – Rory Graham (BH-BL) 3:07.60, Jamisen Vendetti (BH-BL) 3:08.60, Madeleine Beltramo (Nisky) 3:08.93.; 1,500 – Rory Graham (BH-BL) 4:46.28, Faith DeMars (BS) 4:47.93, Jamisen Vendetti (BH-BL) 4:55.98.; 3,000 – Faith DeMars (BS) 10:35.84, Liyat Kebbede (Nisky) 10:38.05, Madeleine Hesler (Nisky) 10:43.95.; 55 hurdles – Gabby Stanavich (Amst) 8.87, Ali Wisniewski (BH-BL) 9.32, Marissa Wise (Nisky) 9.36; 4×200 relay – Niskayuna (Zoe Harris, Marissa Wise, Kristina Koes, Kaleigh West), 1:40.04; Amsterdam, 1:52.79, Columbia, 1:53.76; 4×400 relay – Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (Rory Gaham, Hannah Lewis, Alexis Patrick, Ali Wisniewski), 4:15.53; Columbia, 4:16.00; Amsterdam, 4:21.50; 4×800 relay – Niskayuna (Hailey Walthers, Madeleine Beltramo, Katharine Hesler, Skyler Smith), 9:59.65, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, 10:07.87; Columbia, 10:31.62.

High Jump – Kiona Thomas (SGF) 10.00, Mia Belanger (BH-BL) 10.00, Emma Golden (Colum) 10.00; Pole Vault – Lauren Kruzikas (BH-BL) 9-0; Janna Hackenberg (BH-BL) 8-6; Ainsley Filkins (Nisky) 8-0; Long Jump – Kristina Koes (Nisky) 16-11.75; Grace Minkin (Nisky) 16-0.5; Sarah Decker (Nisky) 15-3.75; Triple Jump – Grace Minkin (Nisky) 34-8.25, Sarah Decker (Nisky) 31-7.0; Emma Gomez (Amst) 30-7.25; Shot Put – Moriah Byrd (BS) 33-5.0; Lea Richard (SGF) 32-3.25; Marguerite Gilman (EW) 31-0; Weight Throw – Lea Richard (SGF) 41-0.25, Carleigh Wachtel (BS) 30-6.0; Marguerite Gilman (EW) 30-4.0.
BOYS
Team scores: Columbia 165, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake 123, Niskayuna 44, Green Tech 39, La Salle 38, Amsterdam 31, South Glens Falls 28, Ballston Spa 25.
Individual events
55 – Anthony Cozzy (Colum) 6.92, David Adadjo (Colum) 6.93, Majid Musa (GT) 6.96; 300 – Tyler Lopresti (Colum) 38.17, Anthony Cozzy (Colum) 38.8, Nick Tama (BH-BL) 39.44; 600 – Tyler Lopresti (Colum) 1:26.21, Rece Gobel (BH-BL) 1:27.52, John Powdida (Colum) 1:29.33; 1,000 – Ben Guerin (BS) 2:$1.28, Evan Brennan (BH-BL) 2:42.37, Dustin Chambers (Colum) 2:43.59; 1,600 – Nick Hunziker (BH-BL) 4:29.59, Marty Dolan (Nisky) 4:30.71, Thomas Ragone (Nisky) 4:30.89; 3,200 – Tyler Berg (BH-BL) 9:39.02, Aidan Gilooley (BH-BL) 9:48.98, Marty Dolan (Nisky) 10:04.13; 55 hurdles – Marcos Santiago (Amst) 8.28, Thomas Wainman (LSI) 8.38, Josh Crowder (BH-BL) 8.89; 4×200 relay – Columbia (Alexandros Wheeler, John Powhida, Daud Sadiq, Anthony Cozzy), 1:40.81, Green Tech, 1:42.33, BH-BL, 1:44.23; 4×400 relay – Columbia (Dustin Chambers), John Powhida, Liam Danaher, Tyler Lopresti), 3:40.52, BH-BL, 3:42.67, Niskayuna, 3:53.74; 4×800 meter – Columbia (Sam Kromer, Michael Dennis Murphy, Thomas Donohue, Liam Danaher), 8:40.78, BH-BL, 8:41.21, SGF, 9:24.06.

High Jump – AJ Weinstein (Colum) 6-0; Sean Stewart (BH-BL) 5-10; Shane Kryietwie (GT) 5-8.; Pole Vault – Gabe Ritterreiser (SGF) 11-0; Aidan McLaren (Colum) 10-0; Sen Mulberry (SGF) 9-6; Long Jump – AJ Weinstein (Colum) 20-9.5, Sean Stewart (BH-BL) 18-10.75, Angel Sanchez (Amst) 18-9; Triple Jump – AJ Weinstein (Colum) 44-6.5, David Adadjo (Colum) 41-4; Sean Stewart (BH-BL) 40-7; Shot Put – Cole Carey (LSI) 45-8.75, Jeremy Sims (Nisky) 42-5.25, James Shatas (Amst) 40-7.5; Weight Throw – Cole Carey (LSI) 46-3.5, Robert Erno (Colum) 42-5; Hunter Wade (BS) 41-1.
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DIVISION III
GIRLS
Team scores: Mohonasen 163, Averill Park 86, Cobleskill-Richmondville 47, Broadalbin-Perth 35, Scotia-Glenville 31, Hudson Falls 28, Cohoes 27, Albany Academy 18, Ichabod Crane 17, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk 17, Schalmont 10, Schuylerville 9, Catholic Central 2, Gloversville 2.
Individual events
55 – Mia D’Amrosio (Schal) 7.31, Lydia Ware (AP) 7.53, Monique Benn (IC) 7.61; 300 – Lydia Ware (AP) 42.33, Natalia Sawyer (Mohon) 42.78, Sophia Morcone (AP) 43.72; 600 – Emma Sinisgalli (Mohon) 1:43.57, Christi Esposito (Mohon) 1:46.36, Julia Tourangeau (RCS) 1:48.35; 1,000 – Emma Sinisgalli (Mohon) 3:21.34, Delaney Krogh (S-G) 3:22.60, Christi Esposito (Mohon) 3:24.02; 1,500 – Kate Sherman (Mohon) 5:09.10, Sunni LaBounty (Schuy) 5:13.70, Anna Sherman (Mohon) 5:17.0; 3,000 – Jaleina Jones (RCS) 11:08.77, Stephanie James (S-G) 11:15.71, Anna Sherman (Mohon) 11:30.86.; 55 hurdles — Jaleina Jones (RCS) 9.04, Kayleigh Lacy (HF) 9.32, Fiona Carroll (AP) 9.71; 4×200 relay – Mohonasen (Navi Shaw, Shea Bisner-Boulay, Emily Racana, Natalia Sawyer), 1:53.01, Cohoes, 1:55.60, Hudson Falls, 1:56.14; 4×400 relay – Mohonasen (Navi Shaw, Christina Esposito, Emma Sinisgalli Natalia Sawyer) 4:23.27, Averill Park, 4:25.67, Ichabod Crane, 4:39.16; 4×800 relay – Mohonasen (Jocelyn Countryman), Zoe Graham-Miller, Anna Sherman, Kate Sherman), 10:21.03, S-G, 10:26.48, Averill Ark, 10:46.65.

High Jump – Julia Zacher AA) 5-0, Trinity Cote (HF) 4-10, Courtney Bush (Mohon) 4-8; Pole Vault – Lena Calkins (Mohon) 10-6, Emily Racana (Mohon) 10-6, Ava Tyler (B-P) 9-6; Long Jump – Hailey Parrotti (B-P) 17-1.5, Olive Chamberlain (C-R) 16-10, Sophia Morone (AP) 16-2; Triple Jump – Olive Chamberlain (C-R) 34-6.5, Hailey Parrotti (B-P) 34-1, Hannah Ragule (Coh) 33-7; Shot Put – Emma Haag (C-R) 34-5.25, Megan Glanton (AP) 33-10.75, Marielly Herrera (Coh) 30-9; Weight Throw – Emma Haag (C-R) 36-7, Samantha Bigness (Mohon) 35-4, Kayde Smith (B-P) 32-6.5.
BOYS
Team scores: Albany Academy 111, Broadalbin-Perth 96, Scotia-Glenville 79, Averill Park 70, Mohonasen 67, Cobleskill-Richmondville 22, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk 20, Schalmont 10, Hudson Falls 9, Catholic Central 7, Gloversville 3, Ichabod Crane 2.
Individual events
55 – Ahmad Praileau (AA) 6.71, Donald Jones (AA) 6.83, Kaleb Fretto (Mohon) 6.89; 300 — Josh Jeffers (S-G) 37.08, Kaleb Fretto (Mohon) 37.24, Loxi Shaw (Mohon) 38.55; 600 – Josh Jeffes (S-G) 1:27.60, Nick Yorke (C-R) 1:31.59, Kevin Bryant (AP) 1:31.69; 1,000 – Antonio Beltran (Schal) 2:39.46, Nick Graziano (AA) 2:45.48, Kyle Osrtander (S-G) 2:49.10; 1,600 – Nick Graziano (AA) 4:43.65, Gabriel Bona-Winters (S-G) 4:45.43, Nathan Belcastro (Mohon) 4:49.65; 3,200 – Gabriel Winters-Bona (S-G) 10:08.96, Nick Graziano (AA) 10:09.06, Noah Greski (S-G) 10:34.08; 55 hurdles – Shane Racey (RCS) 8.13, Ahmad Praileau (AA) 8.22, Donald Jones (AA) 8.28; 4×200 relay – Mohonasen (Kaleb Fetto, Loxi Shaw, Ian Maynard, Ben Pochobradsky), 1:40.85, Broadalbin-Perth, 1:42.99, Averill Park 1:43.14; 4×400 relay – Averill Park (Michael Beskid, Kevin Bryant, Jesse Crawford-Harris, Matt DeJulio), 3:47.65, Mohonasen, 3:51.21, Albany Academy, 3:54.65; 4×800 relay – Scotia-Gloversville (Noah Greski, Gabriel Winters-Bona, Alex Tebano, Kyle Ostrander), 8:44.17, Averill Park, 8:48.69, Catholic Central, 8:48.74.

High Jump – Sean Meher (B-P) 6-0 Elijah Harris (Mohon) 6-0, Dominic Jack (S-G) 6-0; Pole Vault – Donald Jones (AA) 15-3, Shane Racey (RCS) 15-0, Zach Hotaling (AP) 13-0; Long Jump – Sean Meher (B-P) 21-0.25, Ahmad Praileau (AA) 20-8.5, Natai Sawyer (Mohon) 19-11.25; Triple Jump — Sean Meher (B-P) 45-2.25, Jack Campito (AA) 41-3.25, Josh Jeffes (S-G) 40-11.5; Shot Put – John Coddington (B-P) 51-6.25, Aidan DeJong (B-P) 49-5, James Coca (AP) 49-2.25; Weight Throw – James Cocca (AP) 64-2.5, John Coddington (B-P) 53-10.5, Martin Bond (AP) 52-10.