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2007 Glenn D. Loucks Games

Saturday - Day 3

May 10-12, 2007 White Plains NY

Coverage by John Nepolitan

Full Results from leonetiming.com - John Nepolitan Story
  • South Shore boys and Uniondale girls win team crowns
  • Kristin Reese(Carmel, NY) and Rodney Campbell(South Shore, NY) are named meet's outstanding performers


At left, Chris Williams of Collegiate finishes off his 4:12.32 1600, with teammates behind him running 4:14.46, 4:17.31, and one in another heat at 4:23.58.

At right, Loucks Games MVPs Kristin Reese and Rodney Campbell.

Photos John Nepolitan



More Highlights

Boys
  • Collegiate HS(NY) puts 3 runners under 4:18 lead by 1600 meter race winner Chris Williams(4:12.32). Dwayne Alexis(2nd in 4:14.46) and Dillon Trotzuk(4th in 4:17.31). In the unseeded sections Collegiate's 4th man Itse Begho runs 4:23.58.
  • Phil Cawkwell(Byram Hills, NY) runs the 2nd fastest 3000 meter steeplechase in meet history (9:16.88) to take 1st
  • South Shore(NY) continues to dominate the 4 x 100 relay in the New York metropolitan area with a 41.79 win
  • 2007 NSIC hurdle champ Kemar Clark(South Shore) - 14.43 wins his speciality.
  • Colonie(NY) junior Steve Crouse improves his best by over 1' to take the triple jump crown with a 48' 9-1/2' leap
  • Newburgh(NY) claims 2 of 3 boys relay titles taking the 4 x 800(7:56.82) and the 4 x 400(3:18.53)

Girls
  • Nadonnia Rodriques(Boys & Girls HS) takes the 400 meters in a swift 53.92
  • 2 time Footlocker finalist Shelby Greany(Suffern, NY) kicks past 3 others in the final 200 meters to win the 1600 meters in 4:54.49 as 2 others break 5:00.
  • 2007 NSIC hurdle champ Lindsay Rowe(Cardoza, NY) - 14.19 to win her speciality.
  • Janelle Clayton(Suffern, NY) - high jump 5' 8-1/2' and Stephanie Duffy(Washingtonville, NY) - pole vault 12/ 6' each ste new meet records
  • Leigh Petranoff(Cranston West, RI) throws 145' 1' to take 1st in the javelin
  • Boys and Girls HS claim 1st in the final event of the day - 4 x 400 relay in 3:47.54
  • Bay Shore(NY) girls overcome a dropped stick to win the 4 x 800 in 9:25.01
  • Trisha Hawthorne(Alexander Hamilton, NY) adds the 200 title (24.28-following a 24.42 semi) to her 100 meter title from Friday(12.03 following an 11.93 semi)



Williams, Cawkwell, Rodriques among other big winners

Story and photos by John Nepolitan


The final day of the 40th Loucks Games was just like the first two – great weather that contributed to great performances. Stepping to the track multiple times, Rodney Campbell(South Shore HS, NY) and Kristen Reese (Carmel HS, NY) were the best of the best earning meet MVP awards. Meanwhile, the South Shore boys and Uniondale(NY) girls took home top team honors, but Clark and Reese were not the only athletes to produce performances that would make any fan stand up and take notice.

Girls events

400 – Stepping into the blocks for the 400, Nadonnia Rodriques(Boys & Girls HS, NY) apparently didn’t forget the 2007 NY Indoor State Meet when Ashlea McLaughlin(Uniondale, NY) flew past her in the late stages to take the state title. Today it almost seemed the like race was run in reverse of the indoor match up. McLaughlin was out fast from the blocks, quickly making up the stagger on the runners outside of her, while Rodriques paced herself waiting for a point to attack. Around the final turn McLaughlin started to falter while Rodriques began to make her move. Coming into the home straight, Rodriques had a slight lead that would grow all the way to the finish line as she crossed in a personal record 53.92 with McLaughlin holding on for 2nd in 54.70.

Nadonnia Rodriques – “She (McLoughlin) beat me at the 300 meters at the state meet indoors, so all I wanted to do was follow her…so I am really happy, it was a PR by 0.15 seconds.”


Nadonnia Rodriques in the 400



Shelby Greany wins the 1600.
1600 – In most of her races Shelby Greany(Suffern, NY) charges right to the front, but today decided to try something new and “be patient.” While Suejin Ahn(Ward Melville, NY), Elizabeth Marvin(Rhinebeck, NY) and Kristy Longman(Sayville, NY) each traded the lead through laps of 72-2:28 and 3:44 Greany hung at the back of the leading group. With 300 meters to go Longman was the first to fall of the pace and then 100 meters later Greany started to attack moved into 2nd and then with 150 meters to go hit the front for good. Lifting down the final 100 meters Greany would cross the line in 4:54.49 for her 2nd individual win at the Loucks Games having won the 2000 meter steeplechase in 2006. Behind the 2 time Footlocker finalist Ahn would hold off Marvin for 2nd as both runners would break 5:00 clocking 4:56.08 and 4:56.13.

Shelby Greany – “ I was not that fastest seed coming in and my coach wanted to me try something new because usually when I don’t go out flying I run my best. The other day in the DMR(1600 leg) I went out flying so today my goal was to run even and try to use the kick that I have sometimes….I went in there racing to win and I knew that the win would bring me the fast time….it was nice being a kicker.”



High Jump and Pole Vault – The only meet records set in this year’s Loucks Games came in the field events, as Janelle Clayton(Suffern HS, NY) cleared 5’8-1/2” to claim the high jump mark and New York Indoor Champion Stephanie Duffy added 6” to the pole vault meet record with a 12’ 6” clearance. Clayton, who is better known locally as a sprinter, was able to add 4” to her previous best in earning her first Loucks individual title and first major high jump crown. Now she will be looked upon as a contender for the outdoor state title.

At the start of the pole vault competition, the wind was in the athletes’ face, but as the day went on the wind would shift and become a helping tailwind. Duffy, who has dominated New York pole vaulting all during 2007, was one of three jumping at 12’0”. Canadian Ariane Beaumont Courtea would be the first out, while Bethany Dumas(Cony, Maine) would tie the old meet record with a 12’ clearance. But Duffy would go onto clear 12’ 6” and take home the mete record and title.

Stephanie Duffy – “It (the wind) was kind of on and off; I just don’t let it affect me...I have been pretty consistent at 12’ – 12’6”, so I am happy with this…I had started going down a bit and now I am coming

Stephanie Duffy wins the PV
back up the ladder. I was really slow on my swing up, so if I can work that up a little and get onto my bigger poles that will make me get right up there.”

Janelle Clayton – “That was a PR by 4-1/2”… I have been jumping on and off for the last few years, but it has really been the end of this winter season and the start of this spring season that I have really started to focus on the jumps. The jumps are the best part of track and field; for me it’s my favorite part.”



Relays – Coming into the relay portion of the meet, the girls team title was pretty much determined. All Uniondale would have to do is make sure it got the baton around the track and either stay ahead of New Rochelle, or as close as possible, to take home the team championship. This is no way meant that the relays would be boring by any means as each of the events had its own fireworks.

In the girls 4x800, 2007 NSIC mile champion Callie Hogan would give Bay Shore a sizeable lead with her 2:15.8 split, but a fumbled stick to 2nd leg Kim Moran would erase it. Following a 2:34.3 leg by Moran (who has run 2:28) and 2:22.8 leg by Hope Zino, Bay Shore was still in 4th. Anchor Sarah McCurdy would need to chase 1600 meter winner Shelby Greany (Suffern, NY) and worry about what was behind her as well, with Brittney Sheffy (Bellport, NY) not far behind. In no rush to make up ground, McCurdy slowly closed in and finally caught race leader East Meadow(NY) coming off the final turn. Splitting 2:11.7, McCurdy pushed right through the line to hold off a closing Sheffy as Bay Shore would win in 9:25.01 to Bellport’s 9:26.94 and two others within 4 seconds of the leader.

Having 3 runners who were finalists in the 200 or hurdles to use on your 4 x 100 relay makes life easy when putting together your line up, especially when you are in the hunt for a team title. A win would lock up the team crown, and with crisp baton passing Uniondale would cross the line 1st in 48.26 over Boys & Girls(48.94), Mt Vernon(49.20) and rival New Rochelle(49.65). Not finished, Uniondale would add 2 more points to its lead over New Rochelle with a 2nd place finish in the 4 x 400 with a 3:56.54 clocking. Up front Boys & Girls was running away with the meet’s final event with a very fast 3:47.54 clocking anchored by 400 winner Nadonnia Rodriques.











Lindsay Rowe won the 100H (above photo) and Trisha Hawthorne had a 100/200 double.
Boys events

200 & 400 – South Shore HS was the lone US team to qualify for the Penn Relays Championship of America 4 x 100 relay final – the members of that team, including Rodney Campbell, would be key to any hopes the team had for a team championship. The meet’s outstanding performer would dominate his section of the 400, winning in 48.21 – 1 full second over 2nd place. But he was almost was upset from the 2nd section as the host school’s Tewado Latty won his section by almost 2 seconds in 48.29 to claim 2nd overall.
Just under 2 hours later Campbell would come off the turn in the 200 final even with Windell Wallace(Lawrence, NY), but Wallace would pull slightly ahead for a 21.70- 21.76 win over Campbell. Adding additional points for South Shore would be 100 meter 3rd placer Sean Troop who would place 6th in the 200. At the end of the day Campbell and Troop would join up with 110 hurdle winner Kemar Clark and Anthony Kearse to claim the 4 x 100 title in 41.79 over Colonie(NY) 42.72, while possible contender Newburgh(NY) would fail to finish.

Rodney Campbell – “I was hoping for a 47.9, but the time is good for right now.”


Kemar Clarke (right) wins the 110H


1600 – Coming into the weekend, the milers from New York’s Collegiate HS had the goal of putting two runners under 4:15, one more under 4:18 and another under 4:24 – that is exactly with they accomplished and made a statement that they will be a force when the Nike Outdoor Nationals 4 x mile relay rolls around.
The early pace of the seeded section was handled by 3200 meter winner Brandon Jarrett(St Benedicts Prep, NY), passing the 400 point in 1:02. Chris Williams(Collegiate) was right off the leader’s shoulder and the rest of the pack was starting to string out. As the pace slowed to 2:08 at the halfway point, 3200 3rd placer Barry Britt(Hampton, New Brunswick Canada) and Dwayne Alexis(Collegiate) joined the leading pair. Over the next 400, Jarrett would begin to slip back as Williams would go to the front and begin a push for the line, pulling his teammate with him.
At the bell(3:12), Williams was at the front and beginning to drive and draw Alexis away from the chasers. Running 1:00 for the final 400, Williams would win in 4:12.32, while Alexis would not close as fast he would hold on for 2nd in 4:14.49. The top 5 would all come in under 4:20, including Collegiate’s 3rd man Dylan Trotzuk(4:17.31). In the section prior to the seeded, Collegiate’s 4th man Itse Begho would complete the team’s pre-race goal, clocking 4:23.58. Mission accomplished – statement made.


Phil Cawkwell wins the steeple.
Chris Williams - “The plan was to go out in 2:05, then with about 400 to go I realized that Jarrett was hurting and felt that we still had a shot a 4:12 or faster so I took off and it worked out. We wanted to have at least 3 people under 4:18 and our 4th runner under 4:24 and we did just that. I think nationals will be great because we are training through all the races pretty hard, so by the time we taper the times should be pretty great.”



3000 meter Steeplechase – Phil Cawkwell (Byram Hills, NY) is on a roll. First, he was part of the Byram Hills 4x800 team that made the finals at the Penn Relays. Then in this mee’ts first event he ran a 4:16 anchor leg to help his team get 2nd in the distance medley relay. Then in his 2nd race of the weekend, he would return to the steeplechase after injury kept him from it in 2006 and come away with a 9:16.88 win, the 2nd fastest time in meet history. In the early stages of the race, 2006 All American Anthony Savoia(North Rockland, NY) was out front and Cawkwell simply hung off his shoulder. But when Savoia stuttered on a barrier coming up to the mile point, Cawkwell went by and pulled away all the way to the finish. Cawkwell was not done for the day and would later return to help his team place 2nd in the 4 x 800 relay behind Newburgh, 7:56.82 – 7:59.58.

Phil Cawkwell – “I felt amazing today, after getting outkicked by BRD ( in Thursday’s DMR). I took an easy day yesterday and I had a lot to prove to people today and I think I did that. I was looking to run 9:30, so 9:16 is great and I know I can go faster. This is only my 2nd steeple of the year and my 1st since sophomore year since I was out all last year injured. My plan was to sit on him till like 3 laps to go, but right the mile mark I took a barrier almost perfectly and he screwed one up. It just naturally pushed me ahead of him, so that was a good point to make a move on him.”



Triple Jump – Steve Crouse(Colonie, NY) had never won a major meet triple jump and he had also never jumped beyond the 47s. In one attempt down the runway, he took care of both, bounding out to a 48’9-1/2” for a best by more than 1.5 feet and the title. New York Indoor Champion Julian Remouns would try to respond, but could only muster a 47’1” jump. Crouse now has put himself into the position as the favorite when the state meet rolls around in early June.

Steve Crouse – “That is a foot and a half best. I finally connected on all three of my phases. I hit the pit and I thought it was round 46. I didn’t think it would be 48.

Triple jump winner Steve Crouse



4 x 400 - Victory in the 4 x 800 relay by Newburgh had many thinking that the New York school could sweep the meet’s last three events, but a missed hand off in the 4x100 would quickly end that dream. Back out of the track for the meet’s final event, the Newburgh foursome would grab the lead early and force others to chase. Down each back straight each Newburgh runner would accelerate and get those in pursuit out of their normal race plan. Constantly playing catch-up is not a fun way to run the 4 x 400. In the end, Newburgh would take 1st in 3:18.53 with St Benedict’s(NJ) the only other team under 3:20 having run 3:19.23.


Other notable performances:

Trisha Hawthorne(Alexander Hamilton, NY) would add a 200 meter title (24.48) to the 100 meter crown she won the day before…Ward Melville 8th grader Mary Kate Anselmini would run like a well seasoned veteran, steadily pulling away to win the 2000 meter steeplechase by 8 seconds in 7:08.80 …Throwing far from the track, Leigh Petranoff (Cranston West, RI) claimed 1st in the javelin with a 145’ 1” toss. Petranoff is the daughter of former world record holder Tom Petranoff…Lauren McGrath(Shoreham Wading River, NY) would build up a 1383 to 1204 lead over Kristie Lengel(Lynbrook, NY) after the first 2 events of the Pentathlon. Slowly Lengel would close the gap, but in the end would come up short as McGrath(2665 points) would hold on for a 2 point win over Lengel(2663 points) with Priscella Ilarraza(Clarkstown North) – 2649 points - 3rd just 16 points off the lead…In 2006 Mike Dempsey(Gates-Chili, NY) would be named the meets outstanding performers with a meet record of 15’ 5” in the pole vault. There would be no meet record this year, but Dempsey did defend his title with a 15’ 3” clearance…After 3 events of the Pentathlon Greg Zielinski(Smithtown East) held a 1995 – 1876 lead over Tim Murphy(New Canaan, Ct), but a 1.96 – 1.78 difference in the high jump (157 point difference) would change things and put Murphy into the lead with 2643 point to the 2605 of Zielinski. A fast 4:43.46 would lock up the win for Murphy whose final point total would be 3302 to 3104 for Zielinski.


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