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 | NYPHSAA New York State Meet
Fri.-Sat., June 13-14, 2008 - University of Buffalo, Buffalo NY
DyeStat onsite with John Nepolitan
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John Nepolitan's Event-by-Event Preview
The 2007 – 08 New York State track year, which started back on Thanksgiving weekend, will come to an end this weekend when the Empire State’s best assemble. The site is the University of Buffalo stadium, which has hosted the World University Games and the NCAA Championships, and here are a few key performers and matchups fans should keep an eye on:
Boys 100 and 200 – Can indoor 55 meter champ Kevin Malivert (Ramapo) win an outdoor title and nearly twice the distance, and can his teammate, 300 meter indoor champ Mike Abelard, take the title in the half-lap?
Boys 400 – Although a senior at Curtis HS, Troy Faulkner will be looking for his 1st New York State title. Faulkner transferred to the Staten Island school from out of state and his 47.49 makes him the top seed by more than a second.
Boys 800 – Last year, Lawrence Campbell(Peekskill) looked like he has just had one of those once-in-a-lifetime performances, blowing away the field in the 800 final, only to be DQ’d for cutting in too soon. Campbell will be out to prove he is one of the best the state has. Standing in his way could be Zac Suriano (Shenendehowa), who seems to be over the injuries that has slowed him most of the year.
Boys 1600 – This could be the race of the weekend as Millrose and NY Indoor champ Kyle Merber (Half Hollow Hills West) looks to continue his dominance. Leading the charge to knock off the Columbia-bound Merber will be Julian Sheinbaum(Scarsdale), who just missed catching Merber at the Loucks Games in early May. Since that last match up, Sheinbaum has run 9:01 for 3200, and has the best time in the state in that event, but wanted one more shot at Merber.
Boys 3200 – Colby Delbene (Pawling) has twice run under 9:10 this season and is the top seed, but he will surely face a stiff challenge from Foot Locker finalist and NY Federation XC Champion Pat Du Pont(Fairport).
3000 Steeplechase – A match race between the states two Foot Locker Finalists from this past cross country season, DuPont (who will be coming off the 3200 the night before) and Zach Rivers(Victor).
Boys Hurdles – Darryl Bradshaw(Sheepshead Bay) is the class of the field in the straightaway race and will look to get under the 14 second barrier. The 1 lap hurdles features 4 runners who have recorded times under 54 seconds this season and could be a battle right to the line.
Boys Sprint Relays – The big question is can Ramapo pull off the double? Standing in the way is Sheepshead Bay, which has the best time in the 1 lap affair where anything can happen and usually does.
Boys Long and Triple Jump – Albert Johnson(Corning) is seeded 2nd and could possibly take both titles. Johnson’s biggest hurdle will be in the long jump where he is 6” behind top seed TJ Davis (Liverpool). In the triple jump Johnson is also 6” behind top seed Senghor Kamguia (Watertown), but Johnson was not the top seed indoors when he took the title.
Boys Pole Vault – Brian McGovern(Mt St Michaels) missed the indoor championships and will be looking to not only take the title, but take down the state record as well. As the only outdoor 16’ vaulter in the field he looks like a clear cut favorite, but indoor champ Robb Quiller (O’Niell) had never cleared 15’ 2 weeks prior to the undercover championship and went on to clear 16’ to take that title. Quiller will be looking to do the same this weekend – come into the meet as a possible medal contender then shock the field.
Boys Pentathlon – Six points separate the top 3 seeds: Tomaddis Bell(McQuaid), Ben Waruch(Rondout Valley) and Patrick McLaughlin(Oneida).
Boys Throws – Six athletes have thrown over 160 in the discus this season with Garrett Grey(Tri Valley) having the best throw 169 ‘ 5” of the bunch. In the shot, David Gross (Brockport) has the best throw, 59’ 4-3/4”, by almost 3’ and looks to be unstoppable.
Boys 4 x 800 – Four teams have seeds under 7:50 – Chaminade, Colonie, Pine Bush and Warwick Valley. The winner should come from one of these four and, with all four in the mix thoughtout, super fast times could in the cards.
Girls Sprints – Four competitors have recorded times under 12, with Adele Jackson-Gibson(Nichols) having the top seed at 11.82. Indoor 300 meter champ and the state’s top 400 meter runner, Nadonnia Rodriques(Boys and Girls), is just entered in the 200 and should take the title. With Rodriques not running the one lap race, this looks to be wide open.
Girls 800 – Charlene Lipsey(Hempstead) broke a 23-year-old meet record with a 2:08.25 at the Golden South meet last weekend, but she will have her hands full with All American Sarah McCurdy(Bayshore), the Saratoga duo of Michelle Riley and Brianne Bellon, and Indoor 600 meter champ Phyllis Francis(McAuley).
Girls 1500 and 3000– Just like the boys 1600, the girls 1500 could be one of the best races of the weekend. Indoor champ Jaclyn Marshall(Kings Park) will have to fight off challenges from Foot Locker Finalist and Federation cross country champion Emily Lipari(Roslyn), as well as Mary Kate Champagne(Seton Catholic) and Tori Pennings, who led her Warwick team to a 10th place finish at this years NTN. The night before the 1500, many of the same names will line up for the 3000. Saratoga’s NON steeple champion Hannah Davidson will not run the barrier event at the states opting instead for the 3000. Sure to challenge Davidson will be Samantha Roecker(Burnt Hills), Courtney Chapman from 2-time NTN champion Fayetteville Manlius, Champagne and Lipari. Last year, few had heard of Lipari before she took the state title. Will there be another new star born?
Girls Hurdles – Indoor champ Madalyne Smith(Saratoga) will look to add the outdoor title in the 100 meter event. The full lap race will be one of the weekend’s featured events as IAAF World Youth Champion Dailah Muhammad(Cardoza) comes in as the 2nd seed behind national leader Elizabeth Mott(New Rochelle). The pair last met at the Loucks Games in early May with Muhammad getting the win.
Girls Long and Triple Jump – Indoor Champ Jen Clayton(Suffern) has the state’s best jump with a 20’ 4” leap last weekend at a USATF meet, but will face a resurgent Ashley Hendrix(Uniondale) who is the only other jumper over 19’. Clayton, who at one time this season had the best jump in the state in the triple jump, is now seeded 2nd behind Marlene Ricketts(Westbury)as the pair are the only two so far who have jumped over 39’.
Girls Throws – Melissa Kurzdorfer(Lancaster) is an overwhelming favorite in the discus with a best throw almost 12’ further than her nearest competitor. Kurzdorfer is also the top seed in the shot, but only has a throw just over 1’ further then Vanessa Stewart(North Babylon).
Girls Pole Vault – Youth rules the girls pole vault in 2008 in New York with the top 5 seeds all being underclassmen. Sydnie LeRoy(Port Jervis) and Camille Cinyard(Vestal) are the only two over 12’ so far this year.
Girls Relays – Boys and Girls could pull off the sprint relay double. In the short race, however, they need to get past Canarsie – and indoor 4 x 200 champs Suffern should not be counted out. Boys and Girls could be vulnerable in the 4 x 400 as Nadonnia Rodriques is not listed as one of the possible runners the Brooklyn school could call on.
NY State Meet Index
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