Photos: Outdoor Track Athletes Strive for States
The track-and-field teams of Berne-Knox-Westerlo, Guilderland, and Voorheesville competed in a two-day Section II state-qualifier event at Shenendehowa High School last Thursday and Friday, hoping to qualify for the state competition this coming Friday and Saturday in Middletown. New rules allowed some of the athletes who already met the mark earlier in the season to qualify.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Setting a new personal record: Guilderland’s Sean O’Brien leaps over the hurdle before landing in the water in the boys’ Division I, 3200-meter steeplechase event. O’Brien won and qualified for states in the steeplechase with a time of 9:42.16.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Slippery slope: BKW’s Michelle Puzulis stumbles in the girls’ Division II, 3000-meter steeplechase so she failed to qualify, finishing seventh with a time of 8:14.41.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Eyes closed: Guilderland’s Makiya Donnelly flies over the bar in the girls’ Division I high jump on Friday. Donnelly had already qualified after hitting a super standard earlier in the season. She finished second at a height of 5 feet, 3 inches.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
All effort: Guilderland's Micah Tindale passes his baton to his older brother, Noah, during the boys’ Division I four-by-800-meter relay. Noah rallied his team to finish second and qualify for state competition with a time of 7:51.42.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Off and running: Voorheesville’s Evan Ensslin gets a good start off the block in the boys’ Division II 400-meter run on Thursday. Ensslin finished third and didn’t qualify, with a time of 51.32, but he did qualify for states in the Division II 800-meter and 1600-meter runs.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Easy landing: Voorheesville’s Jayden Kelley clears the high-jump bar in the girls’ Division 2 pentathlon on Thursday. Kelley finished eighth at a height of 4 feet, 2 inches but she only competed in three of the five events, which finished on Friday.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Kicking ahead: Guilderland’s Kate Scanlan jumps over the second hurdle in the 400-meter high-hurdle event on Thursday afternoon. Scanlan finished third in Division 1 with a time of 1:07.64.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Bounced around: Voorheesville’s Mariem Sayahi, center, gets shoved by competitors at the start of the girls’ 3000-meter Division 2 race on Thursday afternoon at Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Gaining momentum: Guilderland’s Alana Holmes starts to throw the discus during Friday’s competition for states. Holmes finished third with a distance of 103 feet, 1 inch.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Maximum effort: Berne-Knox-Westerlo’s Silas Ayi clears a hurdle in the semifinals of the boys’ Division 2,110-meter high hurdles on Friday. Ayi finished seventh in the semifinals with a time of 16.39 then went onto the finals but wasn’t able to move on to state competition, finishing seventh with a time of 16.72.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
Quick feet: Voorheesville’s Marco Loccisano shows off his speed in the boys’ Division 2 200-meter dash. Loccisano finished fifth in the semifinals with a time of 23.33, then competed in the finals and finished seventh with a time of 23.54.