Poll: Vote for the Journal's Feb. 3-19 Athletes of the Week

We're in the stretch run of the winter season with some sports having already completed their sectional tournaments, and several local bowlers, swimmers and track and field athletes have been crowned champions. As well, the Section 1 basketball playoffs are underway and the Section 9 postseason is soon to begin. As such, we've got a number of standouts representing those sports in this week's list of nominees.

Last week's Athletes of the Week winners were Red Hook wrestler Luke Daniels, who won the small-school poll with 7,655 votes, and Wappingers gymnast Emma Dwyer, who received 1,501 votes to win the large-school poll.

Voting will be open until 4 p.m. Tuesday. This week's nominees:

Large-school nominees

Ivan Ortega, Arlington boys bowling

He rolled an 1,389 series, tied for the tournament best, leading a young Admirals squad to second place in the Section 1 championships. Ortega's performance included games of 265 and 259, helping Arlington finish strong and climb ahead of powerhouse North Rockland in the placement.

Henry Reinke, Beacon track & field

The junior ran the 400 meters in 51.22 seconds, which was the best time among Section 9 runners this season, taking seventh place at the North Shore Pre-National Invitational at The Armory.

Making a splash: Quested, Johnson repeat as Section 9 swimming champs in historic performances

Rising above: Perillo, Kowalczyk dominate at Section 1 track & field championships

Smooth gliding: Jirka, Ettinger help New Paltz win boys and girls Section 9 Nordic skiing titles

Maya Watts, Arlington girls basketball

The center had 26 points, 12 rebounds, five steals and two blocks to lead the ninth-seeded Admirals in a 48-37 win over No. 9 North Rockland in the first round of the Section 1 Class AA playoffs.

Savion Nesbitt, Poughkeepsie boys basketball

The sophomore had 21 points and four assists, leading the Pioneers in a 64-45 win over Brewster in a Section 1 Class A outbracket game, which advanced them to the first round of the playoffs.

Connor Hitt, Ketcham track & field

The junior secured a berth to the state tournament, winning the boys 1,600 meters in 4:18.91 at the Section 1 state qualifying meet Sunday at The Armory. Hitt shaved almost eight seconds off the time he ran at the Section 1 Class AA championships a week earlier.

Ashley Buragas, John Jay girls basketball

She had 24 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists for the Patriots in a 62-33 win over Suffern in the opening round of the Section 1 Class AA playoffs.

Colin Cubberly, Arlington track & field

The football star is also a standout on the boys track and field team. Cubberly took first in the shot put with a distance of 41 feet, 8 ¾ inches ― more than two feet ahead of second place ― at the Section 1 Class AA championships at The Armory.

Maia Perillo, John Jay track & field

The junior won the girls pole vault with a height of 10 feet, 6 inches at the Section 1 Class AA championships last Monday. That height was three feet ahead of second place and six inches better than the winning boys vault. She also had a vault of 11 feet, which took second, at the state qualifying meet on Sunday.

Abigail Kowalczyk, Ketcham track & field

The sophomore won the girls 1,500 meters (4:51.17) and the 3,000 at the Section 1 Class AA championships. She also won the 3,000 at the state qualifying meet, lowering her section-leading time to 9:57.96.

Darren Hernandez, John Jay boys bowling

He bowled a 1,389 six-game series, including a 267 game, leading the Patriots to the Section 1 championship last Tuesday. John Jay-East Fishkill led the tournament from start to finish.

Small-school nominees

Josh Johnson, Marlboro boys swimming

He won the 100-yard butterfly in 52.03 seconds and the 50 freestyle with a personal-best 21.98 at the Section 9 championships. Johnson was the first repeat winner of the butterfly since 2010 and the first Marlboro swimmer to win the 50 free since at least 1998.

Gabby Murphy, Marlboro girls basketball

The sophomore scored a career-high 30 points in the Iron Dukes' 46-40 win over Goshen last Monday.

Caden Green, Dover boys basketball

He scored 29 points to lead the Dragons in a 57-50 win over Section 2's Hawthorne Valley last Wednesday.

Jose Iraola-Ceely, Marlboro track & field

The senior blew away the competition at the North Shore Pre-National Invitational, winning the boys weight throw with a personal-best of 65 feet, 1 ¼ inches. That distance was more than three feet ahead of second ― Shenendehowa's Evan Collette ― and those were the only two competitors who surpassed 55 feet.

Finn Quested, Rhinebeck boys swimming

The senior won the 200-yard individual medley (1:54.48) and the 100 backstroke in a meet-record time of 50.10 seconds at the Section 9 championships. Quested’s backstroke time also was the Valley Central pool record and earned him All-American consideration.

Matei Jirka, New Paltz skiing

The eighth-grader took first in the Section 9 championships, completing the 6.6-kilometer course at Gore Ski Bowl in 27:26, leading the Huguenots to a team victory and earning a spot on the all-section team that will compete in the state tournament.

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Vote for the Journal's Feb. 13-19 Athletes of the Week