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Top performers from Section 4 girls track & field state qualifier

andrew legare, binghamton press & sun-bulletin
·5 min read

Elmira High School, Johnson City, Corning, Chenango Forks and Elmira Notre Dame each had multiple winners at the Section 4 girls track and field state qualifier at Union-Endicott High School.

The meet was held over two days at Ty Cobb Stadium, with stormy weather ending Wednesday's competition early and pushing some additional events into Thursday's schedule.

Top finishers in each event from Division I and Division II earned berths into the New York State Outdoor Track & Field Championships, to be held June 10 and 11 at Cicero-North Syracuse High School. Non-winners could qualify for states by hitting pre-determined standards.

More: Takeaways from boys track and field state qualifier

Division I teams in the sectional meet were Corning, Elmira, Binghamton, Horseheads, Ithaca, Vestal and Union-Endicott. The rest were Division II.

Express' Mordvinova takes two

Ana (Vicky) Mordvinova of Elmira.
Ana (Vicky) Mordvinova of Elmira.

Elmira junior Ana (Vicky) Mordvinova started her meet Wednesday by winning the 800 in 2:14.12, more than six seconds faster than runner-up Gracie Gorrell of Unadilla Valley, who paced the Division II field. Mordvinova's previous personal best was 2:17.

Mordvinova came back Thursday and beat out Corning distance ace Sarah Lawson in the 1,500. Mordvinova's time was 4:47.2 and Lawson followed in 4:49.84. Mordvinova was boxed in early in the race but said that didn't affect her. She had confidence in her closing kick and finished strong.

"I’m very happy with what I placed obviously and the fact I get to go to states for two events is something I couldn’t ever imagine," Mordvinova said.

Mordvinova was a ninth-place finisher in the 1,000 at the indoor state championships in March. This will be her first outdoor state meet.

"I'm really looking for a PR and I'm just trying to stick with people I know who know how to pace and people who are going to be faster than me," she said.

Lawson, Gerow lead Corning

Sarah Lawson of Corning-Painted Post.
Sarah Lawson of Corning-Painted Post.

Lawson didn't go home without a win. She took first in the 3,000 in 10:39.03, with teammate Cristina Gaskievicz second in 10:44.37 and Bainbridge-Guilford's Ethne Degan topping the Division II contingent in 10:50.89 for third.

Lauren Gerow added a victory for Corning in the 400 hurdles in 1:06.78.

Elmira Notre Dame tops in three events

Division II's Elmira Notre Dame had a strong two days, winning a combined three events.

That included individual victories from Amanda Simpson in the 400 (58.61) and Makenna Keough in the 100 hurdles (16.0). Keough was runner-up in the long jump and triple jump.

Elmira Notre Dame sisters Rachael Simpson, left, and Amanda Simpson share a laugh as they compete in the 200-meter dash in an IAC meet against Watkins Glen on April 20, 2022 at the Molly Huddle Track & Field Complex at Notre Dame High School.
Elmira Notre Dame sisters Rachael Simpson, left, and Amanda Simpson share a laugh as they compete in the 200-meter dash in an IAC meet against Watkins Glen on April 20, 2022 at the Molly Huddle Track & Field Complex at Notre Dame High School.

Amanda Simpson closed the Crusaders' win in the 1,600 relay that was started by her sister, Rachael. Piper Young and Leila Vargas ran the middle legs and Notre Dame's time of 4:10.63 topped runner-up Corning's leading Division I clocking of 4:11.39.

More: Quadruplets' Elmira Notre Dame journey ending, but Simpsons left impression in school and sports

Johnson City pair take different paths to wins

Patricia Nester of Johnson City.
Patricia Nester of Johnson City.

Johnson City's two individual victories came in the quickest event and perhaps the most grueling.

Patricia Nester took the 200 meters in 25.95 seconds to edge Odessa-Montour's Victoria Brewster (26.03). Earlier on Thursday, Brewster was champion in the 100 in 12.46 and Nester placed third in 12.90.

Also victorious for the Wildcats was freshman Emery Guzyk, who won the pentathlon with 2,406 points. The pentathlon includes the 100 hurdles, shot put, high jump, long jump and 1,500 meters. Guzyk was tops in the shot put.

Chenango Forks' Lawrence tops in triple jump

Gianna Lawrence of Chenango Forks paced the field in the triple jump with a winning hop-skip-jump of 36 feet, 4 inches. She added a second-place finish in the 100 hurdles in 16.04.

The Blue Devils impressed in the 3,200 relay for a second team victory. Their time of 9:56.45 was more than 15 seconds faster than second-place Corning.

Results

100-meter dash: Victoria Brewster (Odessa-Montour) 12.46, Milla Gonzalez (Oxford) 12.69, Patricia Nester (Johnson City) 12.90.

200: Patricia Nester (Johnson City) 25.95, Victoria Brewster (O-M) 26.03, Dejah Taylor (Sidney) 26.76.

400: Amanda Simpson (Elmira Notre Dame) 58.61, Gracie Gorrell (Unadilla Valley) 59.32, Kailey Kalet (Union Springs) 59.48.

800: Ana (Vicky) Mordvinova (Elmira) 2:14.12, Brynn Hogan (Sus. Valley) 2:20.22, Eleanor Lees (Delhi) 2:20.61.

1,500: Mordvinova (Elmira) 4:47.2, Sarah Lawson (Corning) 4:49.84, Hogan (Sus. Valley) 4:51.75.

3,000: Sarah Lawson (Corning) 10:39.03, Cristina Gaskievicz (Corning) 10:44.37, Ethne Degan (Bainbridge-Guilford) 10:50.89.

100 hurdles: Makenna Keough (Elmira Notre Dame) 16.0, Gianna Lawrence (Chenango Forks) 16.04, Mariah Nichols (Tioga) 16.59, Brenna O'Brien (Horseheads) 16.63.

400 hurdles: Lauren Gerow (Corning) 1:06.78, Anabel Rommer (Unatego) 1:06.83, Alexandra Senko (Owego) 1:10.70.

2,000 steeplechase: Gretel Hilson-Schneider (Delhi) 7:30.3, Olivia Grinnell (Corning) 8:01.13, Meghan McLaughlin (Corning) 8:12.01.

400 relay: Waverly 51.54, Binghamton 51.54 (tie), Oxford 51.98.

1,600 relay: Elmira Notre Dame 4:10.63, Corning 4:11.39, Sidney 4:19.68.

3,200 relay: Chenango Forks 9:56.45, Corning 10:12.14, Susquehanna Valley 10:12.81.

Shot put: Shakira Alexander (Norwich) 36-2.25, Sindiswa Pinckney (Dryden) 34-6.5, Yota Anastos (Maine-Endwell) 33-10.75.

High jump: 1-Isabella Harmon (Dryden) 5-4, 2-Mariah Saggese (Laurens-Milford) 5-4, 3-Sophia ReSue (Corning) 5-1.

Discus: Riley Lindsay (Harpursville-Afton) 119-5, Gabriella Ragozzine (Oneonta) 112-8, Maddy Brainard (Trumansburg) 107-10.

Long jump: Carly Hein (Maine-Endwell) 16-7, Makenna Keough (Elmira Notre Dame) 16-6, Tess Eisner (Horseheads) 16-5.25.

Triple jump: Gianna Lawrence (Chenango Forks) 36-4, Makenna Keough (END) 35-5, Piper Hooey (Elmira) 34-6.25.

Pole vault: Isabel Morse (Trumansburg) 10-7, Kiara Tornusciolo (Lansing) 10-7, Julia Walsh (Tioga) 9-7.

Pentathlon: Emery Guzyk (Johnson City) 2406 points, Kathryn Simmons (Newark Valley) 2337, Dakota Limbert (Union-Endicott) 2194.

Follow Andrew Legare on Twitter: @SGAndrewLegare. You can also reach him at alegare@gannett.com. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Top performers from Section 4 girls track & field state qualifier