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NYSPHSAA Indoors

State's Best Compete in Dome

Published March 3, 2003 in The Post-Standard.

By Dr Kamal Jabbour, Contributing Writer

Next Saturday March 8, the Carrier Dome at Syracuse University hosts the New York State high schools indoor track and field championships. The event also serves as the championship meet for New York City.s catholic high schools and private schools athletic leagues, as well as the State Federation Championships meet.

Among all high school sports, the indoor state championship remains true to the ideals of athletic competition, in which athletes compete against time and gravity without regard to the size of their schools. Indeed, the indoor state meet makes no distinction among classes, and crowns true champions in each event.

Entering the home stretch of the indoor season, the leader boards provided an insight in the quality of expected competition. Besides, the National Scholastic Indoor Championship at the Armory moved to the third weekend in March for the first time in three years, eliminating a perennial conflict between the two meets.

In the girls. 3000-meter race, Nicole Blood of Saratoga and Laura Cummings of Bayshore lead the State with 9 minutes 48 seconds and 9:50. Ashley Hughes of Phoenix and Brittany Crawford are the fastest Section 3 qualifiers.

Blood also leads in the metric mile with a time of 4 minutes 39 seconds, followed by Kristin Farley of Polytechnic Prep in 4:41. Hughes is again Section three.s best hope. Elizabeth Maloy and Blood lead the 1,000 meters with times of 2:51 and 2:54.

At the 800 meters, Selena Stappleton of AP Randolph and JaneAn Morris of Bishop Loughlin ran 2 minutes 14 seconds.

On the boys. side, Brian Dalpiaz of Sayville set a State record of 9:01.92 for 2 miles, and is the favorite in the 3,200-meter race. Northport.s Kevin Tschirhart recently set a State sophomore record of 9:10.86 for 2 miles. Liverpool.s Dan McKenna is the highest ranking runner from Section 3.

Dalpiaz and Tschirhart are also atop the 1,600-meter leader board with mile times of 4:14 and 4:16, joined by Peru.s Joshua McDougal. Liverpool.s McKenna once more tops Section 3.

Kyle Fiasconaro of Commack and Hakon De Vries of John Jay top the 1,000-meter leaders list in 2:29 and 2:30, while Freeport.s Gabriel McLaren and Transit Tech.s Michael Webley top the 800-meter list with times of 1:53 and 1:56.

Section 3.s best chance for a gold medal may come in the girls. jumps. APW.s Marie Swieta leads the State in the high jump with 5 ft 7.5 inches, and CNS.s Fatima Fields had the third best mark in the triple jump with 37-ft 1.5-in.

The Opening Ceremonies start with the parade of athletes at 8:45, with the first event at 9:15am.

© 2003 The Post-Standard.

Kamal Jabbour runs and writes on the hills of Pompey, New York. His RUNNING Column appears in The Post-Standard on Mondays. Dr.J. created TrackMeets.com, webcasting live Every Lap of Every Race. He receives email at jabbour@i2sports.com.