Evening Sun Report

Track and Field

VESTAL – Norwich junior Brooke Bonney unleashed the best discus throw of her high school career, and went on to claim two overall Section IV State Qualifier championships, Thursday at Dick Hoover Stadium.

Since the start of practice in March, Bonney and throwing coach Tom Stoddard worked extensively on improving in the discus. This, one year after Bonney earned a trip to the state meet a year ago in the shot put. “I think Brooke realized that if she wanted to be a complete thrower, she needed to throw the shot and the disc,” said Norwich coach Shaun Horan. “She became more and more aggressive in the circle, and she is so strong and athletic. I think it was just a matter of time before she got a hold of one and let it rip.”

Bonney had two 120-foot-plus throws, the longest measuring 122-feet, four-inches to break the school record of 117-11 set by Nicki Persons two decades ago. Bonney finished her daily double winning the shot with a toss of 36-10.

Also winning a championship was B-G/Afton sophomore Julia Knapp. Knapp, a three-time New York State meet participant, upended defending sectional champion Kathy Cadet of Union-Endicott for her first overall title. She won the race in a personal-best 15.2 seconds, and the victory came just a short while after she participated on a the school-record-breaking 400-meter relay. Not only that, it was the first win for Knapp over Cadet. “She had already met the state qualifying standard (before the meet), so the first thing was to just get through the race,” said B-G/Afton coach Israel Lorimer. “She just ran a great race in the finals.”

Elsewhere, Norwich’s Matt Murray returns to the state meet, this time in the 800 meters after placing third in 1:58. That finished matched his third overall finish – second in Division II – in the 1,600 meters in which he ran a personal-best 4:28.