Cameron Turner Photo

VESTAL – The entire scope of varsity track and field athletes from all classes in Section IV met in Vestal last week, Thursday, June 2, for a final chance to qualify for a trip to the upcoming New York State Championships.

Out of all the Section IV teams, Chenango County was represented by student athletes from Norwich, Greene, Unadilla Valley, Bainbridge-Guilford, and Harpursville-Afton.

Norwich's State Qualifiers:

Despite most of the Norwich boys completing their 2016 season with the conclusion of this years State Qualifier, two will be continuing their campaigns, senior Thomas Reilly and sophomore Zack Race.

• Race, a first year track athlete, will impressively be heading to Syracuse for the state meet later on this week in two events, the 100 and 200 meter dashes.

In the 100 meter dash Race first took to the track in the third heat of the semi-finals, where he would qualify for the finals after running an 11:51.

With a chance to head to states – as long as he finished top two in Class B – Race sped down the track in the finals to the tune of an 11:34, placing fourth overall and locking up his first event he will be competing in in the state meet. The eventual winner of the 100, Sincere Williamson, a junior from Binghamton would run a time of 10.97.

In the 200 meter dash, Race would claim another trip to the finals, after he posted a time of 23.53 in third heat of the semi-finals.

Once again Race was pitted up against some fierce competition, as Sincere Williamson of Binghamton would claim the top spot on the podium once again with a 22.15 time. Nevertheless, the competition would not slow Race down, as he would qualify for states, claiming a third place spot with his time of 22.83.

• Thomas Reilly, a senior reigned supreme as the top dog in the shot put arena, after his performance, which earned him a first place overall finish in the event and trip to states, with his throw of 54', a personal best.

“Currently the second best throw in Norwich history and first boy thrower to go to states in outdoor track in twenty plus years,” said Norwich's throwing coach Thomas Stoddard.

Reilly will now be chasing the NYS State Championship title for Division II schools, a school record of 54'9”, and a chance to go down as arguably The Tornado’s best thrower ever, or at least in recent memory.

“Piggybacking on his sectional championship from indoor track, (Reilly) is ranked tied for second in division II and top eight overall in the state. Big battle for division II state champ next week,” said Stoddard.

Notably, Coach Stoddard may have very well been one of the throwers from Norwich to last make it to the state level, and will now be heading back their as the coach of Reilly.

Recap:

4x100 relay: The Norwich 4x100 meter relay would be the sole team from Chenango County to compete in this event. The team of David Berger, Zack Race, Drew Walsh, and Eric Conant would attempt to claim a top spot in the event when they ran a seasons best 46.01. However, unfortunately for the Tornado boys they would fall short of stepping on the podium after their seasons best time failed to earn them a trip to the finals. Binghamton's team would earn the win with a time of 42.50 in the finals.