Robert Jeffrey
Sun Sports Contributor
NORWICH – It was a blistering hot day in Chenango County on Sunday June 11, but while most constituents of the county kept cool by taking a dip in the pool or getting ice cream from a local vendor, there were a handful of track and field athletes that decided that the 80 degree heat wasn’t enough for them.
These athletes ranging from ages six-years old and under to competitors within their 50s, wanted their competitive temperature gauge to reach just a little bit higher. And surely as those in attendance looked on as the hometown Bolts, consisting of many track and field enthusiasts from all around Chenango County left their competition to melt in the swelling heat.
Not only were the guts and glory of the all-aged competitors noteworthy, but their overall hard work and effort on an athletic stage in a venue that many have never experienced is extraordinary.
With the Empire State Sports Council giving the Bolts track and field club the nod to host an event like this- something that this area has never seen before outside of the normal high school interscholastic athletic circuit, certainly deserves recognition.
That being said, with outer area teams from Syracuse and Albany just to name a few, the main goal of the meet was to share in the excitement and passion for track and field. But just like in any kind of athletic competition, the goal is to improve and enjoy playing the game, and for all of the athletes in attendance that’s exactly what happened.
As the hometown Bolts won the meet with the women scoring 50 more points than the second place team and the males scoring 110 points higher than the eventual runner-ups.
Track and Field within Chenango County is growing, and that’s a very good thing.
“We are really getting great help from the Norwich varsity athletes. It works because the veteran athletes, collegiate athletes, high school athletes are invested in giving back to create up and coming track athletes. We offer a sport that every kid can do, get equal playing time doing, and keep getting better in one event or another,” said chief organizer and head coach Shannon Gawronski on the success of the program.
The excitement for this program is simply unprecedented and the ability for casual spectators of the sport to sit and watch a meet or a few events in their free time provides the fan fare for both the athletes who enjoy competing and for those fans who think of track and field as an expert strategic and physical athletic competition.
Full place results for all Bolts participants from the meet:
100 Meters:
Boys 6 and under – second-place Caleb Dix, third-place place Robert Cunningham
Girls 7-8 – first-place Madison Dix, fourth-place Amelia Conant, fifth-place Addison Marinelli
Boys 7-8 – fourth-place Carter Chrystie
Girls 9-10 – first-place Amanda Smietana, third-place place Zoe Sullivan
Boys 9-10 – first-place Julien Smith, third-place Richard Hunter, fourth-place David Dunkel
Girls 11-12 – first-place Devin Flanagan, fourth-place Lauren Raphael, fifth-place Andie Mucha
Boys 11-12 – first-place George Bryant, second-place Lucas Craddock, third-place Victor Richette, fourth-place Dradon Benedict, fifth-place Richard Fuller, sixth-place Carmello Ithier
Girls 13-14 – first-place Milla Gonzalez
Boys 13-14 – second-place Liam O’Brien
Boys 15-16 – first-place Eric Conant, fourth-place Logan Ingraham
Women 19-20 – first-place Sydney Chaffee
Men - 19-29 – first-place Eddie Ray Cotton
Men 30-34 – first-place Andre Bryant
200 Meters:
Girls 7-8 – first-place Maddison Dix, fourth-place Addison Marinelli
Girls 9-10 – first-place Amanda Smietana, second-place Zoe Sullivan, third-place Maya Eberly
Girls 11-12 – first-place Devin Flanagan, second-place Alisa Marconi, third-place Jessica Golden, fifth-place Andi Mucha
Girls 13-14 – second-place Milla Gonzalez
Women 19-29 – first-place Sydney Chaffee
Boys 7-8 – sixth-place Izaiah Delgado
Boys 9-10 – first-place Richard Hunter, third-place David Dunkel, fourth-place Edward Golden
Boys 11-12 – first-place George Bryant, second-place Lucas Craddock, third-place Richard Fuller, fourth-place Alex Smietana, fifth-place Victor Richette, sixth-place Noah Ellsworth, seventh-place Connor Eberly
Men 15-16 – first-place Eric Conant, fifth-place Logan Ingraham
Men 17-18 – fourth-place Michael Cardoza
Men 30-34 – first-place Andre Bryant
400 Meters:
Girls 7-8 – second-place Amelia Conant
Girls 9-10 – first-place Zoe Sullivan
Girls 11-12 – third-place Jessica Golden, fourth-place Alysa Marconi, fifth-place Faithlyn Gray, sixth-place Katie Yates, seventh-place Alyssa Dunkel
Girls 13-14 – second-place Milla Gonzalez
Women 50-54 – first-place Karen Ellsworth
Boys 9-10 – second-place Julien Smith
Boys 11-12 – second-place Alex Smietana, third-place Richard Fuller, fourth-place Wil Simmons, fifth-place Victor Richette, sixth-place Noah Ellsworth, seventh-place Connor Eberly
Boys 13-14 – first-place Liam O’Brien
Men 15-16 – first-place Eric Conant
Mens 17-18 – fourth-place Michael Cardoza
800 Meters:
Girls 11-12 – first-place Faithlyn Gray, second-place Alyssa Dunkel
Boys 9-10 – second-place Josh McNamara
Boys 11-12 – second-place Wil Simmons
Boys 13-14 – first-place Ryan Secor
Boys 17-18 – second-place Gabe Gawronski
1500 Meter Run:
13-14 Boys – first-place Ryan Secor, second-place Andrew Meccariello, third-place Jonathan McNamara
17-18 Boys – second-place Gabe Gawronski
3000 Meter Run:
13-14 Boys – first-place Andrew Meccariello
