CICERO – Over the next two days, 15 Chenango County Athletes will be competing for their shot at a New York State championship at Cicero-North Syracuse High School for the NYSPHSAA High School State Championships.
Some of these athletes, like Zack Race, Eric Conant, David Berger, Julia Oglesby and Caroline Stewart, have been on the stage before, while others are taking the trip for the first time.
Been there before...
Just a year ago, Race, Conant and Berger were teamed up with Ky’Sawn Veale and the Purple Tornado foursome came away with second place finish in Division-II. This season, with Veale graduated, a spot was open on one of the fastest teams in New York.
Scott Tomanocy was called on to fill the fourth spot. And it was a good call by Norwich head coach Shaun Horan.
This season’s 4x100 meter relay team has broke the school record set by last year’s group not once, not twice but three times throughout the last few months. Most recently, the four broke their record at the State Qualifier with a time of 43.08 for the race, securing their spot in the biggest meet of the season.
Berger sets the tone early, taking on the first turn of the one lap race. Berger then hands the baton off to Race. Many times the season, the race has been considered over as soon as the hand-off occurs, as Race seems kick it into another gear down his straight away.
Race passes the baton to Tomanocy, who handles the final turn in stride before giving it to Conant. Conant, like Race, turns his speed up to notch not many other runners have as he races to the finish line.
The four have yet to be really tested this season but will see some tough competition this weekend.
The teams from Ardsley and Cleveland Hill are seeded higher than the Purple Tornado sprinter––but anything can happen at the championships.
“We look at the seeds then toss them,” said Horan. “There are so many upsets that happen at the state meet. You can never have any expectations. We really just try to go and run our best races. That is our biggest goal.”
Record breaking 4x400 team
Another team that has continued to break records through out the season is the Norwich 4x400 boys relay team.
Also setting a school record at the State Qualifying meet, the team of Conant, Tomanocy, Gabe Gawronski and Noah Bufalini have set themselves up as the ninth fastest team in Division-II throughout the state for the event.
Each of the four racers run one full lap around the track. With a time 3:28.36 currently, their fastest time of the season, the Purple Tornado runners will look to surprise the teams a head of them.
The last team who will be heading north to compete for the top prize is the 4x100 meter girls team of Delilah Geislinger, Riley Marsh, Hailey Colabelli and Stewart from Norwich.
A week ago, the group ran a 50.90––their fastest posted this season to give them a third place finish overall at the qualifying meet. The time also set them up as the fastest team in Division-II to come out of Section IV as well as a 10th seed going into Friday’s prelims day.
The teams head of the fastest Section IV team are separated by fractions of a second with the top four teams being just a second head of the Lady Tornado sprinters. A second is achievable to overcome, but runners will tell you it feels like a lifetime.
Individually speaking...
Race, Stewart and Unadilla Valley’s Julia Oglesby will have full slate of events to compete in.
Being in nearly the same spot from a year ago, Race will be competing in the 100 meter and 200 meter dashes.
His finishes last year – a third in both events for Division-II – were not up to the standards Race holds for himself; he wants the top spot on the podium every time he steps onto the track.
With this season being his final shot at a state title, Race is running at a whole new level. And on a knee that is 100-percent healthy. But Race is not leaving the excuse of his injury on the table. His fastest time of the year in the 100 meter dash is a 10.7, a school record as well as a personal best for Race.
In the 200, Race ran his fastest time last season with a 21.85. This year, his fastest is 21.93 but a time that can be improved each time Race steps onto the track.
Gawronski siblings reach states together
Gabe Gawronski is racing at his first state championships of his running career in the 800 meter race.
A week ago, before the qualifying meet, Gawronski and Coach Horan were see-sawing on whether he would compete in the 400 meter dash or the 800. Horan believed his best shot of reaching Cicero-North Syracuse was going to be in the two lap event.
Gawronski was unsure of the decision as he had been struggling in the race in the final few weeks of the regular season but he went with his coach’s decision.
It paid off.
Gawronski was off to a great start of the race, running with three fastest participants of the event for the entirety of the first lap.
