A regular at the NYSPHSAA track and field championships gave the greater Niagara region another top-three finish Saturday.
Competing at states for the third straight year, Starpoint’s Emily Waldron placed third in the Class B pole vault on the second day of action at Middletown High School. The junior’s mark of 11 feet was good for 10th in all classes.
Waldron finished where she was seeded in Class B and overall. She started the day by clearing 10-6 on her third attempt before reaching 11-0 on her next try. Cornwall’s Anderson Farina had the top mark in Class B at 12-3, trailing only Shaker’s Ruby Miracle (12-6) in the state.
A year ago, Waldron took fifth in both Division 1 and overall with a height of 11-9. As a freshman in 2023, she was eighth in Division 1 and 12th overall at 11-0.
The Niagara Frontier League represented well in the Class B discus. Seniors Gianna Glovack of Niagara Wheatfield and Casey Fetzner of Lewiston-Porter took fourth and fifth, respectively, in their second straight appearance at the state championships.
Glovack’s top throw of 122-4 came on her third attempt, while Fetzner’s first heave of 119-2 was her best. Miller Place’s Jillian Scully won easily with a throw of 169-10.
Starpoint’s Shannon Zugelder competed in a pair of events Saturday, highlighted by a fourth-place effort in the Class B steeplechase (7:11.94). Tappan Zee’s Bridget Dunn won in 6:47.52, and Zugelder’s time was 14th overall.
Zugelder also finished 13th in the Class B 1,500 meters and 35th overall in 4:53.78.
Elsewhere, Niagara Wheatfield’s 4×800 relay team of Maya Polek, Teaghan Brady, Brielle Peterson and Sydney March shaved 17 seconds off their previous best en route to a sixth-place Class B showing in 9:33.05. Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake turned in a winning time of 9:15.90. Niagara Wheatfield was 20th overall.
Niagara Wheatfield’s Lila Giannantonio tied for eighth in the Class B high jump (5-0), and was tied for 20th overall.
Another trip to the podium for Clark
Another day, another fourth-place finish and school record for Lew-Port’s Leo Clark.
The senior broke his own mark in the 1,600 after doing so in the 800 Friday. He ran a 4:16.13, which was 15th overall. Eastport-South Manor’s Justin Albanese (4:13.60) was the Class B champion.
In Class C, Medina senior Gordon Young’s leap of 6-1 placed him fifth in the high jump, with winner Joe Baylor of Moravia jumping 6-8. Young tied for 15th overall.
Royalton-Hartland’s Tysen McCaa took sixth in the Class C triple jump. The junior’s best jump of 40-4.75 came on his third attempt. Midlake’s Aiden Bryant had a winning mark of 47-8.5.
Niagara Wheatfield’s 4×400 relay team of Josiah Rivera, Kakozi Ndulu, Mason Sabo and Nicholas Morgan finished ninth in Class B in 3:26.88.
Niagara Wheatfield’s Jonah Goldman was 10th in the shot put (45-11).
Niagara Falls’ Bishop Palmer tied for 10th in Class A and 27th overall in the high jump (5-10).
Also for the Wolverines, Dylan Hinks was 15th in the Class A triple jump (42-6).