By Rob Potter
MONTICELLO — May 5, 2006 – Hundreds of athletes from high schools near and far gathered at Monticello High School last Saturday for the annual Monticello Games invitational track and field meet.
The boys’ division included area schools Eldred, Ellenville, Fallsburg, Middletown, Minisink Valley, Monticello, Red Hook, Port Jervis, Sullivan West and Tri-Valley. Also competing were Byram Hills, a school from Armonk in Westchester County, Happague, a school on Long Island, and Sidney, a high school in Delaware County.
The girls’ division included the same schools, except for Middletown.
In the large schools category in the girls’ division, Minisink prevailed with 102 points. Monticello was second with 67 points and Happague placed third with 58 points.
In the small schools category in the girls’ division, Sidney won with 114 points. Tri-Valley finished second with 104.5 points and Red Hook was third with 90.5 points.
In the large schools category in the boys’ division, Byram Hills captured first place with 139 points. Happague took second with 117 points and Monticello placed third with 59 points.
In the small schools category in the boys’ division, Red Hook won with 85 points. SW was second with 76 points and Sidney took third place with 68 points.
Four athletes – Alan Ackermann, April Ackermann, Katelyn Guevriere and Max Kasak – were honored for their excellent individual performances.
SW junior Alan Ackermann was named the Boys’ Field MVP. He won the discus with a throw of 146 feet, 2 inches and placed fourth in the hammer throw with an effort of 124 feet, 10 inches. He also finished second in the shot put by putting the shot exactly 43 feet.
April Ackermann, who is Alan’s older sister, was honored as the Girls’ Track MVP. April, a SW senior, won the 1,500-meter run in 5 minutes, 17.3 seconds and took first place in the 3,000 meters in 11:14.8. She also placed second in the 800-meter run in 2:32.2.
Guevriere, a Sidney student-athlete, was selected as the Girls’ Field MVP. She set meet records on the way to winning the 100-meter dash and triple jump. Her time in the 100 was 14.7 seconds and her mark in the triple jump was 36 feet, 4 1/2 inches.
Kasak, who attends Byram Hills, was chosen as the Boys’ Track MVP. He set a meet record by winning the 3,200-meter run in 9:35.7.
Several athletes from Sullivan County high schools also turned in outstanding performances at the meet. They included:
Boys
• Matt Arielly of Liberty, who won the freshman/sophomore triple jump with an effort of 38 feet, 6 1/2 inches.
• Chris Gates of Fallsburg, who won the varsity long jump event with a leap of 19 feet, 6 1/4 inches. He also captured third place in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.4 seconds and placed third in the high jump (5 feet, 9 inches.)
• Garrett Grey of Tri-Valley, who finished first in the freshman/sophomore shot put competition with an effort of 40 feet, 6 1/2 inches. He also won the javelin with a throw of 151 feet, 10 inches.
• Ryan Loughney of Tri-Valley, who won the hammer throw by setting a meet record of 174 feet, 2 inches. In addition, he placed second in the discus with a throw of 126 feet, 1 inch.
• Matt Moore of Fallsburg, who won the varsity shot put event by putting the shot 45 feet, 8 inches. He also placed third in the discus (117 feet, 6 inches).
• Jacob Schwartz of Liberty, who earned first place in the pole vault with an effort of 13 feet, 6 inches.
• Colin Seidl of SW, who won the freshman/sophomore 1,600 meter run in 4:45.48.
Girls
• Grace Babula of Eldred, who captured second place in the freshman/sophomore triple jump (26 feet, 10 1/2 inches) and was fourth in the freshman/sophomore 1,500-meter run (5:38.2).
• Kanacia James of Tri-Valley, who earned first place in the discus with a throw of 85 feet, 2 inches and placed fourth in the triple jump (28 feet, 6 inches).
• Courtney Roosa of Tri-Valley, who won the 1,000-meter steeplechase in a time of 3:39.0.
• Te´nesha Washington of Monticello, who won the 400 meters (59.5 seconds) and the long jump (15 feet, 1/4 inches). In addition, she placed second in the 200-meter dash in 27.8 seconds.
• The SW 3,200-meter relay team of Rianne Erlwein, Chelsie Schadt, Jessica Wagner and Amanda Ward, which won that event in 10:44.0.