By Rob Potter
GRAHAMSVILLE — Hundreds of track and field athletes made their way to the Iatauro Athletic Complex at Tri-Valley Central School on Saturday for the annual Tri-Valley Relays Invitational.
The competitors, coaches, officials, fans, school staff members and volunteers had to deal with a brief rain shower accompanied by a stiff breeze, but otherwise the day was nice and sunny.
In the boys’ team standings, Ellenville scored 184 points to win the first place trophy. New Paltz placed second with 134 points and Rondout Valley was third with 127 points. The other teams finished as follows: 4. Tri-Valley, 58; 5. Pine Plains, 55; 6. Eldred, 54; 7. Goshen, 50; 8. Red Hook, 46; 9. Liberty, 45; 10. Saugerties, 32; 11. John A. Coleman Catholic, 25; 12. James Ferris, 20.
In the girls’ team standings, Rondout Valley prevailed with 181 points. T-V was second with 176 points and Saugerties was third with 90 points.
The other teams finished as follows: 4. New Paltz, 84; 5. Red Hook, 78; 6. Liberty, 63; 7. Ellenville, 51; 8. Pine Plains, 48; 9. Goshen, 36; 10. Monticello, 29; 11. Eldred, 14; 12. John A. Coleman Catholic, 9.
Liberty’s Jessica Dunnigan was named the Girls’ Outstanding Track Athlete. T-V’s Heidi Furman was chosen as the Girls’ Outstanding Field Athlete.
Dunnigan won the 100 meter dash in 12.2 seconds. She also ran the anchor leg for the Lady Indians’ two first-place varsity relay teams. In the 400 relay, Amanda Bertholf, Nikole Snyder, Lara Jane Heslop and Dunnigan won with a time of 51.4 seconds. In the 800 relay, Wanman, Nikole Snyder, Lara Jane Heslop and Dunnigan prevailed with a time of 1 minute, 51 seconds.
Furman and teammate Dominique Darby won the varsity shot put relay with a mark of 63 feet, 3 3/4 inches. Furman and teammate Mareena DiMilia won the javelin relay with a combined throw of 169-2.
T-V’s Caroline Bertholf won the 2000 steeplechase in 8:13.1.
Ben Altshuler of Ellenville was named the Boys’ Outstanding Field Athlete, while teammate Tyler O’Bryant was selected as the Boys’ Outstanding Track Athlete.
O’Bryant won the 100 meter dash in 11.0 seconds and ran the first leg of the 800 relay to help the Blue Devils win that event in 1:34.
Altshuler, who was also member of the 800 relay team, and teammate Czarnecki won the long jump relay (40-5) and the triple jump relay (79-8).
Eldred’s Hunter Proscia won the steeplechase with a time of 6:23.1.
T-V’s Rafael Ramirez and Kyle Denman won the hammer relay with a combined throw of 281-7.
Note: Please see Friday’s issue for a list of the winners of each event as well as athletes and teams from Sullivan County schools which placed in the top six of that event.