Sauquoit – Marissa Jones’ disappointed look after running the 100 at Wednesday’s Class C-1 meet was not what one would expect of a sprinter who won a race. But that’s exactly what the Sauquoit Valley senior did in the May 25 event. In fact, Jones won every race she entered at the meet to lead the hosts to a great day.
“No matter how many times I do it, my starts are bad,” Jones said of how she begins each 100. “After 10 (meters) I’m always having to catch up. I can’t get it down.”
Queen Marissa….Sauquoit’s Marissa Jones makes the final turn toward the 400 meter dash championship. (Photo By Jeff Pexton – Perfect Game Imaging)
Maybe so, but down the stretch nobody could catch Jones as she clocked a personal best 12.99 to capture her first title of the afternoon. Normally a distance runner, Jones added another sprint title to her resume about half an hour later when she ran a 58.49 in the 400.
“It was not a PR (personal record),” the Mohawk Valley Community College-bound athlete said. “I struggled.”
Everyone should struggle like Jones if that’s the end result. She won the 200 in 26.11 easily for her third crown and added to Sauquoit Valley’s win total for the day. The boys and girls had many champions in a meet that Tully’s teams won en route to the title.
Justin Zimmer and Liam Evans were among the winners for the hosts as well and both were pleased with their efforts.
Sauquoit Valley’s Justin Zimmer edges Frankfort’s Joe Streeter for the boy’s 100 meter dash title. (Photo By Jeff Pexton Perfect Game Imaging)
“I was nervous after the callback,” Zimmer said of his mood at the start of the 100. “(The win) felt good. It was a nice warm day. I don’t like the cold.”
Zimmer, a senior, edged Frankfort-Schuyler’s Joe Streeter for the title after having been edged by his F-S rival at last week’s CSC meet.
“Finishing out is the key for me,” Zimmer said. “I was edged at the finish line last week. It (the win) is sweet.”
Zimmer won with an 11.3. Evans won the long jump with an 18-10 ¼ effort. It was a happy and surprising moment for the soft-spoken Sauquoit Valley star. “It’s the first time I’ve (long) jumped,” he said. “I only tripled before.”
Evans got the idea to try it at the CSC meet when the first leg of one of his triple jumps was very long. He asked his coached to put him in the long jump as well and it led to a victory Wednesday.
“I was surprised,” Evans said with a smile.”
Liam Evans flies to the boy’s long jump title. (Photo By Jeff Pexton – Perfect Game Imaging)
There was nothing surprising about Andy Mucica’s effort at the meet. The Little Falls senior was seeded second in the discus and first in the shot put. He finished exactly that way after some solid efforts.
“I wanted to win (discus), but I’m happy with second,” Mucica said after his 116-4 led for a while in the four-throw event.
He bounced back to take control of the shot put with a 46-1 1/2 in the early rounds and it held up for his second straight crown in the event.
“I wanted 46 feet,” Mucica said of his goal. “:I just had to go fast and put it all together. I just dedicated myself to more lifting and power lifting (since last year).”
F-S’ Julia Peters entered Wednesday’s meet with no pressure as she already had a qualifying throw for the state meet earlier in the year. This marks the third straight year she has earned a trip to the state meet.
“Every time there’s a meet there’s a goal,” the F-S senior said. “I’m motivated by the people around me, my coach and my dad.”
The CSC champ also owns the school record in the discus and hopes she’ll peak at the state meet which is two weeks away. She wound up 10th Wednesday, though.
Herkimer’s Joey Bass clears the high jump bar during round one action. (Photo By Jeff Pexton – Perfect Game Imaging)
Dylan Canarelli and Steven Philpotts were double winners for Sauquoit Valley’s boys to help make the team race tight to the end. Tully edged the hosts 155-153. Tully’s girls won with 242 with South Lewis taking second with 103 and the hosts took third with 74.
The other local winners on the boys’ side were LF’s Austin Green in the pentathlon and Ryan Miller in the triple jump, Sauquoit Valley’s Max Palmer in the 100 hurdles and Devin Murphy in the 800 and F-S’ Streeter in the 200.
Stephen Philpotts sails safely to the Pole Vault title for the host Indians. (Photo By Jeff Pexton – Perfect Game Imaging)
On the girls side, local winners were Herkimer’s 4×100 team, F-S’ Rose Simmons in the pentathlon and LF’s Kali Regan in the triple jump.
