West Point, NY — You simply had to be there to feel the exuberant joy as the Sullivan West girls indoor track upset Tri-Valley to become OCIAA Division V champions. It was the Lady Bulldogs’ first indoor win over the Lady Bears since 2009, a year in which the Westies were 21-0 and went on to win the school’s only girls Section Nine Indoor Track title. This team was too young back then to be a part of that glory. But this was their time with their plaque held aloft as they took their victory lap around the track at West Point’s Gillis Field House. Their shrieks of joy were an appropriate coda to a two-day marathon division collision with their nemesis. Given the surfeit of youth on coach Joe Seidl’s feisty team, this victory may be a harbinger of more bright things to come in the not-too-distant future.

Division V is also the bailiwick of Eldred, which took third in the girls meet, accruing 84 points. Sullivan West bested T-V 159-149 in the meet that seesawed back and forth. SW eighth-grader Stephanie Schwab won the high jump (4-8), took third in the triple jump and fourth in the 55 hurdles accruing 20 points. Fellow eighth-grader Maggie Keller won the triple jump (26-09.75). She was fourth in the 1,000. Sullivan West won the 4x400 relay and took second in the 4x200 relay to Pine Plains. SW junior Kelsey Dutton took second in the 1,500 (5:33.83), in the 3,000 (11:53.56) and third in the 1,000, accruing 22 points in the cause. Senior Allison Wactor won the long jump and ran a leg in the 4x200 relay. Sophomore Rosa Martinez took second in the 600 and ran a leg in the winning 4x400 relay. Tri-Valley’s big winner was senior Alex Brooks (26 points). She claimed the 1,000 (3:29.24), took second in the triple jump and was second in the 300, which was won by Eldred sophomore Sarah Malzahn (47.24). Malzahn also claimed the 600 (1:55.24). Eldred eighth-grader Kayla Maas won the 1,500 (5:25.24), the 3,000 (11:59.24) and the pole vault (7-0) for a whopping 30 points. Tri-Valley got a 1-2-3 sweep in the 1,500 racewalk with Brook Gillette, Mary Alongi and Jessica Hussey. SW’s Autumn Thiele was fourth. T-V’s 24-4 point surge in that event put them temporarily in the lead, but SW’s response with the pole vault, 300 and triple jump proved to be the difference. T-V’s Claire Tierney won the shot put (29-11.5).

In the boys meet, Tri-Valley outpointed Sullivan West 160-135 to garner the Division V crown. The Bears had a trio of three-event champs in junior Ian Kurzrock, who won the 1600 (5:07.19), the 3200 (10:48.50) and ran a leg in the winning 4x800 relay (9:58.71). Senior Nick Rios won the long jump (17-6), the triple jump (36-11) and ran a leg in the winning 4x400 relay (3:59.99). Junior Mohib Khan won the shot put (37-3) and ran in the winning 1,600 relay and 4x200 relay (1.42.93). Senior Justin Weintraub won the 600 (1:41.44) and ran in the winning 4x800 relay. Sullivan West senior Patrick Pierce won the high jump (6-0), while fellow senior Mitch Paciga took the 55 hurdles (8.67). Paciga was second in the high jump. SW sophomore Hunter Flynn took the 1,000 (3:06.36), while junior Kevin Hart won the 300 (8.67). Junior Anthony Rydell was second in the shot put (36-4) and won the non-scoring weight throw (45-5.5). Sophomore Ethan Seidl was second in the 1,600 (5:09.83). Eldred’s Julian Gottlieb won the 55 (7.24.2). He took second in the pole vault (10-6). Eldred finished third with 86 points. Monticello’s Terry Duncan took first in the Division III 55 (6.85). John Harned won the 600 (1.29.12) and Trayvon Rainey captured the shot put (46-3).

For more details on the iconic meet, read “Five (V) Alarm Thriller” on www.sportsinsightsny.com. For photos visit www.sportsinsights.smugmug.com.