MIDDLETOWN, NY — "It’s all about the kick," said Sullivan West’s veteran track and field coach, Ron Bauer, as he sized up the student athletes competing in the second day of the Section IX state qualifier at Faller Field.

The final kick that is, that last ditch effort that earns a shot at a New York State championship, sends a kid back to some hard-nosed practice for next season or brings down the curtain on a high school athletic career.

Friday, June 1 marked the second day of the Section IX state qualifier, featuring 42 track & field events, following the first day of competition at FDR High School.

In a case of “all roads lead to Rome” the NYSPHSAA championship will be held June 8 and 9 at Cicero-North High School in Syracuse, NY.

Sullivan West student athletes who qualified for the upcoming states: Mike Mullally (110- and 400-meter hurdles), HashimGambari (high jump), Tallula Gann (800-meter run), Sam Becker (400-meter hurdles) and Ava McLeod (110 and 200 meter dash).

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Voices from the events:

Alex Unser of Sullivan West gave it his best shot in discus and shot-put, but came up a bit short in both events.

“I focused on discus… practiced real hard all week… my goal was to make it to the states, but it didn’t happen," he said.

Sullivan West’s Ava MeLeod made it to the states, finishing in first place in the girls 100-meter dash with a time of 12.75, and second in the girls 200-meter dash, .65 seconds behind first-place finisher Dolce McPherson of Fallsburg, who posted 25.94.

“The 200 is pretty hard for me because it’s pretty long," she said, adding, “It’s exciting” to be headed to the states.

Mike Mullally, the West Point-bound Sullivan West senior, kicked up his heels and smoked the opposition in the events he entered, the boys 110-meter hurdles and the boys 400-meter hurdles.

In the 110-meter hurdles, he placed first with a time of 14.87, .98-seconds in front of second-place competitor Thomas VanSaders of Tri-Valley who posted 15.85.

In the 44- meter hurdles, Mullally fired up his afterburner, taking the event with a time of 53.71, 3.22 seconds ahead of Tri-Valley rival VanSaders, who laid down a time of 56.93.

And then there’s the story of his Usain Bolt-like golden spikes, perhaps taking a bit of inspiration from the fleet-footed winged sandals of mythological messengers of the gods in the form of the Mercury or Hermes from Rome and Greece.

Mullally is no stranger to the states, as he’s been there for outdoor meets since 10th grade and indoor events since last year.

This year, he plans to compete in only two events, focusing his energies on the 110- and 400-meter hurdles, noting that he is qualified for all four of his specialties.

“I’m ranked in the top three for both of ‘em," he said exuding a bit of well earned safe-confidence.

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