I can’t believe I finally made it back home. It’s been a while since I posted, but I’m back home nestled very comfortably on my bed listening to the rain outside. That’s a long drive up to Buffalo and man do I hate that route 17, I might need to go back up to Broome County in two weeks and have a pleasant discussion about a ticket I received, but that’s a discussion for another day. Here are some of my thoughts on the state meet:

First, when will this thing come closer to home? I’m looking at you White Plains. I don’t mind going on road trips, but it would be nice to be able to just walk to the track from the office. I’d just thought I’d throw it out there. I guess next year we’re up in Syracuse that’s a little better.

It was a rough weekend for the boys in Section 1. They had so many second and third place finishes in either the state or the federation race. They ran well, but came out just short.

We’ll start off with the one individual federation champion, Brian McGovern. He was the favorite to win a federation title and he did. He easily cleared the bar at 16-0, but again just fell short of setting the state mark in the pole vault. He’s had a great season and a great career. I definitely didn’t think he would come back that strong right after his appendectomy, but he did. His first meet back he cleared 15-6 and his season took off from there. He was hands down the best pole vaulter in the state and he showed why yesterday.

Antoine Mcgill had an up and down day. He won the state title in the 110 hurdles in 14.72, then he came back in the afternoon ran faster (14.61) and lost the federation title. But as he said, it’s better to win one state title than none. In the federation race he hit a hurdle, slowing him down and he was just never able to recover. In my opinion, he’s the best athlete in section 1. No one else, that I know of, is one of the top athlete in three different seasons. He’s going to go to prep school next year as he tries to get a scholarship to play football, and with his size, speed and strength he should be able to do it. He’s so physically imposing on the track.

In the 100 dash, you can’t help but be impressed with Jesse Drinks. The kid is fast. He just missed out on a state and federation title. He may have the fastest closing speed in the state. He makes up those gaps so quickly and he did it again yesterday. The race I felt was a little slow in general, the fastest time was 10.94, but I think the weather and wind had a lot to do with that. I know he has struggled to get off the blocks fast, but if he can do that, with his closing speed, he could very easily have two first place victories next year.

The 800 may have been the toughest race to watch the whole season. Lawrence Campbell did what he needed to do in order to win a state title on Friday. He went out fast (54) in the first 400 and then tried to hold on. He had a good 30 meter lead for most of the race. He definitely separated himself from the pack. But then Zac Suriano of Shenendehowa began to close. He began to sprint towards Campbell and down the straight away with the two of them tied, Suriano leaned past Campbell to finish in 1:54.52, while Campbell ran 1:54.59. I felt bad for Campbell. He ran the race that he needed to do to come away with a state title, but still lost. He ran a gutsy race, but was edged out in the end. He’s another one that had a great season and was one of the best 800 runners in the state. But sometimes it just doesn’t go your way. Seven hundredths of a second is all it was. Then the following day Campbell still ran well, finishing in 1:56.18. But Aki Bajulaiye stole the show in the 800, claiming third place in 1:55.35, a personal best. I believe he was the last qualifier for the championship and he was right with the winners down the stretch. He has to be favor proud of how he ran. Bajulaiye tends to improve in leaps and bounds and yesterday was one of those races. He also had another great season and to finish it like that will be a definite motivator heading into next year.

Now comes the 1,600. I thought Julian Sheinbaum had it. I know he wanted to run faster, he ran 4:12.58, but he ran how he needed to run. He felt the race went to slow and it probably did. Merber (4:11.67) had to much left in the tank the final 200 meters for Sheinbaum to keep up. But Julian needed to get the lead and he needed to have Merber work for the lead. Unfortunately Merber didn’t work hard enough as he was able to out kick Sheinbaum to the finish line. Julian has had a great season, but you know he would’ve liked to end it with a federation title. He’s right though, the race went to slow. He probably needed to tire Merber a little more and hoping that he took away his kick, while having a kick left of his own. It didn’t happen that way and Merber showed why he’s the best miler in the state. Sheinbaum’s run a 9:01 in the 3,200 and 4:12 in the 1,600, not a bad season.

In the 400, the section had some pretty fast times, but again no victory. Chidi Ezemma finished fourth in the federation in 48.69, just a great time. But running against the kid Faulkner (47.79) is tough to do. Chidi is the only junior that finished in the top 5, so that definitely bodes well for him next year. And anything under 49 is a great time. Odain Smith ran 49.72 as he claimed fourth in the Division 2 finals. Again, a very good time, and the senior from Woodlands showed that he is one of the better sprinters in Westchester.

Ramapo had some more success in the 400 hurdles as Ryan Whitley claimed third in 54.74. It may have been the cleanest race Whitley ran all season. He looked real smooth going over the hurdles. There were not stutter steps and he had a nice burst at the end. He really came out this year and ran extremely well in a very difficult event.

Continuing with the Ramapo theme, how about Hendrick Jean. He threw 53-1 to finish third in the state. He was having a real solid year and he’s the best shot putter in the state, but I definitely did not expect this. All of a sudden, the last few weeks he just started throwing over 50 feet every time. There were no bad throws, no missteps. He moved from the top thrower in the section to one of the top throwers in the state over the last two or three weeks and I don’t know if you could have expected that.

One more thing with Ramapo, the 400 relay team of Shaq Belizaire, Nick Padilla, Chidi Ezemma and Kevin Malivert finally found its stride on Friday. They ran a great race, winning a state title in 41.78. But then yesterday, no one could have predicted what was going to happen. As Sheepshead Bay walked onto the track, they had on Superman jerseys. I, like most people there snickered a little bit, but they quickly shut me up as they won the federation title in 41.39. I can’t even begin to describe how fast they were. It was very impressive.

In the long jump, Maurice Easterling continues to be someone to watch out for. He jumped 22-2 1/4 on Friday, to finish fourth in Division 1. He is just a physical specimen. Again, he does it all on natural ability. He’s only been jumping for a few weeks and he’s probably the best in the section and one of the best in the state. Once he gets some more training, we could could be looking at a consistent 22-23 foot jumper, maybe even better.

In the high jump Nelson Hall claimed fourth place as he cleared 6-5. He’s done better, so it has to be somewhat disappointing, but he’s cleared 6-8 this season and he has to be happy with the way he’s jumped this spring. Foregoing basketball in the winter to practice jumping definitely paid off.

Alright, that’s it. Eric will be talking about the girls later. Nationals are next weekend and while we won’t be there we’ll be sure to mention anything notable that happens down in Carolina. Good luck to the seniors and athletes competing at nationals.