STREAKS RELAY SETS SCHOOL MARK
Saratoga Springs’ 4x100 team set record to qualify for states
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Saratoga Springs had multiple track and field athletes qualify for the NYSPHSAA Championships scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Union-Endicott High School.
The Blue Streaks’ qualifying meet was highlighted by a new school record.
The boys 4x100 team of Charlie Liebers, Izaias Smith, Nicholas Cavotta and Kirk Francis finished second with a time of 42.75 seconds but qualified for the state meet by meeting the at-large standard. Cavotta also qualified in the long jump with a jump of 22 feet, 6 inches.
The Blue Streaks’ previous 4x100 record was 43.31.
“They performed pretty incredibly at state qualifiers,” Saratoga Springs coach Chris Conley said. “We went in with what we felt was our strongest team and it was our first time we had them together this year. We knew we had a shot at breaking our school record and we knew we had a shot at qualifying for the state meet, but we also felt like everything had to come together and we needed to have a little bit of luck on our side.
Fortunately we didn’t need luck they just ran incredibly well.”
The boy’s 4x100 meter team ran a strong race while breaking the record, but still finished second behind rival Shenendehowa. The rematch at the state meet will be for school pride and — possibly — a place on the podium. If it’s anything like the previous race, a photo of the finish may be necessary.
“Shen had to smash their school record as well,” Conley said. “It was a fun race. That we went bang-bang over the finish line and both of us smashed our school records, everything just came together in that race and everyone ran well. Our expectations of breaking the school record were met and our expectations of getting the qualifying time were met as well, so it was a fun day for sure.”
Francis contributed to the record as a freshman.
“That was a great feeling,” Francis said. “Being able to smash that school record when people always doubted us and we didn’t know if we were able to qualify with that time at 42.75, but it is an amazing feeling getting to go to states.”
Cavotta, who is going into his second year for the 4x100 meter at the state event, said it was a tough race, but he knew they would finish near the top.
“We were seeded third or fourth, but we knew we were going to be a lot faster than what we were going to be seeded,” Cavotta said. “We knew we were a really fast team and knew if we had really clean handoffs we would run a fast race. When I heard the times, I didn’t know it was going to be that fast because we were about .6 seconds faster than our school record. It was an almost perfect race for us and I think we can all go a little bit faster. It was a lot of fun, especially to go to a state meet with some of my best friends.”
Charlie Liebers may miss the state meet with sickness and the alternate Khaleel Muldrow will likely take his place. Muldrow will be team up with Francis, Ca- votta and Smith to compete for a spot on the state podium.
Francis said that mak- ing it to the state championship in his first year in high school is something he didn’t expect.
“I am really ecstatic for it,” Francis said. “Going to states as a freshman and to compete with these bigger guys like Khaleel, Nick and Izaias, these guys that have been on the team for six or seven years, getting the experience from Coach Conley, a great coach, is just amazing.”
Conley said that he can see his team making it to the podium if they stick to what they know.
“We are seeded eighth overall in the state right know, but we are seeded fifth in the public schools,” Conley said. “If they run well and they run with their capability we are going to be on there and we are going to come home pretty happy.”
Other Blue Streaks at states
On the girls side, Saratoga Springs’ Kelsey Chmiel qualified in the 1500 meter with a time of 4:33.77 and in the 3000 meter with a time of 9:48.99. The sophomore has already won state titles in cross country and indoor track this year.
Blue Streaks senior Mimi Liebers qualified in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 14.93.
Shea Weilbaker, a sophomore who finished first in the 3200 with a time of 9:25.64, is also headed to the state meet.