OBSERVER Staff Report

The Dunkirk track and field team will be sending five athletes to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Track and Field Meet next weekend at Union Endicott High School.

Emilee Hanlon came into the high jump as the No. 1 seed and that’s the way she left, winning the event with a jump of 5-feet-3 inches. She also competed in the 200-meter final, running a 25.88, good for fifth place. She was also a member of the 4×100 relay team that took third in 50.63. That team was comprised of Paola Rodriguez, Jessica Beehler and Jericha Petrella. Petrella also finished fourth in the 400 to earn a patch as well.

“Emilee has worked hard this season, splitting time between track and softball,” Dunkirk coach Adam Woelfle said. “She is a hard-working athlete and it shows as this is not her first trip to states. She’s been in indoor and also went two years ago as a freshman, so after a disappointing Sectional meet last year, I’m happy she will be making her return.”

Also for the girls, Faith Rivera received a patch by taking third in the pentathalon, which was helped by winning the 800 portion.

For the boys, there was only the the 4×800 relay, which proved to be the main event. The team of Chris Michalski, Anthony Ruiz, Mike Deland and Nelson Estrada-Cruz took first place running, a 8:10.31. Not only did the team take first place, but they took down a 42-year-old school record in the process, one that many thought wouldn’t be touched, according to Woelfle.

The old record, set in 1975 by Paul Maslakowski, Rick Bauza, Al Palmatier, and Tom Madigan Jr., was an 8:11.93.

“I’m so proud of these boys; they sacrificed individual events so they could give it all to this race and to each other,” Woelfle said. “They have become the true definition of a relay team and brothers. I can’t wait to see them lower that time even more next weekend.”

The Fredonia Lady Hillbillies will be sending Lydia Lanski to states next weekend.

Lanski took first in the 100 hurdles at 15.15 and in the process she broke the Fredonia school record, which was previously held by Olympic gold medalist Jenn Stuczynski (15.64).

Emily Brown took fourth in 2,000 steeplechase at 7:28 and broke the school record of 7:40 set by Carley Sluberski.

Claire Stokes was sixth in the high jump (5 feet); Deidra Osula was seventh in 100 at 12.5 and also sixth in the 200 at 26.4 while the 4×400 relay team of Claire Lanski, Lydia Lanski, Sydney Swan, Fotini Landis ran a 4:18, which is a season best.

“I’m looking forward to states with Lydia,” Fredonia coach Mike Marshall said. “We will take the trip Thursday to perform Friday and Saturday. Lydia is a junior and worked very hard in indoor and outdoor in the hurdles and improved immensly throughout the year. The whiole team had a great season. We took nine girls to Sectionals, breaking school records in the process with one girl going to states.”

For the Fredonia boys, Diego Rey took third in the 1,600 with a time of 4:37.73. Mike Meredith finished fifth in the pentathalon with 2,528 points, which was 400 points better than his previous best. Josh Johnson was eighth in the 3,000 steeplechase witha time of 10:40.7, which was a season best by 15 seconds.

Westfield’s 4×800 relay was second in a time of 9:57 with a team consisting of senior Maddison Knapp, freshmen Savannah Lashbrook and Mckayla Wolfe and sophomore Sophia DeMarco.

Silver Creek’s Emma Seiders posted a state-qualifying time of 57.73 in the 400 to take first place.