Submitted Photo Fredonia indoor track standouts Emily Brown (left) and Diego Rey (right) both qualified for the Indoor Track State Championship meet next week. Also qualifying was Jericha Petrella of Dunkirk.

OBSERVER Staff Report

HOUGHTON — Emily Brown and Deigo Rey just keep on winning.

Brown and Rey left their mark on the Section VI state qualifier indoor track meet on Thursday at Houghton College, with Brown winning the 1,500 meter race and Rey placing second in the 1,000 meter race.

After Brown and Rey both qualified for the state meet in cross country earlier in the school year, they’ll both be going back, on the indoor circuit, after their performances on Thursday.

“It is always nice to have athletes make it to the state meet, and to have two make it is gratifying,” said Fredonia head coach Thomas Stokes. “Emily is extremely dedicated and hard working as is most of the team and it is always nice to see that work pay off.”

Fredonia junior Hessen Bahgat had two personal bests at Thursday’s meet, placing fifth in the pole vault and ninth in the high jump for the Hillbillies.

Jack Carlson placed sixth in the 1,600 meter race and Kelly Lucas finished seventh in the high jump, as well.

“I think the kids in general had a very good meet,” said Stokes. “We had several athletes get personal bests or near personal best performances.”

Dunkirk/Silver Creek also competed Thursday, with an impressive performance as a team and will be sending one athlete of their own to the state meet next weekend — Jericha Petrella. Near the top of the field all year, she proved why with a second place finish in the 600 meter race Thursday.

Petrella also joined Sierra Jacques, Ellie Decker and Juliana Flick in the 4×800 race, where they ran to a third place finish with their best time of the year.

In the 4×400 race, Petrella, Flick, Decker and Jacques came back after qualifying for the finals and finished fifth, as well.

The boys team of Miracle Berakah, Angel Rios, Anthony Ruiz and Nelson Rosario had qualified for the finals earlier in the day and then ran to a fourth place finish for the Marauders.

“I would call it a very successful season,” said Dunkirk head coach Adam Woelfle. “To come home with any top eight finishes, let alone patches and a state competitor, is never an easy task — especially with some of the athletes that are out there. I’m very proud of all our athletes and all the hard work they put in over this long season.”