Silver Creek/Forestville's Nate Mays races to a personal best in the 1,500-meter race of the pentathlon at the Section VI track and field state qualifier on Saturday at Bill Race Field at Falconer High School. Mays won four of the five pentathlon events and claimed the Class C title to earn a spot at the state championships. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms

FALCONER — Silver Creek/Forestville junior Nate Mays competed flawlessly in his Friday events at the Section VI Class C track and field state qualifier, making for an easy day on Saturday when attempting to earn a berth into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships.

However, Mays did not take it easy on his final day of competition following up three first place finishes with another 684 points and first in the long jump and 573 points in the 1,500 meters to win the sectional title and a trip to the state championships.

“I’m feeling good, but I think I can do better at states,” Mays said. “I just want to break some records and create some opportunities for the future.”

Across the five events, Mays reached personal bests in the high jump at 6-feet and 2-inches, shot put at 44-feet and 7-inches and the 1,500 at 4:57.78 which was nearly an 11 second improvement. Mays also scored the highest among any pentathletes regardless of class at 3,381, while Class A champion Thomas Cycon of West Seneca West managed 3,055 points for his title and Class B title was won by Depew’s Landen Hibbs with 2,868 points.

Finishing behind Mays in Class C are Gowanda sophomore Maddox Hudson with 2,770 points and Frewsburg sophomore Jaden Collver at 2,688 points.

While Mays punched his first ticket to the state championships this weekend, Maple Grove junior Ethan Verbosky will return this year to improve his position in the 800 and on Saturday he added another event to the docket after breaking a school record in the 1,600 at 4:17.25 to claim the Class C title.

“I feel great,” Verbosky said about his performances. “A county record in the 800 and two school records. I’m feeling awesome.”

Verbosky retained his 800 title on Friday with a time of 1:52.67 which was a Chautauqua County record and the best overall in the section at a mark that would have won the Division 2 state championships a year ago. His 1,600 time also was the best in the section overall and would have won the Division 2 state title last season, putting him in good position to reach the podium in two events at Middletown next weekend.

“I didn’t start off this season so great, but I dropped my times a whole lot going into this meet,” Verbosky added. “Hopefully next week will be way better. I just need to keep training and keep working.”

Verbosky is not the only athlete that clinched a returning spot to the state championships as Dunkirk senior Johnee Thomas will take one more crack at the 400 in Middletown next week.

Thomas won the Class B title after posting a time of 49.29, just ahead of Niagara-Wheatfield’s Josiah Rivera in 49.65. Last year he reached the podium in the event and has plenty of room to move up with five graduations of competitors.

Southwestern junior Ryan Ohl claimed the 400 Class C title with a slightly faster time of 49.17 and just missed out on doubling with a second-place finish in the 200 at 22.75. The Class C 200 title was won by Royalton-Hartland’s Braden Ricker at 22.57.

Jamestown’s Beckett Lumia finished third in the Class A 400 with a time of 51.25, while Orchard Park’s Steven Barlette won at 50.17.

Frewsburg senior Cody Kent returns to states in the 3,000 steeplechase after claiming the Class C title with a time of 9:57.53.

Then making individual debuts on the track at states will be Jamestown’s Jarren Cotter after winning the Class A 200 title at 22.32 and Frewsburg’s Noah Erickson claiming the Class C 400 intermediate hurdles in 57.06.

Just missing out on the track were Jamestown’s Ayden Samuelson finishing 2nd in the Class A 100, while Orchard Park’s Maxim Bliemeister won at 10.81. Fredonia’s Nathan Keefe was also 4th in the 110 high hurdles in Class C and Cleveland Hill’s Davion Douglas won the event in 15.35.

Jamestown is also sending a pair of relay teams to states with the quartet of Angel Martinez, Ayden Samuelson, Cameron Burgess and Jarren Cotter winning the Class A 400 in 43.09 and the group of Burgess, Cotter, Beckett Lumia and Brighton Lumia took the Class A 1,600 at 3:22.81.

With a spot at states already clinched, the Maple Grove 1,600 relay of Ty Oste, Ty Kraft, Rider Carlson and Ethan Verbosky took 2nd in Class C at 3:27.32 as Tapestry won narrowly with a time of 3:26.40. Randolph missed states finishing third with a time of 3:29.37.

In the field, Caden Inkley reclaimed his Class C pole vault championship and a berth to states with the overall section height at 14-3. Southwestern’s Leo Kavic is also heading back, but with another 2nd in Class C shot put after a throw of 48-3.5 which was outdone by Alden senior Robbie Westmiller (49-5.25). Falconer/Cassadaga Valley’s Zach Markham just missed out in third with 47-1 and Dunkirk’s Riley Smith Mallon was 4th in Class B at a distance of 45-2.25.

Jamestown’s Jorge Rivera Jr. and Clymer/Sherman/Panama’s Kolten Rhoades secured discus titles in Class A and Class C, respectively. Rhoades had the top throw in the section at 156-1, while Rivera went 140-3. Joining them at states is Southwestern’s Tyler McIntyre who took 2nd in Class C with 151-7, but hit the standard and Chautauqua Lake’s Walter Lukasiak just missed in 3rd with a throw of 147-0.

Dunkirk’s Jareese Gaines just missed out on the Class B title in high jump by an inch, but still is heading to Middletown after a clearing 6-3 and Sweet Home’s Brenton Baker won the competition with 6-4.

Southwestern’s Connor Young just missed in the long jump with 3rd place in Class C after a leap of 20-9 was surpassed by Wilson’s Ryan Hough (21-9.50) and Tapestry’s Ayden Henderson (21-0.50). He also was fifth in triple jump (40-4), while Talon Persons was 4th for the Wolfpack (40-10.25) and Royalton-Hartland’s Tyson McCaa claimed the event with 42-7.5.