OBSERVER photo by Christian Storms Silver Creek/Forestville senior Nate Mays soars through the air during the long jump in the pentathlon at the NYSPHSAA track and field championships at Webster Schroeder High School on Sunday.

WEBSTER — Coming into Sunday’s competition, Silver Creek/Forestville senior Nate Mays was overall leader in the pentathlon at the New York State championships and was in good position to secure the Class C public school title courtesy of first-place finishes in high jump and shot put.

The pressure to finish strong did not faze Mays as he added a fifth-place long jump finish and took 18th in the 1,500 meters to cruise to the Class C title and second overall in the state at Webster Schroeder High School.

“I’m really happy, because last year I got second,” Mays said about improving his senior year and winning the Class C state title. “It’s very exciting, finally.”

The University at Buffalo-commit Mays finished with an overall score of 3,523 and cracked the top 10 in four of the five events.

“I felt amazing,” Mays said about his Saturday performances. “I really needed the first place in Class C and I’m happy I got that.”

OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms Silver Creek/Forestville senior Nate Mays won the NYSPHSAA Class C pentathlon at Webster Schroeder High School on Sunday.

Mays took 8th in the 110 hurdles at 14.73, 1.9 meters in the high jump for first, 13.63 meters for first in shot put, 6.43 meters for fifth in long jump and ran 4:50.17 for 18th in the 1,500.

“All my coaches have been really good,” Mays said about his time at Silver Creek/Forestville. “I’m just so happy that I finally got this.”

Purdue-commit Nathaniel Johnson of John Jay-East Fishkill completed the pentathlon threepeat with an overall and Class A winning score of 3,636.

Mays capped off a weekend where four area athletes brought home state championships including one Federation title from Southwestern senior Mikayla Johnson.

While the bulk of success was had on Saturday, Fredonia sophomore Alyse Bugaj made her states debut in the Class C triple jump on Sunday, Maple Grove senior Ethan Verbosky placed third in the Class C 1,600, the Trojans had podium placements from throwers and Maple Grove boys and Southwestern girls saw relay teams make the podium.

OBSERVER photo by Tim Frank Silver Creek/Forestville's Nathan Mays clears a barrier in the 110-meter hurdles for the Class C pentathlon at the NYSPHSAA championships on Saturday at Webster Schroeder High School.

Bugaj just missed out on the podium in her states debut with a jump of 35 feet and 1.5 inches for 8th.

Verbosky was unable to double the 800 and 1,600 for a second straight year, but along with winning the Class C 800 he took third in the 1,600 with a time of 4:15.50.

Verbosky ran a personal-best time of 1:51.27 to win the 800 and was joined by teammate Ty Kraft on the podium in fifth place at a mark of 1:56.49.

“I knew it was going to be really close coming in,” Verbosky stated on Saturday. “There was the kid from Groton that PR’d by two seconds and after I saw that I was a little nervous. But I knew I had to trust my training and go after it and that’s exactly what I did.”

Not only was Verbosky able to defend his 800 championship, but he made the podium in all four events he competed in.

P-J Photo by Christian Storms Fredonia sophomore Alyse Bugaj sticks her landing in the NYSPHSAA Class C triple jump at Webster Schroeder High School on Sunday.

“It feels so great, especially being able to defend my state title from last year,” Verbosky said about winning his third state championship. “Since I’m a senior someone new will be getting them next year, so it’s great.”

The Maple Grove relay team of Ty Oste, Kraft, Owen Erlandson and Verbosky finished third in the Class C 1,600 relay with a time of 3:24.33.

Southwestern secured two state championships on Saturday, including a Federation championship. Then on Sunday saw Johnson and Tyler McIntyre make the podium in their throwing events, while two relay teams had strong showings.

Johnson wrapped up her terrific career with the Trojans claiming the overall discus title on Saturday with a throw of 136-08.

“I was very nervous throwing the last throws,” Johnson said about her Saturday final. “But I threw my big one and I knew I won it. I saw my coach crying and I bawled, I’m very grateful for everyone that has told me what I need to know.”

OBSERVER Photo by Tim Frank Southwestern's Mikayla Johnson won the NYSPHSAA Class C girls discus championship at Webster Schroeder High School on Saturday.

She was back on the podium a day later when she took fifth in Class C shot put with a throw 35-11.5.

After missing the podium a day before in shot put with a throw of 38-10 for eighth in Class C, McIntyre snagged the sixth and final spot in discus with a throw of 150-08.

Southwestern’s Tryniti Card surprised herself with a Saturday win in the Class C girls 800. Watching two girls pass her in her heat and finishing with a time of 2:15.90, Card thought she just missed out, but with those girls being different classes and private schools things came up her way as the Class C state champion.

“It’s so exciting,” Card said about winning the state title. “I thought I didn’t win it, but when my teammate told me I almost started crying.”

Ryan Ohl nearly made it three state titles for the Trojans, coming in second in the Class 400 with a time of 48.16. Ohl crossed just before Oxford Academy’s Keegan Waltz who posted a time of 48.17, Berne/Knox/Westerlo’s Kole Irwin won the championship at 47.74 and Silver Creek/Forestville’s Sam Bowers took 10th with a time of 50.88.

OBSERVER Photo by Tim Frank Southwestern's Tryniti Card, center, leads the pack on her way to first place in the NYSPHSAA Class C 800-meter race at Webster Schroeder High School on Saturday.

Jamestown sophomore Beckett Lumia made a great states debut in the Class A 400 taking third place with a time of 48.08.

Southwestern junior Marlana Cresanti just missed the podium in the Class C 400 with a time of 58.24 for seventh place.

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley senior Mary Lundmark matched Ohl with a second-place finish by improving her spot in the Class C girls pole vault. Lundmark reached a jump of 10-6, while Lansing’s Ava Kobylarz won Class C with a final height of 12-3.

Frewsburg senior Noah Erickson also finished his high school career on a high note taking third in the 400 intermediate hurdles with a time of 54.32. Erickson missed out on the championship by a thin margin with Byron-Bergen’s Colin Rea winning at 54.14. Cattaraugus-Little Valley’s Bransen Gabel finished 10th in the race with a time of 58.17.

Salamanca’s Xazavier Escobar missed qualification in both the Class C 100 and 200 finals.

Southwestern’s 1,600 relay team of M’Kenzie Zavala, Katie Bishop, Card and Cresanti placed seventh in Class C with a time of 4:04.64.

“It’s amazing to see what this team can do,” Johnson said about Southwestern track and field. “I think we have all worked so hard, I can see it Tryniti. She puts in her hard work and I am so proud of her, and our whole team. Sending 11 people to states, that doesn’t happen very often.”

Then both the Southwestern girls and Maple Grove boys 3,200 relay teams waited through a weather delay to finish up the weekend’s championships.

“I’m so proud of my team,” Card added. “We are one big family and we love each other. It’s just amazing.”

OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms Southwestern’s Tryniti Card won the NYSPHSAA Class C 800-meter championship on Saturday at Webster Schroeder High School.

OBSERVER photo by Christian Storms Maple Grove’s Ethan Verbosky, center, won the NYSPHSAA Class C 800-meter championship and teammate Ty Kraft, right, finished fifth at Webster Schroeder High School on Saturday.

OBSERVER Photo by Tim Frank Southwestern’s Ryan Ohl, left, lunges forward to finish second in the NYSPHSAA Class C 400-meter championship on Saturday at Webster Schroeder High School.

OBSERVER photo by Tim Frank Frewsburg's Noah Erickson clears a barrier on his way to the third in the NYSPHSAA Class C 400-meter hurdles at Webster Schroeder High School on Saturday.

OBSERVER photo by Tim Frank Jamestown's Beckett Lumia rounds the corner in the NYSPHSAA Class A 400-meter championship on Saturday at Webster Schroeder High School. Lumia finished third in the event.

OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms Falconer/Cassadaga Valley senior Mary Lundmark competes in the NYSPHSAA Class C pole vault championships on Saturday at Webster Schroeder High School.