ConVal, Conant and Mascenic were all in action at the Coe-Brown Black Bear Invitational on Saturday.
Coming in ranked as the 6th and 9th fastest runners in the Invitational’s 3200-meter race, Avery Traffie and Jake Movsessian waited until the second half of the race to take control, walking away in possession of the winner’s spot and runner-up spot as well. Two of the best distance runners in Division III, they had their way with other top runners in Divisions I and II as well. Traffie’s time of 10 minutes and 58+ seconds was the first time he dipped below the 10 minute mark. Movsessian, in securing the last qualifying spot last year to Meet of Champions, has run below the 10-minute mark before, running 10 minutes, 2+ seconds on Saturday. Both Traffie and Movsessian sit in the 3rd and 4th qualifying spot and should remain there for the Division III meet.
Despite high qualifying standards in events, limited entry and stiff competition the ConVal squad had a great day.
Highlighting for the ladies was Clare Veverka who locked down an automatic state qualifier with her 5th place finish in the 3200-meter (2-mile) run, Veverka knocked nearly 20 seconds off her previous best to finish in 11:28. Fellow freshman Savanna Hall had a PR (and state qualifying) throw in the shot put and came back to place 6th in the discus with a throw of 89 feet. Late in the meet, Veverka teamed up with Lucy Freeman, Maddy Garland and Sawyer Cawthern to place 6th in the 4×800 meter relay with a season best time.
On the boys’ side, senior Steele Tamok had a strong showing with a 10:37 in the 3200 meter (2-mile) run. Dan Kashulines placed 4th in the 400 meter run and joined Dylan Coyne, Dalton Coyne and Josh Fulton to place 5th in the 4×400 meter relay.
ConVal coach Lance Flamino had his hands full over the weekend, juggling coaching duties with parenting duties, as his wife gave birth to their new baby boy.
Conant’s Tyler Sands was the go-to Oriole once again on Saturday, finishing fifth overall (11.82) in the 100-meter dash, with only DI and DII runners ahead of him. Sands also took ninth in the 200-meter dash (24.07) and high jump (5’6”).
Senior Colby Snow was 10th in the 100-meter hurdles, at 19.78.
Senior Jessie Mascitti cleared eight feet in the pole vault, good for 7th, with sophomore Jordan Banish just behind her in 8th at 7’6”.
Senior Brandi Pugh made it 15’1” in the long jump, which landed her in ninth.
Conant and Mascenic join WLC at Campbell today at 4 p.m., while ConVal goes to Sanborn.