Goshen’s Indoor Track and Field team is sending eight athletes to the State Championship at Ocean Breeze on Staten Island this Saturday, March 8. For one team, stepping on the track will be making history.
The team of Daniella Grant, Larianna Bala, Joy Sawyer and Olivia Sawyer combined to set a temporary school record in the 4×200-meter relay, winning their preliminary heat in 1:47.73. Later, in the finals they were competing with three teams that already met the state standard, meaning only a first or second place finish would advance them to the state meet if they were under the state standard.
Grant’s split was 26.5 and the Gladiators were in second. Next, Olivia Sawyer took a solid handoff and flew through her leg in 25.9 to maintain their place. Bala then took a smooth baton exchange and ran a personal record 27.6 and made a good handoff to Joy. Sawyer had the biggest challenge, squaring off with the section’s fastest runner, but was able to hold her off with a fine 25.8 split.
The team smashed the school record they just set earlier in the meet, running the 18th best time of the season in New York State and finishing in 1:46.15 for second place. This is the first time in school history that a Goshen girls 4×200-meter relay team has advanced to the state championship.
See each Gladiator’s reaction to being the first girls 4×200-meter team to qualify for States:
Daniella Grant
“I’m at a loss for words. I’m so proud of us. We have progressed so much since the beginning of the season to now. Seeing Joy cross that finish line when Olivia and I were sitting next to each other- we were so happy.”
Olivia Sawyer
“I’m shocked. On the last stretch for our anchor leg, it was very close and a very happy moment. I’m so proud and I’m so happy I get to do it with these people.”
Joy Sawyer
“I did not know we were the first 4-by-200 team from Goshen to make states! The anchor was stressful but it’s so fun to do it with all of them. I’m so happy we made it to states and nationals.”
Larianna Bala
“Like Daniela said: going from a 1:50 to a 1:46 was insane. Seeing everyone ‘P.R.’ throughout the season- especially yesterday with the passion and persistence because we all wanted it so badly- it was amazing to get to do that as a team. I’m very proud.”
Goshen’s girls 4×200-meter relay team is only half of the athletes headed to the State Championship. Read about the entire Section IX Qualifier results:
- In the 3,200-meter run, both Noah Klugman and Jackson St. Lawrence had already met the state standard, meaning that they needed to finish second or third in the race to advance to the State meet, which is exactly what they did. Klugman finished in 9:43.03 for second place, while St. Lawrence finished in 9:50.13 for third, punching their tickets to the State Championship.
- Senior Ryan Schramm left his mark on the day with a fine 600-meter sprint of 1:23.57. Schramm went out fast in 52.1 and qualified for the intersectional relay.
- Later in the meet, Schramm anchored the 1,600-meter relay with a spectacular 51.8 split as the team of Zadan Thomas (55.1), Santos Avila (55.5), Logan Diglio (54.7), and Schramm clocked an indoor school record of 3:36.60.
- Junior pole vaulter Logan Willems concluded his indoor season with an outstanding performance, clearing 11 feet for the first time. Coached by the legendary Tim St. Lawrence, Logan saw great improvement over the course of the winter season, consistently clearing 10 feet, 6 inches, and poised to continue his success this upcoming spring.
- In the girls 55 meter hurdles, Larianna Bala placed 6th with a time of 9.72.
- Laila Logan set a personal record of 1:39.70 in the 600-meter run, earning a spot on the intersectional relay. Logan also finished in 4th at the high jump.
- Sophomore sprint and jump specialist Daniella Grant brought her best to the track as Grant jumped 32 feet, 11½ inches to place 6th in triple jump.
- The Sawyer twins made the 55-meter dash finals with times of 7.73 for Joy and 7.74 for Olivia. In the finals they ran 7.60 and 7.76, to place 5th and 8th, both setting new personal bests.
All eight Gladiators headed to States will also be competing in the New Balance Nationals in Boston on March 14 and 15.