SLIDESHOW: The Greater Niagara Newspapers All-Area Girls Track and Field Team
RobShots
Casey Fetzner, So., Lewiston-Porter
Fetzner flipped her season by launching a discus 112 feet, 10 inches that not only won the Division 2 state qualifier as the No. 8 seed, but it was the second-best throw in Section VI overall. She also finished eighth in Division 2 at states (109-1). Fetzner was the Niagara Frontier League champion in the shot put and was fourth at state qualifiers (34-9.5).
Miranda Gatto, Sr., Niagara Wheatfield
Gatto made her first state appearance in the 3,000 meters. She was nipped by Shannon Zugelder by 0.24 seconds at the state qualifier and placed 16th at states. Gatto’s best time was 10 minutes, 2.24 seconds, which was fifth overall in Section VI. She was second in the 1,500 at state qualifiers and her top time of 4:44.01 was also fifth overall in Section VI.
Amari Germany, So., Lockport
Germany made a big climb up the leaderboard this season. She ran 1 minute, 6.09 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles to place second at the Division 1 state qualifier and ranked third overall in Section VI. She was the Niagara Frontier League champion and placed second in Class AA. Germany was also part of the Lions' 4x400 relay team that won sectionals.
Elisabeth Gray, 8th, Lewiston-Porter
Gray is an emerging star in Section VI sprinting, qualifying for states in the 100- and 200-meter dashes as an eighth-grader. She was fourth in the 100 at the state qualifier, but her top time of 12.69 seconds during the season sent her to states, where she placed 16th. Gray was second at the state qualifier in the 200 (25.63) and placed 12th at states. She was the NFL champion in both events, while her top 200 time ranked third overall in the section.
Marina Mansfield, Jr., Starpoint
Mansfield improved by nearly a foot in the shot put this season. She was No. 3 at the Division 1 state qualifier (32 feet, 11 inches), but her throw of 37-0.5 to win the Class A meet sent her to states for the first time — where she placed 13th — and was the third-best throw in Section VI. Mansfield was also second in the discus at the Class A meet (91-10).
Jayla Scott, Jr., Niagara Falls
Scott improved by nearly a second in the 100-meter dash and almost two seconds in the 200. She placed second at the state qualifier in the 100 in 12.61 seconds, which was the fourth-best time in Section VI this season. Meanwhile, she was third in the 200 at the meet in 25.75, which was the fifth-best time overall in the section. She was 100 runner-up at the Class AA meet and the 200 runner-up at the Niagara Frontier League meet.
Runner of the Year: Melia Towns, Jr., Lockport
Towns did just about everything for the Lions, placing in Section VI’s top-10 in four events, while winning two sectional championships. She was a member of Lockport’s 4x400-meter relay team that won sectionals in 4:44.01, while also securing a long jump title with the section’s top leap of 18 feet, 5 1/2 inches. Towns was also fourth overall in the section in the triple jump (36-10) and seventh in the 100 (12.77 seconds).
Emily Waldron, Fr., Starpoint
Waldron went from being an 8-foot pole vaulter last year to securing Section VI’s top vault this season. She cleared a career-best 11 feet, 3 inches at the Runnin’ Cadet Classic on May 6 and placed 12th at states with an 11-foot vault. She was the Division 1 runner-up at the state qualifier and ECIC meets, while winning the Class A sectional meet with a vault of 10-6. She cleared 11 feet three times.
Sophia Waliszewski, So., Starpoint
Waliszewski finished this season more than a second faster than the year prior. After running the 100-meter hurdles in 17.21 seconds in her final meet as a freshman, Waliszewski was second at the Division 1 state qualifier in 15.72, which was the seventh-fastest time overall in Section VI this season. She was also the Class A runner-up (15.80) and the ECIC champion (16.46) in the event.
Shannon Zugelder, Fr., Starpoint
Zugelder was the 3,000-meter champion at the Division 1 state qualifier in 10 minutes, 18.46 seconds, while her best time in the event was 10:00.52 seconds at the Runnin’ Cadet Classic. She placed 23rd at states and fourth at New Balance Nationals. Zugelder was third in the 1,500 at state qualifiers (4:53.65) and the Class A champion in the 800 (2:24.23).
More like this...
Casey Fetzner, So., Lewiston-Porter
Fetzner flipped her season by launching a discus 112 feet, 10 inches that not only won the Division 2 state qualifier as the No. 8 seed, but it was the second-best throw in Section VI overall. She also finished eighth in Division 2 at states (109-1). Fetzner was the Niagara Frontier League champion in the shot put and was fourth at state qualifiers (34-9.5).
Miranda Gatto, Sr., Niagara Wheatfield
Gatto made her first state appearance in the 3,000 meters. She was nipped by Shannon Zugelder by 0.24 seconds at the state qualifier and placed 16th at states. Gatto’s best time was 10 minutes, 2.24 seconds, which was fifth overall in Section VI. She was second in the 1,500 at state qualifiers and her top time of 4:44.01 was also fifth overall in Section VI.
Amari Germany, So., Lockport
Germany made a big climb up the leaderboard this season. She ran 1 minute, 6.09 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles to place second at the Division 1 state qualifier and ranked third overall in Section VI. She was the Niagara Frontier League champion and placed second in Class AA. Germany was also part of the Lions' 4x400 relay team that won sectionals.
Elisabeth Gray, 8th, Lewiston-Porter
Gray is an emerging star in Section VI sprinting, qualifying for states in the 100- and 200-meter dashes as an eighth-grader. She was fourth in the 100 at the state qualifier, but her top time of 12.69 seconds during the season sent her to states, where she placed 16th. Gray was second at the state qualifier in the 200 (25.63) and placed 12th at states. She was the NFL champion in both events, while her top 200 time ranked third overall in the section.
Marina Mansfield, Jr., Starpoint
Mansfield improved by nearly a foot in the shot put this season. She was No. 3 at the Division 1 state qualifier (32 feet, 11 inches), but her throw of 37-0.5 to win the Class A meet sent her to states for the first time — where she placed 13th — and was the third-best throw in Section VI. Mansfield was also second in the discus at the Class A meet (91-10).
Jayla Scott, Jr., Niagara Falls
Scott improved by nearly a second in the 100-meter dash and almost two seconds in the 200. She placed second at the state qualifier in the 100 in 12.61 seconds, which was the fourth-best time in Section VI this season. Meanwhile, she was third in the 200 at the meet in 25.75, which was the fifth-best time overall in the section. She was 100 runner-up at the Class AA meet and the 200 runner-up at the Niagara Frontier League meet.
Runner of the Year: Melia Towns, Jr., Lockport
Towns did just about everything for the Lions, placing in Section VI’s top-10 in four events, while winning two sectional championships. She was a member of Lockport’s 4x400-meter relay team that won sectionals in 4:44.01, while also securing a long jump title with the section’s top leap of 18 feet, 5 1/2 inches. Towns was also fourth overall in the section in the triple jump (36-10) and seventh in the 100 (12.77 seconds).
Emily Waldron, Fr., Starpoint
Waldron went from being an 8-foot pole vaulter last year to securing Section VI’s top vault this season. She cleared a career-best 11 feet, 3 inches at the Runnin’ Cadet Classic on May 6 and placed 12th at states with an 11-foot vault. She was the Division 1 runner-up at the state qualifier and ECIC meets, while winning the Class A sectional meet with a vault of 10-6. She cleared 11 feet three times.
Sophia Waliszewski, So., Starpoint
Waliszewski finished this season more than a second faster than the year prior. After running the 100-meter hurdles in 17.21 seconds in her final meet as a freshman, Waliszewski was second at the Division 1 state qualifier in 15.72, which was the seventh-fastest time overall in Section VI this season. She was also the Class A runner-up (15.80) and the ECIC champion (16.46) in the event.
Shannon Zugelder, Fr., Starpoint
Zugelder was the 3,000-meter champion at the Division 1 state qualifier in 10 minutes, 18.46 seconds, while her best time in the event was 10:00.52 seconds at the Runnin’ Cadet Classic. She placed 23rd at states and fourth at New Balance Nationals. Zugelder was third in the 1,500 at state qualifiers (4:53.65) and the Class A champion in the 800 (2:24.23).