Broadalbin-Perth senior Jake Coveney will be one of several area athletes competing at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) track and field championships today and Saturday at the University at Albany. Coveney will be defending his Division 2 title in the pentathlon.
“ I want to win it all outright,” Coveney said during the Section 2 Group 3 championships at Knox Field on May 27. “Not just division two. I want to win everything.”
That statement would be something that Broadalbin-Perth track and field coach Jeff Richards would probably expect to hear from Coveney who was a state champion in the event last year and scored 2200 in the pentathlon at states as a freshman.
“He’s a kid that doesn’t say I think I can,” Coach Richards said. “He says he’s going to win. He has what can’t be coached.”
At the Section 2 Group 3 championships, Coveney helped the Broadalbin-Perth boys team to a fifth place finish with top efforts in the 400 meter hurdles and the triple jump. Coveney scored a pair of second place finishes in the long jump and the 110 meter hurdles. Coveney was responsible for 36 of the Patriots 59 points. Cobleskill-Richmondville won the boys title with 102 points.
Patriots’ sophomore Jeff Derwin, who will join Coveney at states, earned a pair of fourth place finishes in the discus and shot put at sectionals. Derwin qualified for the state championships in the shot put by winning the event at the State Qualifier on June 4 at U Albany.
Also at sectionals for BPHS: Dennis Bogdan was third in the 3200 meter steeplechase, Jake Bunker was third in the pentathlon, Zack Romeyn (shot put) and Noah Marek (triple jump), earned sixth place finishes. Marek was also seventh in the 400 meter dash.
Coveney and his teammates were in strong support of the Broadalbin-Perth girls track and field team that went on to win the Section 2 Group 3 title also held recently at Knox Field in Johnstown. The victory gave the BPHS track and field program back to back sectional titles. The boys won the title in 2014.
“I want them to win so bad,” Coveney said moment before the decisive girls 4×400 meter relay event in which the BPHS team of Kaitlin Sala, Coreena Monroe, Christa Decker, and Celina Onzo battled to a second place finish to tie Albany Academy for first place with only one event remaining. Kelly Makarowsky and Victoria Laurange scored in the girls pentathlon to give BPHS the title by one point. “We were in a similar situation last year. They deserve it. They’ve worked so hard.”
Coveney will be defending his Division 2 title in a pentathlon event that consists of the long jump, high jump, 110 meter hurdles, 1500 meter run and shot put. Coveney scored 3,174 points in the pentathlon at last weeks state qualifier meet. He will also be trying to top the 3,378 points he scored at last years state meet. Coveney has had plenty of competition in preparing for this year’s title meet. He faced Amsterdam senior and fellow state qualifier David Graveley twice in the hurdles during the Foothills Council season. Both athletes won a race by fractions of a second. Graveley has referred to Coveney as his “favorite competitor.”
“Dave’s a good guy,” Coveney said. “He pushes me and I push him. We’re dead even in the hurdles. We get the best out of each other.”
Graveley will be joined at the state meet by teammates Izaiah Brown, Omari Sturdivant, and the Amsterdam 4×400 meter relay team that also includes Edgar Maldonado, Andrew Druziak, and Gabe Ferandez.
On the girls’ side, Brittany Castellucio of Fonda-Fultonville will be competing in the long jump. Canajoharie’s Danaira Veeder qualified for states in the 100 meter hurdles, and the Lady Cougars 4×400 relay team of Christina Towse, Ariannah and Jordyn Logan, and Jordyn Porter also qualified for states finishing ahead of the second place BPHS relay team at the qualifier meet.
Section 2 is hosting the NYSPHAA track and field championships at the University of Albany on June 12- 13.
