The Amsterdam girls and boys varsity track and field teams enjoyed a successful Foothills Council dual meet Tuesday afternoon at Amsterdam High School. The Lady Rams earned a 108.50 to 28.50 victory over the Johnstown Lady Bills, and the Running Rams picked up their first league win of the season with a 97-42 triumph over the Johnstown Sir Bills.
Lady Rams dominate on track
The Amsterdam Lady Rams won 10 of the 11 events on the track and overall placed first in 14 of the 17 events contested on Tuesday in keeping their league meet record unblemished at 2-0. Charli Beekman (100 meter dash, long jump), Jackie Stanavich (high jump, pole vault), and Olivia Lazarou (1500 meter run, 3000 meter run) each won two individual events for Amsterdam. Other individual winners included; Brenda Santana (200 meter dash), Lauren Santiago (400 meter dash), Gabby Stanavich (100 meter hurdles, Samantha Kaminski (400 meter hurdles), and Emma Gomez (triple jump).
“I thought that if we did as we expected then we would have a successful meet,” Amsterdam coach Stu Palczak said. “The kids ran well. Some of the new kids had a chance to run and score today, and we were happy with that.”
The Lady Rams have experienced more depth in both the track and field events this season with the arrival of some talented freshman including Charli Beekman and Jackie Stanavich. Beekman was a member of the varsity team last year participating in sprints and relays. Beekman now helps the Lady Rams score in the field as well with her performance in the long jump. Jackie Stanavich, whose older sister Gabby has been a part of the AHS track team for the past two years, has provided a boost to the Lady Rams in both the pole vault and high jump, two events where the Lady Rams didn’t get a lot of points in the past. Having a little more depth has allowed veteran student athletes like Santiago, Santana, and Lazarou to concentrate in their individual best events.
“We try to be conservative with our girls,” Coach Palczak said. “We don’t put them in too many events, and we know we have a long week ahead.”
Amsterdam has a short time to prepare for their next meet on Thursday against Broadalbin-Perth, a meet that was postponed due to the weather last week. Following a trip to BPHS, the AHS teams will head to Cohoes High School for the annual Cohoes Relays on Saturday. The Lady Rams relay teams feature several versatile athletes who often enter in more than one event during dual meets and invitationals. One of those athletes is Gabby Stanavich, who was also part of the winning Lady Rams 4×400 meter relay team on Tuesday along with her sister Jackie, Brenda Santana, and Lauren Santiago. Gabby Stanavich, ran with Santiago, Santana, and Lazarou and set a meet record in the 4×400 relay at the recent Niskayuna Warrior Classic. Now a junior at AHS, Gabby Stanavich currently holds the school record in both the girls 100 meter, and 400 meter hurdles.
“The goals for Gabby (Stanavich) are to lower her times and score higher on the podium at the state meet,” Coach Palczak said. “Whatever we put her in she does well. She’s pretty tough.”
With a busy week ahead, Gabby Stanavich was entered in only three events on Tuesday, where she helped AHS score 15 points. The Lady Rams didn’t miss a step in the 400 hurdles though, as Samantha Kaminski and Kayla Dzikowicz took the top two spots.
The Lady Rams swept the relay events. In addition to the 4×400 teams win, AHS also earned points with the 4×100 meter relay team (Emma Gomez, Santana, Gabby Stanavich, Beekman), and the 4×800 meter relay team (Kayla Sondrup, Skylar Grybos, Brook Marshall, and Gabby Feliciano).
Picking up second place finishes for AHS were Keisha Rose (100 meter dash), Taylor Krawczyk (200 meter dash), Jackie Stanavich (400 meter dash), Sondrup (800 meter run, high jump), Grybos (1500 meter run), Kaminski (100 meter hurdles), Gomez (long jump), Makayla Brown (shot put), and Mackenzie Farina (discus Throw).
Third place AHS finishers included Krawczyk (100m dash), Rose (200m dash), Emma Kelly (400m dash), Grybos (800m run), Feliciano (3000m run), and Santiago (long jump).
The Lady Bills got first place efforts from Abby Gottung in the 800 meter run, Gabby Palmer in the shot put, and Anna Crouse in the discus throw. Second place efforts came from Julia Sarullo (300m run), and Lauryn Wilson (triple jump). Scoring in third place were; Molly Hotaling (100m dash), Jenna Parslow (1500m run), Allie Petrelia (100m hurdles), Katie Romano (400m hurdles), Emily Miles (high jump), Jordyn Stautner (triple jump), and Olivia Weiderman (shot put, discus throw).
Rams sweep track events in scoring win
The Amsterdam Running Rams varsity track and field team took first place in all eleven track events, and scored in all but two field events in picking up their first dual meet win of the season. The AHS boys got individual first place efforts from Marco Rivera in four events (200m dash, 400m dash, long jump, triple jump), and a pair of wins in the 110 meter and 400 meter hurdles from Marcos Santiago leading them to the win. The AHS boys have plenty of new faces for the 2018 season, all willing to do their part in the Running Rams winning tradition.
“A lot of kids that had not scored before stepped up today,” Amsterdam coach Kevin Wilary said. “I was really impressed with the new kids today.”
Among those scoring wins for the Rams were Cuba Fernandez (100m dash), Chaun J Ramos (800m run), Trevor Dzikowicz (1600m run), and Dan Bublak (3200m run). The Rams took first in each of the three relay events getting top finishes from the 4x100m team of Angel Sanchez, Luis Rodriguez, Robert Martinez, and Marcos Santiago, the 4x400m team of Santiago, Trevon Joyner, Martinez, and Rodriguez, and the 4x800m team of Dzikowicz, Antonio Reyes, Louis DiManno, and Ramos.
Among the most versatile athletes on the AHS boys team is Marcos Santiago, who for the past two seasons has been a significant contributor in the hurdles events. Santiago’s determination matches that of his sister Lauren and is now counted on in multiple events as well, running the anchor leg of one relay tesm, and leading off another. Santiago’s efforts certainly fill a void left with the graduation last year of Kevon Boucaud.
“Marcos won four events today,” Coach Wilary said. “He did a great job, and is stepping into that role. Marcos is focusing on hurdles and his main goal is that he’s won sectional patches, now he wants to make it to the state meet.”
Earning second place finishes for Amsterdam were Rodriguez (100m dash, 200m dash), Joyner (400m dash), Reyes (800m run), Dylan Alicea (110m hurdles), DiManno (400m hurdles), Ramos (pole vault), and Felix Cordero (triple jump). Third place finishes came from Martinez (100m dash), Reyes (high jump), Fernandez (pole vault), and Sanchez (long jump).
Johnstown got first place efforts from Joseph Matthews (high jump), Sebastian Mills (pole vault), Brady VanAernam (shot put, discus throw), and Thomas Lizio (discus throw). Second place finishes came from Mills (1600m run), Kyle Wood (3200m run), Alex Jennings (high jump), Elisher Millette (long jump), and Riley Savoie (shot put). Third place finishers were; Matt Boyle (200m dash), Zach Ropeter (400m dash), Mark Cwiakala (800m run), Gabe Cole (1600m run), August D’Amore (3200m run), Matt Salamack (triple jump), and Schuyler Livingstone (discus throw).
