Girls Track & Field: Clasen records three wins in SWR victory
Courtney Clasen did her best to convince Shoreham-Wading River coach Paul Koretzki last spring of her jumping ability. But with Clasen coming off a hip injury, Koretzki was reluctant to push her too hard.
“She said I can really jump,” Koretzki recalled.
The first time Clasen got a chance to long jump at a meet, Koretzki was convinced.
When the Wildcats opened the dual meet season Tuesday against Hampton Bays, Clasen got her first opportunity to triple jump. She didn’t disappoint, taking first place with a top mark of 33 feet 4 1/2 inches.
“That’s what we’re looking for,” Koretzki said. “We didn’t have a triple jumper in the winter.”
Clasen, along with Cari Gostic, has provided a big boost to the Wildcats’ depth coming off the winter season, where both girls played basketball. The duo helped lead the Wildcats (1-0) to a 114-35 victory over the Baymen (0-2) Tuesday in a League VI dual meet at Shoreham-Wading River High School.
It was a superb start to the season, not just because of the win, but by the individual performances from many of the girls, Koretzki said.
“I was very pleased with the team,” he said. “There were great numbers in the cold.”
It may not have been ideal conditions on a chilly afternoon, but the Wildcats already looked to be in midseason form.
Clasen was a big part of it, winning the long jump (14-07) and 100-meter dash (13.2 seconds). Gostic was third in the long jump at 13-03 and second in the high jump at 4-07.
The Wildcats swept the 400 and 200 behind the trio of Laura Lee, Emily Blunnie and Makayla Meeker.
The Wildcats were also strong in the distance events, sweeping the 3,000 and taking second and third in the 1,500.
Kaitlyn Ohrtman won the 3,000 in 11:26 and was second in the 1,500 in 5:14.
Maddy Kelly (12:48) and Laura Shanklin (13.31) finished second and third in the 3,000.
Amanda Welischar had a big day with a second-place finish in the 100 (13.8). She also cleared 8-0 in the pole vault along with Megan Safranek as they took first and second. Welischar also ran 17.0 in the 100 hurdles.
In the discus Megan Serdock had the top distance (82). A newcomer to the team making her first varsity appearance, Katie Dunn threw 63-02 for second.
“She had never thrown before except practice,” Koretzki said.
Kylie Trettner won the race walk in 8:37.5. Rose Andrews was second in the 800 in 2:40.3.
In the 400 hurdles Ashlyn Vicari took first place in 1:18.6.
The Wildcats capped the meet off by sweeping all three relays.
On Saturday a handful of Wildcats competed at the Lindenhurst Relays. Shanklin cleared a personal best 8-06 in the pole vault and Gabriella Massa cleared 6-06, her personal best. Their combined height of 15-0 was third in the two-person relay.
