The Rye Outdoor Track and Field team competed in a one-day Section 1 Class B championship meet on Wednesday, May 28, in a competitive field of 15 schools at Henry Hudson High School. Although Rye did not place top three on either the boys’ or girls’ sides of competition, they did take home two sectional championship medals, both courtesy of star senior Erin Ball.
Ball qualified for nationals thanks to her stellar performance on Wednesday, which was highlighted by a long jump of more than than 18 feet. Ball leapt 18’3.50″, the 18th-best jump in New York State history, and almost one whole foot longer than second place’s Chrystelle Fignole (Pearl River). She broke her own Rye High School record by more than six inches.
Ball also claimed first place in the high jump event by virtue of a tiebreaker, clearing a 4’9″ bar on her first try but going 0/3 over the 5’0″ bar. While she fell short of her personal record by several inches, it was still enough to take home a championship.
The closest anyone else representing the Garnets came to a section championship medal was a second place finish by Ben Truman in the 800M dash. Truman set a personal record with a time of 1:56.72, good for 48th all-time in NYS. Unfortunately, Jayden Lloyd McKenna of Pearl River ran the 10th-best high school time ever recorded in the Empire State at a 1:54.04. No other competitor for Rye of either gender came in the top three for any event.
Ball (and most likely Truman, though unconfirmed) will set their sights on nationals from June 19-22 in Philadelphia, PA. View the results from the Section 1 Class B championship meet here.
