Cibuls leads Bayport-Blue Point to Division III track crown
Bayport-Bluepoint's Kathleen Cibuls, left, competes in the pentathlon 800-meter run during the second day of the NYSPHSAA Track & Field Championships held at SUNY-Albany on Saturday, June 13, 2015. Credit: Adrian Kraus
There were many reasons why this spring’s division championship meant a little more to Bayport-Blue Point’s Kathleen Cibuls.
For one thing, she missed the indoor small school championships in January because of a left ankle injury. For another, it was the senior’s last hurrah before taking her fast legs to Manhattan College next fall. And, for yet another, a championship would complete the Cibuls sweep. Since she joined the team in seventh grade, Bayport-Blue Point has won every spring division championship.
Her legacy is winning and it will remain that way. Bayport-Blue Point scored 115 points en route to its sixth consecutive Division III championship at the Suffolk girls track and field Division Championships at Comsewogue High School on Thursday. The Phantoms have the longest active spring county championship streak in Suffolk County, coach Vin Ungaro said.
Cibuls was a double-winner, taking the 100-meter hurdles in 15.30 seconds and the 400 in 57.05 seconds. It was her fourth consecutive 400 county championship and second consecutive 100 hurdle championship.
Cibuls had to outpace Miller Place’s Amanda Stead down the final straightaway in the 400. Stead passed the Bayport-Blue Point standout with 200 meters to go, forcing Cibuls to sprint past her and on toward the finish line.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” Cibuls said. “I turned on another gear. I thought ‘this is my fourth year in a row winning the 400. I’m not losing.’”
Shoreham-Wading River’s Kathrine Lee won the Division III 1,500 in 4:41.22, her third county championship this week. Lee, who squeaked out the 800 and dominated the 3,000 on Tuesday, battled it out with teammate Kaitlyn Ohrtman down the final straightaway. Ohrtman was second in 4:42.37.
Bay Shore’s Aviana Goode tripled in Division I. She won the 100 hurdles (14.41), long jump (18-9 3⁄4), and high jump (5-2).
Sachem East won Division I, scoring 142 points, the second highest point total in Division I meet history. Bay Shore scored 150 in 2005. It is its fourth consecutive county championship thata consists of cross country, indoor and outdoor track, and completed the triple crown for the 2015-2016 school year, Sachem East coach Dan Schaub said
Lauren Harris, the indoor race walk national champion, won the Division I 1,500 race walk in 6:34.25.
West Babylon won Division II with 88 points. Paige Keefer tripled, winning the 400 (56.15) and, along with Brittany Korsah, Dana Beggins, and Nadine Keefer, won the 4 x 400 relay (3:53.13). Keefer won the 800 on Tuesday. Korsah won the 100 (12.44) and 200 (25.30).
