A week after a somewhat disappointing third place finish in the Center State League Tournament, the Cooperstown boys track team put together their best effort of the season in sectionals Saturday, finishing third.

Scott Bliss took a first place finish in the discus with a throw of 132-11, and Cooperstown boys track coach Don Howard said the first place finish of the 400 relay team of Andy Rickard, Brett Ferrando, Liam Murphy and Mike Senchyshyn was a pleasant surprise. The 3200 relay team of Jeremy Holmes, Sam Stults, Jake Conklin and Steve Carlson also finished first.

"We had a fabulous day, just a great meet," Howard said.

In addition to bliss and the relay teams, four other CCS athletes qualified for Saturday's state open qualifier at RFA Stadium. Matt Barown in the intermediate hurdles, Jared Tallman in the 3200, Carlson in the 800, and Jimmy Stergas in the steeplechase.

Howard said Bliss may have the bets shot at earning a state berth. The top finisher from Classes C and D qualify for the state meet.

The Cooperstown girls track team took a fifth place finish at the Section Three Class C meet last Thursday in Canastota, but more importantly qualified several athletes for the state open qualifier meet today (Thursday) at Liverpool.

The 4x100 relay team of Mia McChesney, Stephanie Smith and Suzanne and Carolyn Clarvoe won their race, and Smith also finished first in the pole vault. Smith went to states last year as a freshman in the pole vault, and is the number one seed this year.

The top three finishers in each event qualify for the open qualifier, and only the winners of the events today go on to states.

Carolyn Clarvoe also qualified in the 400 hurdles; Sarah Child in the 100 hurdles; Karen Phillips in the pentathlon and Suzanne Clarvoe in the 100-meter dash. Smith took third in the 400 as well, but will not run that race at the open qualifier.

"Stephanie has an excellent chance to go back to states in the pole vault," Cooperstown girls track coach Connie Herzig said. "We had a very good day, better than expected."

Herzig said Sandy Phillips had a personal best in the 1500; Carolyn Clarvoe took fourth in the triple jump; and Kim Goode fourth in the pole vault.

"Everything is individual now," Herzig said. "We've had a great season, the girls did it all. Everything they had to do, they did."

Richfield boys have super meet

There are only nine athletes on the Richfield Springs boys track team-nine very talented athletes. In fact, all nine qualified to move on to the state open qualifier meet at RFA Stadium in Syracuse this Saturday.

The 3200 relay team of Kane Seamon, Derek Robinson, Matt Dropchinski and Eric Phillips won their race; while the 1600 relay team took second and the 4x100 relay team third. The top three places move on to the open qualifier.

Seamon finished second in the 3200 as well.

"The whole team qualified," head coach Marty Seamon said. "This is a small group, but it's a good group of athletes."

Marty Seamon said Kane Seamon had a good shot at qualifying for states in the 3200.

"It all comes down to hundredths of seconds now," he said. "It's just a matter of preparing as best you can."