A great finish; Seniors Leave a Mark on OFA Track and Field Program

[By JoAnn R. Walter]

Nine athletes from OFA competed at the NYSPHSAA Championship Meet on June 13 and 14 at Webster-Schroeder High School in Webster, N.Y., which brought together about 450 schools.  

Head Coach Scott Senko remarked, “This is the largest group of athletes that I have ever taken to a state meet in twenty years of coaching.”

OFA girls competing were seniors Stella Palladino, making her fourth state appearance (100m, 200m, 4x800m relay), Jaelyn Chrysler, in her second state meet (4x800m relay), Abby McHugh (4x800m relay), and Lilly LaFever (4x800m relay).    

OFA boys competing were seniors Gavin Heath, in his second state meet (400m, 4x400m relay, 4x800m relay), Magavin Allen (4x400m relay, 4x800m relay), and Javan Belokur (4x400m relay, 4x800m relay), and sophomores Brady Senko (110m Hurdles) and Ryker Chrysler (4x400m relay, 4x800m relay).

Making it to states, Coach Senko explained, takes a lot of hard work and dedication throughout the season, with athletes putting in long hours in the weight room and on the track.  

Coach Senko expressed, “Our athletes were well-prepared for this meet and were excited for the opportunity to compete at this level against the best in the state. For many, qualifying was the goal for the season, and qualifying for this meet is a great accomplishment.”

New York State has three classes for track, referred to as A, B, and C, and Owego participates in Class B. Athletes qualify for States by finishing first in their class at the section qualifier held at Union Endicott High School on June 3 and 4.

Regarding the overall experience, Coach Senko commented, “The state meet is very different because of the vast number of athletes competing. The warm-up area can be crowded, and it can be overwhelming for athletes the first time they attend.” He added, “It was also very warm and sunny on Saturday, which can have a negative effect on the athletes.”

Stella Palladino brought home a state medal this year, finishing sixth in the girls’ 100m dash final—a goal she has had since freshman year. Stella is the school record holder in the 100m, 200m, and 400m.

Coach Senko said that Stella also ran an excellent race in the 200m dash, finishing eleventh with a time only a few hundredths from the school record.

Additionally, Stella brought home the Section IV Sportsmanship Award. This award is voted on by all of the Section IV coaches and presented at the state meet.

Commenting on the OFA girls’ 4x800m relay, Coach Senko said, “They ran their best time of the season at the state meet, which is always what I want to see as a coach.”

Jaelyn Chrysler finishes her OFA career as the school record holder in the steeplechase, and Coach Senko shared that she is one of the best distance runners in OFA history.

For the OFA boys, Gavin Heath finished ninth in the 400m race, and Brady Senko finished sixteenth in the hurdles.

Coach Senko noted, “The boys’ 4x400m relay ran their best time of the season, highlighted by Gavin’s 48.7 second split.” He added, “The boys ran on tired legs for the 4x800m relay (which was scheduled at the end of the meet). We knew this would be a difficult day for the four boys, but we wanted to give them a chance to run multiple events, and they made us proud.”

Gavin Heath finishes his OFA career as the school record holder in the 400m, and Coach Senko said he is one of the fastest 800m runners in school history. Heath participated in track for two years and qualified for the state meet both years.  

Coach Senko reflected, “This group of seniors has left a mark on the OFA track and field program. They are talented and hard-working, and have pushed each other all season to be some of the best runners in Section IV. Not only are they fantastic athletes, but they are great leaders and role models for all of the other athletes.” He added, “We will miss them, and we have high hopes for the future with athletes like Brady and Ryker leading the way.”