Ithaca High track sends program-record nine to states

The Ithaca High School indoor track and field team is still relatively new, wrapping up its seventh season Mar. 4 at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Indoor Track and Field Championships. 

The Little Red sent a program-record nine athletes to states after strong showings during state qualifiers at Cornell University Feb. 25. Ithaca took part in the Section IV Classic at Cornell the previous month, and head coach Chris McClure knew that their prior experience racing there fully benefited the team during the postseason.

“The first time we got the nerves out of the way, so the second time we showed up for state qualifiers, everybody felt a little bit more at home, a little bit more solid with their feet on the ground and were able to show up, “McClure said. “I saw a new level of focus in everybody’s eyes in the way that they prepared and warmed up for their event, the execution within their event, and especially the way that they came together and went on to cheer for their teammates as they were competing in their events.”

The top performer for the Little Red at states by far was Moss Dengler. The senior finished second overall in the boys pole vault and broke the school record with a height of 14 feet and 6 inches.

“Moss has fun with pole vaulting,” McClure said. “He loves going up and getting special training up at Ithaca College with his pole vault coach once a week. The way he interacts with the other vaulters, it seems like he’s in his element. When he picks up that pole, no one’s crossing their fingers, no one’s teeth are chattering. They’re just having fun watching Moss having fun. When he’s in his flow state, when he’s in his zone, he goes out there and breaks the school record twice and becomes a silver medalist at states.”

Eliza DeRito was the next-best performer at states, finishing 16th in the girls 600-meter run and also breaking a school record with a time of 1:38.64. This was a milestone she already set at state qualifiers the week prior, capping off a sensational freshman campaign.

“Eliza loves sports,” McClure said. “She’s a prominent soccer player who plays in a few extra leagues. She was trying to do double duty, so her physical endurance and strength for her age is outstanding… She approaches big competition in a very humble way, and she got a very good learning experience at states racing against the other girls who are juniors and seniors who have been working on it for three or four years in a row. Now she knows if she’s fortunate enough to have a return trip, she knows how to compete with the best.”

John Anderson is yet another Little Red to set a program milestone this season, this time in the boys 55-meter hurdles with a time of 8.02 seconds in state qualifiers. The senior ended up placing 21st at states.

“At each and every race, he was the favorite,” McClure said. “He had a very mature approach to his preparation. He went out there and did his job every single time and earned from each little mistake along the way to shave his time down to nearly sub-eight seconds, which is an elite standard, just missing out on a national qualifying mark.”

From short-distance to long-distance events, Crosby Woods finished second in the 3,200-meter run at state qualifiers and 21st place at states. While the junior is predominantly a cross-country runner, his transition to the track has been largely seamless.

“He has been working for two years in the weight room to improve his strength, which can improve his speed,” McClure said. “He’s been working on his biomechanics so he could translate his talent and hard work from not just cross-country, but also be one of the great track and field runners in the section, and he’s done that. He’s only a junior, and I expect some very big things from him moving forward now that he’s cracked the code and he knows how to be a three-sport athlete at the top level.”

Aliou Cisse was the last individual athlete to make states for the Little Red. The senior set a milestone time of 36.66 seconds in the boys 300-meter dash at state qualifiers and then finished 28th at states.

“I think we saw him get faster because his initial experience was on the SUNY Cortland track, which is not known to be a record-breaking track,” McClure said. “And then when we got on to Cornell and Ithaca College, he was really able to open up his natural stride, which he’s built through many, many, many hours of soccer.”

The only team event that Ithaca participated in at states was the boys 4×800-meter relay, which consisted of Noah Hilker, Riley Hubisz, Jesse Rinzel, and Everett Shaw. They had the top time at state qualifying and finished 11th at states.