With star power in Christie O’Connor and Beth Gollin, and balance throughout the team, head coach Dave Forbes and the Oneonta girls track team have their sights set on a second straight Don Howard Cooperstown Invitational title Saturday, May 7.
“Our goal is to win,” said Forbes. “I think we can balance our events well enough to score and win the title.”
The Yellowjackets boast two athletes who have posted section-best times this season in O’Connor and Gollin.
O’Connor’s 5-4 in the high jump is the area’s best, and Gollin, a five-year runner, has posted area-best times in both the 2,000 steeplechase and 3,000. Gollin has the area’s second-best time in the 400 hurdles.
Forbes said O’Connor suffered an injury in practice last week, but is expected to compete on Saturday. Cooperstown’s Lucy Ford (5-2) and Oneonta’s Brittnay Herrick (5-0) should give O’Connor competition.
Gollin and O’Connor are two of just five seniors on the team of 35 this season.
Juniors Jenn Jelic (high hurdles, sprints) and Lauren Ward (400, sprints) are ones to watch, Forbes said, along with fellow junior Kim Scofield in the triple jump. Senior Kayleigh Ward is also a threat in the discus, Forbes said.
The Oneonta boys’ team lost 12 seniors to graduation, and most of this year’s team is comprised of freshman and sophomores, said fourth-year head coach Brady Cotter, a 1997 Milford graduate.
OHS senior Zach Rabeler and Cooperstown’s Will Reis could have the race of the day in the 800. Reis has recorded the best 800 time this season, but Rabeler is just one second behind.
“That should definitely be a race that should get the fans out of their seats,” said Cooperstown track coach Joe Kennedy.
Cotter said junior Levi Anderson posted a personal best in the 1,600 at a meet last Friday, and freshmen Wendell lee and Mat Robinson “keep surprising him” in the sprint events.
The Yellowjackets are one of 11 teams scheduled to compete at the meet, which begins at 2 p.m. Host Cooperstown is the heavy favorite to win the title, paced by senior Alec Silvera, who won a gold medal in the 110 hurdles at last year’s state meet.
The Redskins won 12 of 17 events last season and amassed over 200 points in winning the title.
“It will be good for us to see that type of competition,” Cotter said. “This is when the season really gets going.”
Oneonta will host its own Invitational beginning at 4 p.m. Friday, May 6.
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