Brockport sprinter leads group of outstanding performers at windy His and Her Invitational

Stella Riley is no newcomer to Section V outdoor track and field.

A sprinter at Brockport, Riley has witnessed windy, wet and chilly starts to spring seasons before. Riley, a junior who has run with the Blue Devils since she was a freshman, knows what to do in order to make it through those conditions with success.

Prepare and adjust is the name of the game this time of year for golfers, lacrosse, flag football, tennis, and even baseball and softball players at high schools in the northeast region of the United States, including Section V.

Last week during the His and Her Invitational, there was enough rainfall to leave puddles on the track at Churchville-Chili. Wind speeds reached 30 miles per hour. It was doubtful the temperature climbed above 60 degrees.

Yet, Riley ran her fastest 400-meter race of the season and the sixth-fastest in Section V this spring.

"I was surprised how well I did because of this weather," Riley said. "I knew what to wear. I knew how I should run (in these conditions).

Bookmark this: Section V girls track and field results for the 2024 season

"(Checking the weather) is a big part. Indoors, you don't have to worry about it. "

A member of the 2022 Democrat and Chronicle All-Greater Rochester Indoor Track Team, Riley set the Brockport school record in the 600 at the indoor state meet and in the 300 during the season this past winter.

On May 4, Riley finds out if her recent performances have launched her to faster performances. The Blue Devils are in the 18th annual Al Mullan Runnin' Cadet Classic at Hilton.

"It’s been around for a long time and a lot of people go to it," RIley said. "It’s a big deal, it’s one of the more important invitationals.

"There’s a long distance race (one for girls and one for boys) called 'The Glavin'. A lot of people come to watch it because it is a lot of these talented distance runners."

Riley is entered in the 400 and 200 dash races.

"I like the competition," Riley said. "It's another opportunity to run again and get a good time.

"(The weather) is starting to clear up. It should be a little better than it was last weekend, hopefully."

Aquinas track coach LeRoy Dixon, athletes and other coaches were almost unfazed by the weather conditions at Churchville-Chili last weekend. They shared stories about nice weather during team practices and the opposite on the days of meets.

"This was one of the best days we've had so far,'' Aquinas coach LeRoy Dixon said just before the rain at Churchville-Chili increased. "Last week at a meet, it snowed a little."

There was no snow falling from the sky above Churchville-Chili by the time Riley and others went to the track for a one-lap race. But it was very wet and very windy.

"It hurt so bad because the wind is directly at you," Riley said about the final 75 to 150 meters before the finish line. "Yesterday (last Friday) was perfect. The sky was blue. No wind.

"I knew today was not going to be fun."

Mercy sophomore Juliana Ostrander quickly made it clear that Riley would need to make another adjustment, if the plan was to win the 400-meter race. Ostrander's start was strong, fast and in Riley's view, impressive.

But in the end, Riley was the only one who finished the race in less than a minute, 59.91 seconds. Ostrander (1:00.87) was second, and followed by Fairport junior Lauren Murphy (1:00.92). Riley ran her fastest race of the season, while the conditions seemed less than ideal.

"It was good," Riley said. "I got out there and used the wind to help me in the first 200 (meters). It was pushing me in the back.

"She helped me a lot, to get out there in the first 200."

Bookmark this: Section V boys track and field results for the 2024 season

His & Her top performers

Three events during the His & Her Invitational are tributes to large figures in the history of Section V Track and Field. Here are this year's winners:

• Trent Jackson Memorial: Pittsford Mendon senior Tamara Dorval (girls 100 dash) and World of Inquiry senior Perrion Williams (boys 100 dash).

• Cedric Walker Memorial: Fairport senior Emma Blodgett (girls 400 hurdles) and Brockport senior Brandt Marshall (boys 400 hurdles).

• Lance Bush Award: Brockport sophomore Brockport senior Tyler Harris (girls pentathlon) and Brockport senior Diego Arellano Jasso (boys pentathlon).

Jackson, a Franklin graduate, is one of the greatest athletes ever to emerge from Section V. The Olympics, the National Football League and Division I college football are on his list of accomplishments.

Walker was a respected figure in USA Track and Field, who used his contacts to match an untold number of athletes inside and outside of Section V with college programs around the country. He also passed along his knowledge as a coach regardless of what school in Section V they attended.

Bush, a sports coordinator in Section V for 36 years, helped present all of the awards at Churchville-Chili.

47th annual His & Her highlights

Somehow, athletes ran against the wind, splashed through small puddles and were warm enough at Churchville-Chili to deliver some of the top performances this season in Section V.

Who will do the same at Hilton on May 4, during the Runnin' Cadet Classic?:

• Avery Brunner, Pittsford Mendon freshman: No. 1 on Section V girls discus throw season leaderboard (125 feet-8 inches)

• Jack Palermo, Hilton senior: No. 1 on boys 400 leaderboard (48.84)

• Hilton: No. 1 on boys 400 relay leaderboard (42.60)

• Hilton: No. 1 on boys 1,600 relay leaderboard (42.60)

• Ethan Shea, Pittsford Mendon junior: No. 1 on boys 800 leaderboard (1:58.28)

• Alex Morey, McQuaid junior: 2nd on boys 800 leaderboard (1:58.43)

• Carly Giebel, Brighton sophomore: 2nd on girls discus throw leaderboard (120-5)

• Diego Arellano Jaso, Brockport senior: 2nd on boys pentathlon leaderboard (2,547 points)

• Brandt Marshall, Brockport senior: 2nd on boys 400 hurdles leaderboard (57.69)

• Tyler Fischer, Fairport senior: 2nd on 3,000 boys steeplechase leaderboard (10:15.51)

• Franklin/Northeast/School of the Arts/World of Inquiry: 2nd on boys 400 relay leaderboard (42.88)

• Owen Willard, Fairport senior: 3rd on 3,000 boys steeplechase leaderboard (10:16.77)

• Ciaran Sidhu, Pittsford Mendon junior: 3rd on boys 400 hurdles leaderboard (58.31)

• Ella Manelis, Brighton senior: 3rd on girls discus throw leaderboard (116-5)

• Ari Reback, Fairport senior: 3rd on 1,500 girls leaderboard (4:58.47)

• Isabella Gallant, Pittsford Mendon sophomore: 3rd on 2,000 girls steeplechase leaderboard (7:52.84)

• Fairport: 3rd on girls 1,600 relay leaderboard (4:12.58)

• Ibrahim Ford, Arkport/Canaseraga sophomore: 4th on boys 1,600 leaderboard (4:31.92)

• Brayden Sinclair, Gates Chili freshman: 4th on boys pentathlon leaderboard (2,402 points)

• Massimo Picca, Webster Thomas junior: 4th on 3,200 boys leaderboard (9:53.63)

• Max Tomaszewski, Churchville-Chili junior: 4th on boys discus throw leaderboard (148-2)

• Alexa Briggs, Churchville-Chili senior: 5th on 3,000 girls leaderboard (10:45.76)

• Franklin/Northeast/School of the Arts/World of Inquiry: 5th on 400-meter relay leaderboard (51.02)

• Connor Hashim, Fairport senior: 5th on boys 800 leaderboard (1:59.42)

• Henry Nilsen, Webster Thomas sophomore: 5th on 1,600 boys leaderboard (4:32.14)

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: His and Her Invitational results: Top Section V track performances