NEW YORK STATE TRACK & FIELD: TIOGA'S ALBRECHT ENJOYS FIRST TRIP TO STATES (5 PHOTOS) (2024-06-08)

By BRIAN FEES
Valley Sports Report
CICERO, N.Y. - For Tioga sophomore Gavin Albrecht, the result wasn’t exactly what he was hoping for, but the New York State Track & Field Championship was still a special experience.

"It was really cool," Albrecht said. "I couldn’t ask for more this year.

"Today could have been a lot better, though" Albrecht said. "I just didn’t vault well."

Albrecht finished 29th overall and 13th in Division 2 with a height of 13-feet.

The Tioga vaulter cleared 13-feet on his first try, but went out at the next height.

"He had more in him still here at States ," said Tioga coach Eric Gutierrez.

"If he cleared 13-6 — and he almost made it on his second attempt, but just missed it," noted Gutierrez. "If he made it, he was going to switch to a 14-foot, 6-inch pole that would have had him flying, but it's a pole that he has only gotten up on a few times at practice, so it was important to get everything he could out of the poles he is use to first."

The event was originally scheduled to take place on Friday afternoon, but thunderstorms caused delays, pushing the event to Saturday morning.

While sschedules change can be tough, Albrecht thought it actually was a good thing.

"I think it helped actually being able to come here and see everything before I had to actually vault," Albrecht said.

Gutierrez was glad to see the schedule change as well.

"Well today was a much better day than.yesterday," said Gutierrez. "I can't imagine there would have been kids making better heights yesterday jumping past midnight. Today's pole vault competition was more than five hours long."

It was also fun for Albrecht to be around the other Section IV vaulters.

"We get along pretty well from Section 4," he said. "We have gotten to be pretty good friends over the years we have vaulted together."

Gutierrez is looking forward to watching Albrecht for two more years.

"Gavin had a great year this year," he said.

"He was one of only a few 10th-graders in the pole vault," noted Gutierrez. "He has a bright track and field future ahead.

"He puts in the work and I know he is only going to improve from here," he added.

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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES.


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