Valley Sports ReportTHE VALLEY - Waverly sophomore Micah Chandler qualified for the New York State Track & Field Championships in three events, and won the only state medal by a local athlete this spring to earn the 2022 Valley Sports Report Boys "Track & Field Athlete of the Year," while his teammates swept the other top honors.
Junior Kayleb Bechy is the "Newcomer of the Year," while junior Ryan Clark is the "Thrower of the Year," and the quintet of Chandler, Bechy, senior Sam VanDyke, and juniors Jerrell Sackett and Treyton Moore earned the "Relay of the Year" honors in the 4-by-1.
Chandler won the 400-meter hurdles at the Section IV State Qualifier, then finished fifth in the event at the state meet.
He also ran on Waverly’s winning 400- and 1,600-meter relays at the State Qualifier, but was injured running the hurdle event, and did not run in the relays at States.
Chandler also won the 400-meter hurdles, and ran on the winning 400- and 1,600-meter relays at the Class C Championships, and the IAC Championships.
In his first year on the track, Bechy finished second in the 100-meter dash at the Section IV State Qualifier to earn a trip to States, where he finished 20th in a personal-best time of 11.15 seconds.
Bechy won the 100-meter dash title at the Class C Championships, and was second in the 200-meter dash at the IAC Championships.
Bechy, Chandler, Sackett, and VanDyke teamed to win the IAC title in the 400-meter relay in 44.23 seconds, the Class C title in 43.83 seconds, and the State Qualifier in 44.31 seconds.
With Chandler injured, Moore stepped in at the State meet, and the foursome finished 10th in a time of 44.53 seconds.
Clark, the 17th seed in discus, finished ninth at the Section IV State Qualifier. He placed third at the IAC Championships, and eighth at the Class C Championships.
The 2022 Boys Track & Field Super 7
Micah Chandler, sophomore, Waverly: See above.
Kayleb Bechy, junior, Waverly: See above.
Matt Watson, senior, Tioga: Watson placed in three events at the Section IV State Qualifier. He placed fourth in the triple jump, and fifth in the long jump, and was on the school-record 400-meter relay that placed sixth.
At the Class D Championships, Watson won the triple jump, and ran on the first-place 400-meter relay. He finished sixth in 400-meter dash, and eighth in the long jump.
Jaden Wright, junior, Athens: Wright placed in two events at the District 4 Championships, finishing sixth in the 100- and 200-meter sprints.
At the NTL Championships, Wright won the 100 and the 200, and ran on the third-place 400-meter relay.
Valentino Rossi, sophomore, Tioga: Rossi ran on the school-record 400-meter relay that placed sixth. He finished eighth in the long jump and 200-meter dash, and was ninth in the triple jump.
At the Class D Championships, Rossi won the long jump, and ran on the first-place 400-meter relay. He was second in the triple jump and third in the 200-meter dash. At the IACs, Rossi won the long jump, triple jump, ran on a first-place 400 relay, and was third in the 200-meter dash.
Mason Hughey, senior, Sayre: Hughey consistently earned points in four events this season for the Redskins. He placed fourth in the 400 and was ninth in the 200 — both in personal-best times — at the District 4 Championships.
At the NTL meet, Hughey won the 400, placed fourth in 200, and sixth in javelin. He was ninth in the 100.
Sam VanDyke, senior, Waverly: VanDyke ran on first-place 400- and 1,600-meter relays at the State Qualifier, Class C Championships, and the IACs. At the State meet, the 400 relay finished 10th,and the 1,600 relay was 11th.
VanDyke finished fifth in the 400-meter dash at the Class C Championships, and was fourth in the 200 at the IACs.
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PAST WINNERS
"Boys Track & Field Athlete of Year"
2010 - Jarred Gambrell, Athens
2011 - Jarred Gambrell, Athens
2012 - Jeff Mastrantuono, Waverly
2013 - Ryan Kreykenbohm, Athens
2014 - Nick Sweet, Sayre
2015 - Josh Mastrantuono, Waverly
2016 - Gage Lubertowicz, Tioga
2017 - Kalen Keathley, Athens
2018 - Isaac Chandler, Waverly
2019 - Isaac Chandler, Waverly
2020 - NONE.
2021 - Asher Ellis, Athens
2022 - Micah Chandler, Waverly
