The Scoop: Indoor Champs Excite & Outdoor Season Ramps Up

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New York's Best Shine At Indoor Championships

The great state of New York did not disappoint on Saturday as athletes traveled to Ocean Breeze to compete for prestigious titles at the NYSPHSAA Indoor Championships.

And, as predicted, some of the familiar names made sure to leave their marks at the National Meet of the Week.

Look first to one of the most anticipated races of the championships -- the girls 1,500m -- where favorite CNS senior Kate Putman cruised to a 4:23.78 personal best and defended her indoor title from 2022. In a thrilling race with other stars like sophomore sensation Zariel Macchia of William Floyd and Saratoga Springs leader Emily Bush, Putman surged ahead and was able to hold off challenges from two of New York's most consistent distance athletes.

Macchia would finish second in a PR of 4:26.16, followed Bush in 4:29.42, which is also a personal best.

But off the track, one of the best performances of the championships came from Webster Schroeder's Camryn Cole and Corintia Griffith as the teammates dominated the girls field events.

Cole won two titles -- the high jump (5-9) and long jump (19-5.5) -- while Griffith took home the win in the triple jump with a 40-10.5 mark and placed third in the long jump.

In those field events alone, Webster Schroeder racked up 36 points thanks to their dynamic duo.

In the boys competition, some of New York's top athletes shined when it mattered most, especially Monroe-Woodbury senior Collin Gilstrap, who dipped under 9 minutes in the 3,200m for the second time ever with a winning 8:58.66 effort. Fordham Prep's Jaylin Santiago, too, also came up big in the 300m with a 34.14 PR in the finals to win the event and jump into the US top 15.

But perhaps the most exhilarating final of the day came in one of the first competitions of the meet -- the boys 4x800m.

The race, which featured favorites Chaminade and Monroe-Woodbury, unfolded like no one predicted as it was the squad from Saint Anthony's that took home the state gold in 7:52.67.

That put them ahead of the two frontrunners by mere seconds, with Chaminade taking second in 7:53.49 and Monroe-Woodbury in third in 7:53.49.