SOUTHERN TIER SPORTS REPORT: CORNING, HORSEHEADS, ELMIRA ATHLETES HEAD ALL-STSR TRACK & FIELD ALL-STAR TEAM (June 17, 2023)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
With three different schools having state medalists this year, and four schools having state qualifiers, there were a lot of great athletes to consider for this year’s All-Southern Tier Sports Report Track and Field All-Star team.

Both the boys have a fabulous 15 all-stars for this season. There is also a boys’ and a girls’ track athlete of the year, field athlete of the year and newcomer of the year. There is also a boys and girls’ relay of the year. There is also a coach of the year for both boys and girls.

For the boys the track athlete of the year is Corning’s Tevin McLaren. McLaren helped the Hawks 3200 relay earn a state medal with a fifth-place finish at states. His anchor leg for the Hawks was a 1:54.32, the best in the area this year by a lot, and the second best in Section 4 this season.

McLaren also had the second best 1600 time in the area this year (4:21.17) and third best 3200 time (9:27.52).

McLaren, Marcus Homa, Jaxyn Mahoney and Gabe Cornfield form the relay of the year, which is the 3200 relay for the Hawks that placed at states. They had a time of 7:54.01.

The field athlete of the year is Noah Ruffer of Horseheads. Ruffer was a state medalist in the decathlon, finishing third in the event at states. He was a sectional champion in the event and then the third-place finisher at states.

The newcomer of the year is Nasir Bradford of Elmira. He tied for the best heigh jump height in the area this year at 6-feet, 2-inches and he had the second fastest 100 meter time this year at 11.50.

For the girls there is co-track athletes of the year with Vicky Mordvinova of Elmira and Sarah Lawson of Corning. Both of them were state medalists this year, Lawson in the 3000 meters and Mordvinova in the 1500. Both ran at states in two events, Lawson also ran the 3200 relay and Mordvinova ran the 800 meters.

Mordvinova had the top times this year in the area in the 800 (2:11.59) and 1500 (4:32.91) and Lawson had the top time in the 3000 (9:47.87) and then she finished seventh at nationals in the 5000 meters.

The field athlete of the year is Horseheads’ Tess Eisner. Eisner was fourth in the state in D1 and fifth int he federation in the long jump at 17-feet, 6 1/4-inches and she finished seventh at states in the triple jump at 37-feet, 3-inches.

The newcomer of the year is Cella McLaughlin of Corning. She has the fastest 100 hurdles time in the area this year (15.80) and was a state qualifier in the event.

Corning’s 3200 relay is the relay of the year as Lawson, Megan Kirk, Faith Tubbs and Ella Grinnell. They had a top time this year of 9:45.01 and they took 20th overall at states.

Joe Melanson and the Corning Hawks coaching staff is the boys and girls coaching staffs of the year after leading both teams to Section IV titles.

BOYS
TRACK ATHLETE THE YEAR: Tevin McLaren, Corning
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Noah Ruffer, Horseheads
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Nasir Bradford, Elmira
RELAY OF THE YEAR: Corning 3200 relay.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Corning Hawks coaching staff

Fabulous 15

• Tevin McLaren, Corning: State medalist in the 3200 relay in 7:54.01. Fastest in the area in the 800 (1:54.32), 2nd in the 1600 (4:21.17) and third in 3200 (9:27.52)
• Marcus Homa, Corning: State medalist in the 3200 relay in 7:54.01. State qualifier in the 3200. 2nd best time in area this year in 3200 (9:24.19) and 800 (1:58.65) and third best in the 1600 (4:23.91)
• Ashton Bange, Corning: Came back from an injury to make states in the 1600 and post best time in the area this year in the 1600 in 4:19.86.
• Noah Ruffer, Horseheads: Third in the state in the pentathlon. Sectional champ in the event.
• Gabe Cornfield, Corning: State medalist in the 3200 relay in 7:54.01. Sectional champion and state qualifier in the steeple chase. Best 3200 time in the area this year (9:15.22)
• Gyasi Ruffin, Corning: State qualifier in the 400 meters. Had a best time of 49.51. Also 2nd best 200 time in 23.01. Will run in the SEC at South Carolina.
• Cabe Hogue, Corning: State qualifier in the discus. Had the best throw in the area this year in the discus (146-feet) and shot put (44-feet, 5 1/4-inches)
• Alex McKerrow, Elmira: 2nd best throws in the area this year in the discus (134-feet) and shot put (43-feet, 7 1/2-inches)
• Zuri Ruffin, Corning: State qualifier in the long jump. Had the best jump in the area at 21-feet, 6 1/2-inches. Best 100 time (11.44) and 200 time (22.33) in the area.
• Hugo Mazzali, Corning: State qualifier in the triple jump. Had the best jump in the area at 42-feet, 10 1/2-inches.
• Brady Hughes, Corning: 2nd best long jump in the area this year at 21-feet, 1 1/2-inches. Runner-up in the pentathlon at sectionals. 6-feet in the high jump this year, tied for third best in the area.
• Bradock Salisbury, Horseheads: 2nd best 400 time in the area this year at 50.89
• Nasir Bradford, Elmira: Tied for best high jump at in the area at 6-feet, 2-inches. 2nd best 100 time at 11.50.
• Dylan Rose, Corning: State qualifier in the high jump, tied for best jump in the area this year at 6-feet, 2-inches.
• Jaxyn Mahoney, Corning: State medalist in the 3200 relay in 7:54.01. Ran under 2:00 in the 800 this year.

GIRLS
TRACK ATHLETE THE YEAR: Vicky Mordvinova, Elmira & Sarah Lawson, Corning
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Tess Eisner, Horseheads
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Cella McLaughlin, Corning
RELAY OF THE YEAR: Corning 3200 relay.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Corning Hawks coaching staff

Fabulous 15

• Sarah Lawson, Corning: Third in the state in the 3000 meters with the best time in the area this year in 9:47.87. 7th nationally in the 5K. 2nd best 1500 time in the area this year in 4:53.28. State qualifier in the 3200 relay, that ran a 9:45.01 at states. 2nd best 800 time in the area this year in 2:22.96
• Vicky Mordvinova, Elmira: State medalist in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:32.91, best in the area this year. Best 800 time in the area in 2:11.59.
• Tess Eisner, Horseheads: 4th in D1 in the state and 5th in the federation in the long jump at 17-feet, 6 1/4-inches, 7th in state in triple jump at 37-3. Both best jumps in the area this year. 2nd best 100 time in the area in 12.93.
• Eleanor Green, ND: State qualifier in the 100 meters. Best 100 meter time in the area this year in 12.71.
• Cella McLaughlin, Corning: State qualifier in the 100 hurdles. Time of 15.80, best in the area this year.
• Taylor Farrell, Corning: All-American in the mile race walk. Best 1500 race walk time in the area this year at 7:29.83.
• Sophia Cimo, Corning: State qualifier in the discus. Best discus throw in the area this year at 108-3.
• Piper Hooey, Elmira: 2nd best long jump in the area this year at 16-feet, 9 3/4-inches
• Makenna Keough, ND: 2nd best triple jump in the area this year at 34-feet, 5 3/4-inches
• Olivia Murch, Corning: State qualifier in the steeple chase for the Hawks
• Osa Uyinmwen, Corning: State qualifier in the 1600 relay. Best 400 time in the area this year in 1:01.34.
• Hannah Lasko, Edison: 2nd best 200 time in the area this year in 27.22. One of the best 400 times in the area as well.
• Megan Kirk, Corning: State qualifier in the 1600 and 3200 relays. Third best 800 time in the area this year in 2:26.74.
• Abby Reppert, Corning: State qualifier in the pole vault. Best pole vault in the area this year at 9-feet, 6-inches.
• Leila Ianovici, Corning: State qualifier in the 1600 relay. 2nd best 400 time in the area this year in 1:02.56. Best 400 hurdles time in 1:06.90.