BY BRIAN FEESSouthern Tier Sports Report
CORNING — When the NYS Senator and Assembly State Championship Recognition ceremony for Cella McLaughlin was planned it was to recognize her indoor state title in the 55 hurdles.
Since the event was announced last week things changed a little bit. McLaughlin went to the outdoor track and field state championships and added two more titles to her career resume.
“It’s amazing,” McLaughlin said. “It pays back all the hard work I put into it. It really makes me feel appreciated in our school and community.
“I might have to be back for my past two (state titles). Even still, it goes along with they really do care about every little win. I couldn’t call a state championship little, but they really do care and put the time and effort into these.”
McLaughlin was recognized with a proclamation presented by NYS Senator Tom O’Mara and NYS Assemblyman Phil Palmesano.
This past weekend McLaughlin repeated as 100 hurdles champion and won the long jump state title. For the Hawks star it’s starting to sink in that she’s won five titles in her career.
“It kind of has,” she said. “I had my Boces graduation yesterday and my teacher said wear your state medals and there they were and I was like five feels pretty interesting. Because I would have never expected that two years ago that I would have five state championships.”
McLaughlin won the 55 hurdles state title indoors the past two years and the 100 hurdles outdoor the past two seasons.
This past Saturday she did something different, putting up her six best jumps of the year to win the long jump state title.
“I wasn’t having my best season in long jump actually, it was just an amazing feeling,” McLaughlin said. “I remember my coach as soon as the last girl jumped and she didn’t beat my jump, he was jumping up and down and I just felt ecstatic. It really made my weekend.
“It was great, it really made the state meet feel a little special.”
The hurdles was the last event McLaughlin ran as a Hawks athlete and that made that race even more special.
“The main thing over my head was this is my last race as a Hawk,” McLaughlin said. “I do have nationals, but that’s not school affiliated. I think there was al little pressure on that, but I think it was good pressure. Even though it was a little bitter sweet, I had a good weekend.”
McLaughlin did have one race she didn’t win, finishing second to Taylor Foster of the Brearley School in the federation title.
Foster has one of the top times in the nation this year and a top three time in state history this year. For McLaughlin it was special to be in a fast federation race like that.
“It is amazing,” she said. “Taylor is an amazing athlete and person.”
For McLaughlin the race just helps get her ready for college.
“100%,” she said. “I know going from Section 4 and an almost undefeated season to probably not winning for a couple more years. I am definitely prepared, but I think this is a good exposure to that. I’m not happy I got second, but I think it will be helpful for that growth.”
McLaughlin had planned to run the hurdles, and jump, in college, but now she’s even more sure that was the right decision.
“I did commit for jumps and hurdles, but definitely my coach said ‘yeah, you are stuck now,”” McLaughlin said. “Going into college that was one of my things. I wasn’t ready to give up either one. And this just reinforces when I was getting recruited for hurdles, should I really be long jumping but this just reinforced that I want to hurdle and long jump in college.”
McLaughlin’s sister, Clare, made states in the pentathlon this year as a high school freshman. For Cella, she knows that the hurdles and long jump skills would probably make her do well in multis, but there is one thing that makes her not want to try that out.
“Yes (I’ve thought about it),” McLaughlin said. “But, then I also think, you have to throw in multi, so no.”
The state titles on the weekend and the assembly on Tuesday just add to a busy time for the Hawks standout as she heads to nationals this weekend, graduates next Friday and then heads off to college in August.
“I am so excited,” she said. “The past couple of weeks, especially since today was my last day of high school, it’s all been a little surreal. I’m not going to lie. I am very excited, nationals is always a great showing, there are so many good athletes there. And college next year, I’ve been looking froward to it since I committed in November, so I can’t wait.”
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES
PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE STATE CHAMPION ASSEMBLY.
