ALBANY — Coming off the first Section II title in indoor track and field in school history, the Guilderland girls’ team had designs on adding another Division I championship to its resume Wednesday night.
Paced by superlative performances from its veteran core up upperclassmen and brilliant efforts from the younger group, Guilderland was a force on the scoreboard throughout the meet in its bid for a first-ever Division I outdoor track and field title at Colonie High School.
At press time, the Dutchmen were tied with defending champion Saratoga, each with 145 points with three events still to be scored.
Junior Kendall Barnhart picked up a come-from-behind win in the 400 meters over Harriet Healey of Ballston Spa and also in the 200, with teammates Megan Swan and Tatum Cramer finishing in second and third to give Guilderland a 24-point haul in the event.
“It was the most outstanding experience, running with them (Swan and Cramer). We came in one-two-three and that is what we needed for points today,” Barnhart said. “It is the most amazing feeling knowing you did that with your team. We are such a tight team and we worked together so well.”
Freshman Addison Vellekoop added a win in the 800, outdistancing Leonni Griffin of Shaker and Blue Streaks standouts Emily Bush and McKinley Wheeler. Vellekoop led throughout the race and her poise was on display as she never wavered, with Griffin challenging on the final lap.
“I was just going out in the first lap and I wanted to see if adrenaline could take me through the second one,” Vellekoop said. “It obviously did. I could hear footsteps but it made me go faster.”
Freshman Parker Steele won the 100 hurdles for Guilderland and added a third-place finish in the 400 hurdles and was part of the winning Dutchmen 400 relay team.
“When I went into the 100…
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