Lumberjack spring track season underway; Olivia Ellis wins twice; boys relay team first
By Dick Sterling
The 2023 high school spring track and field season is underway. Last Monday the Tupper Lake Lumberjacks battled against Potsdam, Massena and Ogdensburg at Potsdam. Tupper Lake standout Olivia Ellis finished first in the 100 meter hurdles and the high jump and also earned second place finishes in two other events. For the boys, the Lumberjack 4x100 relay teams earned an impressive first place finish in their race.
Lumberjack Head Coach Hannah Klossner said that right out of the gate, they work hard to get her kids ready for sectionals. She said that this Saturday’s invitational will be a great early season indicator on just where Section 10 athletes stand at the start of the new season. “The event, the Section 10 Invitational, is this Saturday at St. Lawrence University (10 a.m.).
In the first meet of the year the Lumberjack boys were beaten by Potsdam 170-44; lost to Ogdensburg 106-68 and fell to Massena 164-44. The Ladyjacks lost to Potsdam 169.5-47.5; they fell to Ogdensburg 95-84; and picked up a win against Massena, earning a 100-67 victory.
Coach Klossner said that both the boys and girls teams have more athletes this season and is looking for the boys and girls teams to win some dual meets. “There’s lots of new kids on both teams and right now we’re figuring out where they are best placed.”
Lumberjack senior Olivia Ellis kicked off her season with an outstanding performance at Potsdam as she won the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 18.28 seconds, nearly two seconds ahead of her closest rival, Jaedyn Rutledge, of Potsdam. Olivia also placed first in high jump with a winning effort of 4-feet and 8-inches. Olivia also earned second place finishes in the 400 meter hurdles, with a time of 1:19.50; and the long jump with a leap of 14-feet 2 ½-inches.
The Lumberjack boys 4x100 relay team may have surprised some of the other teams with their performance in their event. The team of Sean Bujold, Brock Fleishman, Cohen Gerstenberger and Brayden Shannon sprinted to a time of 51.75 seconds to beat Potsdam by just over three-quarters of a second.
Two Ladyjack relay teams earned top three finishes. The 4x400 relay team of Rebecca Becker, Raegan Fritts, Sadie Safford and Livia Meade ran their race in 5:23.20, finishing second to Potsdam. The girl’s 4x100 relay team of Caydence Flagg, Emily Bissonnette, Lacey Tarbox and Livia Meade placed third with a time of 1:02.49.
Other Ladyjacks to turn in outstanding efforts included: Meade, who finished fifth in the 200 meter dash (32.30) and fourth in the 400 meter dash (1:11.30); Tarbox, who placed sixth in the 100 meter dash (15.39 seconds) and sixth in the 200 meter dash (33.34 seconds); Becker placed sixth in the 400 meter dash (1:14.23) and fifth in the long jump (12-feet and ½-inch); Fritts finished fourth in the 400 meter hurdles (1:28.80) and fifth in the long jump (26-feet 3 ½-inches); Sammy Flagg finished fifth in the 800 meter run (3:24.40) and Meika Nadeau placed sixth in the same race (3:29.60); and Mary Becker finished sixth in discus (49-feet and 11-inches).
For the boys: Shannon placed third in the high jump (5-feet 0-inches), fifth in the 200 meter dash (25.00 seconds) and sixth in the 100 meter dash (12.65 seconds); Gerstenberger finished sixth in the 400 meter dash (1:03.15); Dane O’Connor finished fifth in the 800 meter run (2:35.20); Logan Flagg placed fifth in the 3,200 meter run (12:12.20); and CJ Levey finished sixth in the shot put (32-feet 9 ½-inches).