Archive: Sports

Saturday, April 8th marked the beginning of the Track and Field season as Lansing hosted the Kick Start Classic Track and Field Invitational at Lansing High School.  Boys and girls teams braved the nearly freezing weather in an all day event.  Teams from 14 schools came to check out the competition in the pre-season meet. 


Coaches Carolyn Ferguson and Todd Howell led their teams into the top three.  Lansing's girls team came in first with 144 points, followed by Dryden (82) and Ithaca (76.50).  Lansing's boys were third (86) after Dryden (167) and Ithaca (126).


Lansing athletes made MVP in the Field with Caitlin Wright earning first place in both the Long Jump and Triple Jump, and Andy Lockwood taking first in Shot Put and Discus.  Thomas A. Edison's Nele Baade made girls MVP in the Track and boy's track MVP was Dryden's Rex Hollenbeck.


Lansing's Kiki Gifft broke the Pole Vault record when she jumped 10' 1", beating Lansing athlete Lindsay Pine's 2005 record.  Irene Koplinkaloehr of Ithaca beat Groton 2000m Steeple Chase athlete Erin Yaichuk's 2001 record.


Lansing first place winners included Phil Abbott in the 3200 Meter run, Andy Lockwood in the Discus and Shot Put events, Kylee Jordan, Kayla Arrison, Christine Fuchs and Ryann Cretney in the 3200 Meter Relay, Ryann Cretney in the 1500 Meter Run, Kylee Jordan in the 800 Meter Run, Lansing's A team in the 1600 <eter Relay, Caitlin Wright in the Long Jump and Triple Jump and Kiki Gifft in the Pole Vault.


The Kick Start Classic is the biggest track event of the year, but is not part of the regular season.  The event gives the teams a chance to compete in a low-pressure meet, and to evaluate the other teams they will be competing against.  Many schools brought tents to provide some protection from the wind and cold, though most of the athletes stayed on the field to cheer on their team mates.  Awards and ribbons were given out to the winners.

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