P-J Photo by Christian Storms Southwestern’s Tryniti Card won the NYSPHSAA Class C 800-meter championship on Saturday at Webster Schroeder High School.

WEBSTER — When Tryniti Card crossed the finish line she thought she had lost the state title with two girls passing her in the end of the Class C 800-meter race.

However, her emotions quickly changed once it was announced those competitors came from private schools and she in fact was the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class C champion with a mark of 2:15.90 at Webster Schroeder High School in Webster on Saturday.

“It’s so exciting,” Card said about winning the state title. “I thought I didn’t win it, but when my teammate told me I almost started crying.”

Card made it a local sweep in the Class C 800 as her victory followed up Maple Grove senior Ethan Verbosky retaining his Class C 800-meter championship with a time of 1:51.27, a new personal record he needed to meet for first place.

“I knew it was going to be really close coming in,” Verbosky stated. “There was the kid from Groton that PR’d by two seconds and after I saw that I was a little nervous. But I knew I had to trust my training and go after it and that’s exactly what I did.”

P-J photo by Christian Storms Maple Grove’s Ethan Verbosky, center, won the NYSPHSAA Class C 800-meter championship and teammate Ty Kraft, right, finished fifth at Webster Schroeder High School on Saturday.

Verbosky was not alone on the NYSPHSAA podium as he was joined by his teammate Ty Kraft who claimed 5th in Class C at a mark of 1:56.49.

“It feels so great, especially being able to defend my state title from last year,” Verbosky said about winning his third state championship. “Since I’m a senior someone new will be getting them next year, so it’s great.”

Verbosky’s repeat was the second local title of the day as Southwestern senior Mikayla Johnson began the day winning the Class C girls discus.

“I was very nervous throwing the last throws,” Johnson said about her final. “But I threw my big one and I knew I won it. I saw my coach crying and I bawled, I’m very grateful for everyone that has told me what I need to know.”

Johnson was the favorite in the event and held that standard with her fourth throw going 136 feet and 8 inches to claim the championship.

P-J photo by Christian Storms Southwestern’s Ryan Ohl, left, lunges forward to finish second in the NYSPHSAA Class C 400-meter championship on Saturday at Webster Schroeder High School.

Both Johnson and Verbosky return Sunday with good chances for state titles in the shot put and 1,600, respectively.

Ryan Ohl nearly made it three state titles for the Trojans, coming in second in the Class 400 with a time of 48.16. Ohl crossed just before Oxford Academy’s Keegan Waltz who posted a time of 48.17, Berne/Knox/Westerlo’s Kole Irwin won the championship at 47.74 and Silver Creek/Forestville’s Sam Bowers took 10th with a time of 50.88.

Jamestown sophomore Beckett Lumia made a great states debut in the Class A 400 taking third place with a time of 48.08.

Southwestern junior Marlana Cresanti just missed the podium in the Class C 400 with a time of 58.24 for seventh place.

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley senior Mary Lundmark moved up the podium from last year in Class C girls pole vault, taking second place to end her high school career. Lundmark reached a jump of 10-6, while Lansing’s Ava Kobylarz won with a final height of 12-3.

P-J Photo by Christian Storms Jamestown sophomore Beckett Lumia exits the starting block in the NYSPHSAA Class A 400-meter championship on Saturday at Webster Schroeder High School. Lumia finished third in the event.

Frewsburg senior Noah Erickson also finished his high school career on a high note taking third in the 400 intermediate hurdles with a time of 54.32. Erickson missed out on the championship by a thin margin with Byron-Bergen’s Colin Rea winning at 54.14. Cattaraugus-Little Valley’s Bransen Gabel finished 10th in the race with a time of 58.17.

Southwestern senior Tyler McIntyre placed 8th in the Class C shot put with a distance of 48-10, Tri-Valley’s Kane Poje won with a distance of 62-7.

Salamanca’s Xazavier Escobar missed qualification in both the Class C 100 and 200 finals.

Silver Creek/Forestville’s Nathan Mays will have two more events to finish the pentathlon on Sunday, Maple Grove returns for relays and Verbosky in the 1,600, Southwestern will look forward to relays, Johnson in shot put and McIntyre in discus, then Fredonia’s Alessandra Bugaj will compete in the Class C triple jump.

“I’m hoping to add another three state titles tomorrow,” Verbosky said about Sunday’s competition. “It would really mean a lot to win with my teammates, I think it’s better than winning individually. I also have to worry about the mile, considering I’m not running as fast as I was last year, but I believe I will get there after today especially.”

OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms Falconer/Cassadaga Valley senior Mary Lundmark competes in the NYSPHSAA Class C pole vault championships on Saturday at Webster Schroeder High School.