MONTICELLO -- Winning begets winning.

We've seen it before. Scholastic programs at both the high school and college level that are inordinately successful are reloaded by a stream of younger athletes who want to be part of a winning tradition.

In track and field in Section 9, historically those programs have included the likes of the Warwick Purple Wave, the Cornwall Green Dragons, the Newburgh Free Academy Goldbacks, the Washingtonville Wizards, the Tri-Valley Bears in the era of Joe and Missy Iatauro, the Sullivan West Lady Bulldogs that began under the mentorship of George Shakelton and bloomed under his amazing successor Joe Seidl and the Goshen Gladiators just to name a few.

But in the last decade no program has evinced more consistent division dominance than the Monticello boys track team. Though Section 9 did not officially name division champions this year due to the ongoing residual effects of Covid, each division did have its own de facto winner and it was the Panthers once again, behind their 5-0 record that came out on top. This marked the ninth time in 11 years.

The tsunami of success began in 2010 with a four-peat of titles that ended with a one-year hiatus but resumed in 2015 with another three-year run.

With its resurgence in 2019 the Panthers closed out the decade with eight titles. Unfortunately, with the cancellation of track last spring due to the pandemic, Monticello missed out on its ninth title bid but this year, with the advent of a new decade, the tradition continues.

The array of the teams in Montis' division has changed over the years and is apt to do so again as the Section realigns teams frequently on the basis of enrollment. This year's division rivals included Port Jervis, Goshen, Liberty and O'Neill. Monticello also came out on top of non-scoring meets against Fallsburg and at Sullivan West that also included Eldred.

Years back, division wins by the Panthers came against Cornwall, a fierce rival in track. Several of those title victories were extremely close against the Dragons and one versus Goshen in which Monticello swept the high jump, long jump and triple jump to beat the Gladiators on the last high jump to garner a three-point win. In that meet the jumping dominance turned out to be a way to offset Goshen's distance running advantage. This writer/photographer was there for that momentous victory and many others over the years.

Though the personnel has changed, the mindset and the coaching verve of head coach Matt Buddenhagen and his able assistants over the years has not abated. Monticello has been a hotbed of great talent with outstanding athletes who became sectional champions and state contenders.

Currently junior Evan Waterton is establishing himself among the panoply of greats that have worn the Panther uniform. His 4:16.20 mile at the Goshen Trotters Carnival race this past weekend was his personal best and got him the top ranking in the event in the state.

Waterton's name will likely be spoken along with past superstars like hurdler My-Kell Farrar, distance mavens Brendan Devine and Tom Gonzalez, as well as sprinters Kadheem Richards, Terry Duncan and Shane Jackson. Those come to mind at this writing but there have been many others who helped the cause by their sterling individual efforts. Assistant Coach Rick Sternkopf who coaches the distance runners also heads up the girls track program which was one win shy of a division title this year.

Though this article principally celebrates the boys program, clearly Monticello girls track and field has had its stellar history as well. Who could ever forget Jessica Fingers? That's a story for another day.

Here are the winners from the O'Neill meet which concluded the perfect division season this year. Props need to be given to Sullivan West and Tri-Valley as well that won all of their division meets this season.

As Sullivan West girls track coach Joe Seidl notes, “Just to be clear, Section 9 canceled Div. competition for this year. That being said, the SW boys and girls won all of their division meets and as such are also unofficial Div. Champions this year. This is the 10th outdoor div. Championship for the SW girls since 2008.”

All three local track teams have had their turns being dynasties. Now in this new decade we can't wait to see how that word continues to be on the lips of track and field observers.

Monticello boys 93, O'Neill 48

200: Jajuan Swasey 23.5; 400: Evan Waterton) 53.3; 1,600: Waterton 4:30.8; 3,200: Waterton 13:28.1;) 15.5; 400 hurdles: Eli Rausch (M) 61.5

400 relay: O'Neill (Maasik, Trybenbach, Thompson, Spain) 45.2; 1,600 relay; 3,200 relay: Monticello (Aguilar, DeJesus, Pape, Rivas) no time; High jump: Jadden Bryant 6-0; Long jump: Javonte Stubbs (20-3; Triple jump: Jadden Bryant) 41-9.75; 32-6; Discus: Jesse Corces () 78-0; Pole vault: Inacio Figueroa 7-3

Monticello girls 95, O'Neill 39

100 Hurdle: Taina DeJesus 16.4; 400 Intermediate Hurdle: DeJesus 71.8;

400: Chelsea Reynolds (M) 68.1; 3,000: Kaitlyn Morse (M) 14:36.8; 400 relay: Monticello (Valencia, Escobar, Perilla, DeJesus) 54.0; 1,600 relay: Monticello (Perrilla, Reynolds, DeJesus, Turner) 4:29.7; 3,200 relay: Monticello (Morse, Morse, Ryan, Turner) no time; High jump: Reynolds (M) 4-2; Long jump: Nylia Cole (M) 14-4; Triple jump: Jane Pape (M) 21-1.5; Shot put: Jada Lawson (M) 21-0.5; Discus: Lawson (M) 44-5.5.