Published June 8, 1993

KINGSTON - The qualifying standards for the New York State Outdoor Track and Field Championships are rather rigorous, which made it almost necessary for competitors at this past Saturday's Section IX qualifying meet at Kingston's Dietz Stadium to finish first in their event.

Finish first, and no matter what your time or distance, you're in. Take second or third, and the qualifying standard must be met - either at the qualifying meet itself or the previous week at the sectionals championships.

Four county athletes either finished first or made the standed and will participate at this weekend's state meet in Kingston.

Monticello's Troy Cuison won the triple jump with a 43-7 1/2 effort (the qualifying mark is 43-8, and Cuison's season-best is 44-11 1/4).

Livingston Manor's Mark Martinez won the long jump with a mark of 20-6 1/4 (the state-meet standard is 21-6).

Martinez had a rather unpromising start, fouling on his first attempt and hurting himself in the process.

“I'm used to jumping from a softer rubber,” Martinez said. “On my final jump I put everything into it. I said, ‘It's not or never.'”

Jeff-Youngsville's Tom Miller took second in the 3000 steeplechase with a time of 9:58.7. An all-out spring at the end out him under the qualifying time of 10:00. Brendan Gould of Cornwall won the event with a 9:56.3.

Liberty's Cindy Peters qualified in two events; the high jump and the 400 dash. Peters took second to Monroe'Woodbury's Megan Ridgeley (5-2 to 5-0) in the high jump. Although 5-2 is the qualifying mark, Peters achieved that last week at the sectional championship.

“The astroturf approach was a bit slippery,” Peters said in explantation for not nearing her season-best of 5-3.

In the 400 meters, Peters looked strong in the semis, where she slowed down at the end and finished well ahead of the field with a 59.5. In the finals, she pulled even with Terry Scherne of Monroe-Woodbury at the start of the final straightaway, but couldn't keep up with the eventual winner. Scherne's time was 58.5 to Peters' 59.1 (59.9 is the qualifying time).

“I thought my time was faster, but the official time if the official time,” Peters said afterward, adding that she had had a bad start. She was certain that she had broken 59 and hopes to do that this weekend.

Neal Roberts of Delaware Valley took second in the 200-meter dash with a 23.3. Nadjai Plowden of Goshen was the winner with a 22.7. Robers had run a 22.7 in the semifinals, which was a personal best and school record. In the finals he ran out of steam down the stretch. The qualifying time for the 200 is 22.6.

The Fallsburg 4x100 quartet of Muun Queen Harrison, Amanda Ward, Jackie Ward and Zuequal Harrison took second to Warwick, 50.7 to 51.5.

“Warwick ran an incredible race,” Fallsburg coach Maggie Coffinet said, pointing out that, though her team's handoffs were fine, Warwick's were better. “It's really hard to work on handoff's without a track,” Coffinet added.

Fallsburg had the lead with Muun Queen's opening leg.

The intermittent rain and cold generally made for subpar times and distances.