Hilton High School hurdler, senior Justin Contestabile, makes a clean jump during Sectional finals May 26, placing second in the Outdoor Pentathalon to help his team win Sectionals.The Hilton High School Boys Track and Field Team was crowned Class AA Section V Champions on Saturday, May 26 at Penfield High School, out-distancing 15 teams including second-place Rush-Henrietta by 29 points. Team members Pat Meyer, Tyler Ranke and Kyle Podgers were crowned individual Section V Champions. The head boys coach is Jeff Merkel assisted by Joe Ralyea, Craig Gross and Andy Fetzner.
An outstanding performance was made by senior Pat Meyer who won two events and placed in the top three: first place in the 110 meter hurdles and first in the triple jump; second in the high jump and third in the long jump.
He is attending the University of Connecticut and plans to continue in the Decathalon/Pentathalon.
Hilton High School scored 130 points to beat Rush-Henrietta (99) and Greece Athena (81) for first place. “It was a goal from the start,” Hilton coach Jeff Merkel said. “These guys worked hard at it. Everyone of them did what they needed to do or more.”
Coach Merkel, a 1985 Hilton High School graduate, is one of the originators of the Runnin’ Cadet Invitational Classic which held the seventh annual event May 5 at Hilton High School.
NYSPHSAA State Championships were June 8 and 9, 2012 at Cicero-North Syracuse.
