NEWARK VALLEY - The Cardinals play host to the IAC Track & Field Championships this week, as day one of the action got underway this evening, with Newark Valley, Spencer-Van Etten and Candor all hitting the track.

On the boys' side for large school, Newark Valley's Zion King finished third in the 400m, running 54.64, while Marcos Escalante ran 4:52.75 to take fourth in the 1600-meters. Leland Houston cracked the top-ten in the event with a time of 5:34.96 for ninth place.

Newark Valley's Jack Blomberg heaved 35-1.25 in the shot put to take sixth place and Austin DeBolt tossed 31-10.25 to finish ninth. Camden King ran 12:45.26 for fourth place in the 3000m steeplechase.

King also took seventh in the long jump, leaping 17-3.75.

After day one, Newark Valley boys sit in fourth place for the IAC Large School team standings with 17 points.

For girls' large school results, Newark Valley's Anika Smith finished fourth in the 400-meter run with 1:05.41. Iris McCloskey earned ninth in the event with 1:16.86.

In the 1500m run, Brook Illsley took fourth place, clocking 5:47.72, while Smith grabbed another fourth place finish, this time in the long jump, leaping 15-7.25.

Bella King threw 80-8 to give the Cardinals a third place finish in the discus event.

Newark Valley girls are in fifth place for Large School after day one of the IAC Championships, with a 26-point team total.

In boys' small school competition, Candor's Charlie Hilbert earned sixth in the 400m with 56.97. S-VE's Karson Kenville took second in the 110 hurdles, clocking 16.46 and Theo Mueller-Steinhardt placed fourth with 11.61 in the 100-meter dash for the Panthers. 

S-VE's Edward Rixford finished fifth in the 1600m with 5:06.40, while the Panthers' 4x800-meter relay team placed third, running 9:43.68.

In the shot put event, S-VE's Chase Whitmarsh posted 31-5.25 for seventh place. 

Candor's Hilbert earned second with 17-9.75 in the long jump event and S-VE's Kenville placed third, leaping 17-3.75.

In the 3000m steeplechase, Rixford clocked 11:26.68 for the Panthers to finish second. S-VE's Gabe Benjamin grabbed third in the event with 11:39.87.

For the boys' IAC Small School team stangings after day one, Spencer-Van Etten is currently in second with 40 points and Candor is in ninth with nine points.

On the girls' small school side, Lindsey Morse won the long jump, leaping 15-3. Morse also took second in the 100-meter hurdles, running 17.27 for the Coyotes.

S-VE's Kaylee Kastenhuber won the girls' IAC Small School discus event, throwing 81-4, while Aubrey Catablan tossed 73-8 for second place.

Candor's Zoe Lang earned second place in the 1500-meters with 5:43.20, while S-VE's Madelyn Ellison ran 6:00.25 to finish fifth. Ellison also grabbed third in the 2000m steeplechase, running 8:42.58. Candor's Megan Williamson placed seventh in the 400m with 1:07.55.

After day one, Candor sits at second in the Small School girls' team standings with 32 points. S-VE is currently in third with 26.

Day two of the IAC Track & Field Championships take place in Newark Valley on Thursday at 4:45 p.m.

PHOTOS BY CRISTINA ROSSI