NYS TRACK & FIELD: S-VE’S GARRISON FINISHES 4th IN D-2 STEEPLECHASE (2024-06-08)
Tioga County Sports Report
CICERO, N.Y. — Spencer-Van Etten distance standout John Garrison kicked in his patented late-race charge and surged to a fourth-place finish in the Division II 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NYSPHSAA Track & Field Championships Saturday.
The senior established a new personal record of 9:41.25 in the event which he has run just four times. His previous best was 9:46.24. He took 11th overall in a field of 32 runners.
Garrison passed four runners on the final lap as he posted a final lap split of 1:10.33, the fastest lap of the event.
“I didn't get out the fastest,” he said. “I tried to slot in so I could run the edge of the track, run as little as possible. A few of the barriers felt good and my legs felt a little better than last time, so that was good. Two laps to go I just went for it.”
He dropped to the back of the pack early before making the late surge.
There were 17 competitors in D-2, which was won by Mount Sinai’s Jess Joe Augustine, the overall runner-up, in 9:11.67. Van Furman of Tri-Valley, who led the majority of the race, was second in D-2 and third overall with a time of 9:12.87. James Tettle of Penn Yan claimed third place in D2 and was 10th overall with a 9:39.25. Elijah Gentry of Brooklyn Tech was the D-1 and overall champion, clocking 9:09.58.
Garrison’s effort adds to the top-10 finish he logged at the state cross country championships last fall, which earned him an all-state nod.
The water steeple, which garrison said is his weakness, didn’t seem to affect him much until late in the race.
“I think seeing that the water pit steeple was a wooden steeple, that messed me up a little bit because I was like, oh man, if I catch this wrong, I'm going in the water,” he said.
“On the last lap there was this guy ahead of me and I saw he slipped. I was scared and I ended up actually like having to jump over him, so it was definitely pretty precarious with that wooden steeple, with it being wet and all that on the rail.”
——————
PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
Print Friendly Version
