CICERO – Over the next two days, 15 Chenango County Athletes will be competing for their shot at a New York State championship at Cicero-North Syracuse High School for the NYSPHSAA High School State Championships.

Some of these athletes, like Zack Race, Eric Conant, David Berger, Julia Oglesby and Caroline Stewart, have been on the stage before, while others are taking the trip for the first time.

Been there before...

Just a year ago, Race, Conant and Berger were teamed up with Ky’Sawn Veale and the Purple Tornado foursome came away with second place finish in Division-II. This season, with Veale graduated, a spot was open on one of the fastest teams in New York.

Scott Tomanocy was called on to fill the fourth spot. And it was a good call by Norwich head coach Shaun Horan.

This season’s 4x100 meter relay team has broke the school record set by last year’s group not once, not twice but three times throughout the last few months. Most recently, the four broke their record at the State Qualifier with a time of 43.08 for the race, securing their spot in the biggest meet of the season.

Berger sets the tone early, taking on the first turn of the one lap race. Berger then hands the baton off to Race. Many times the season, the race has been considered over as soon as the hand-off occurs, as Race seems kick it into another gear down his straight away.