Congratulations to the boys outdoor track & field team, the 2024 OCIAA Division II Boys Champions!
The team was named champion after completing its dual meet schedule in an initial three-way tie with Cornwall and Washingtonville.
After beating Warwick Valley, Valley Central and Cornwall, a win for the boys against Washingtonville on May 7 would have locked up an undefeated league record and an undisputed divisional title.
But after dropping an extremely tight 72-69 meet to Washingtonville, the team was in a three-team tie with Cornwall and Washingtonville and waited for confirmation of the tie-breaking procedures.
After review, Minisink Valley was named the boys division champions on the second tie-breaker criteria, based on fewest points allowed to opponents involved in the tie-breaker. Having limited their rivals to just 132 points (out of a possible 282) across the two competitions between them, Minisink Valley edged Cornwall for the title by just six points.
Varsity Coach Todd Derkacz noted that while historical records are unclear beyond the last 25 years, this is the first league championship of any kind for either the boys or girls program in recent memory.
“This is a wonderful accomplishment made possible by tremendous grit, perseverance and hard work,” he added. “And with both the OCIAA and Section IX Championships in the weeks ahead, the boys will hope to ride a wave of momentum into the postseason.”