CORTLAND — Trying out for a new sport your senior year is one thing. Trying out for a new sport your senior year and dominating it is a whole different story.

“This is my first year running track,” said Hubbard senior Ryan Laird after he won the 400-meter race at the Division II district track and field meet on Saturday. “I wasn’t sure I would win today. I saw my time in the prelims. I knew it was pretty good. I didn’t know if other runners were saving it for the finals or not. I didn’t expect to win, but I knew it was going to be a close one.”

Laird is also part of Hubbard’s 4×400 relay team, which qualified for the regionals by finishing fourth, along with seniors Andrew Frank, and Gabe Gilliland, and sophomore Royal McConahy. Laird set his personal record in the 400 of 51.24 seconds in the prelims on Thursday. He ran a 51.63 on Saturday to take home first place. The top four in each event qualified for the regional.

“I wanted to make it to regionals,” Laird said. “I’m hoping to see if I can slip into state.”

Another runner headed to regionals, with the opportunity to go to state, is Garfield junior Ryan Stoller. His teammates, Lilly Johns (121 feet, 11 inches) and Grace Edwards (116 feet, 2 inches), finished first and second in the girls discus respectively. Stoller won the 110 hurdles (15.21), and the 300 hurdles (40.09).

“Coming in, I had a sizable time advantage in the 110 hurdles,” Stoller said. “So, I came in confident in those. In the 300, there was one kid that would push me. We ended up pushing each other. It was a photo finish. I think I beat him by a hundredth of a second.”

Stoller qualified for the state meet in the 300 hurdles his freshman year. He also runs the relays where Garfield finished fourth in the 4×100, and 4×200.

“My goal, this year, was to improve my times, and make it there again,” he said. “My 110 time has improved almost by a full second. I’m on pace to make it to state in both hurdle events.”

Stoller’s hurdle coach, Kelliann Collins, knows how much he means to the team.

“It’s really important for us to get those extra points every time we have a meet,” Collins said. “He’s almost a guarantee. You know he’s going to score. He’s a big part of our relays. He anchors our 4 x 200. He puts a lot of weight on his shoulders.”

Champion senior Kaylee Gania does plenty to help the Golden Flashes. She went flying through the air to win the long jump at 16 feet 9 inches.

“I wasn’t expecting to win,” Gania said. “I knew there was going to be some tough competition. It was my top goal to make it to regionals. I beat my personal record by four inches today. It was a good day. It was a surprise, but I knew I had it in me. I worked hard for it. I couldn’t have done this without my coaches. They push me so hard. They tell me to trust my training. That’s what I did.”

Her coach, Jamie Carrino, pushed her hard for reason.

“Kaylee means everything to the team,” Carrino said. “She’s going to regionals in two events. She worked hard. Obviously, it’s paid off.”

Gania finished third in the 100, (13.21) behind Lakeview’s Danaysha Mauzy (12.77). Sieasia Triplett of Girard won the event (12.47). Gania’s teammate, senior Serenity Muresan, finished second in the 400.

Triplett was part of Girard’s first place 4×100 relay team along with Malina Serrano, Mia Malito, and Seyhan Dede. Lakeview placed second, and Garfield finished third.

Girard senior Dom Malito qualified in the high jump and the 100. His teammate, junior Ricky Marsico, advanced in the 800.

Ryan Henry of McDonald set the stadium record in the shot put (58 feet, 10 inches) on May 6. Charles Pawlosky, from Lakeview, won the event on Saturday with a throw of 55 feet, 6 inches.