Athens' Burgess, Sayre's Malanoski Log Wins At Kirby Relays Classic
By: Tim Birney / April 3, 2026 / Photo: Chris Manning
CANTON - Athens senior Abby Burgess and Sayre Hudson Malanoski earned the only first-place finished for Valley athletes Thursday at the Ron Kirby Classic Relays, with both Athens teams recording top-four finishes in track & field action.
Burgess won the 200-meter dash in a time of 26.27 seconds, while junior Kaitlyn Leonard was eighth in 30.22 seconds, and freshman Bilikula Wennie was ninth in 30.54 seconds. Sayre's Lillyana Colon was 22nd in 33.32 seconds.
Sophomore Annika Lezak placed second in the javelin with a throw of 106-feet, and senior Alivia Learn was 14th at 66-feet, 4-inches.
Malanoski won the shot put with a heave of 47-feet, 2 1/2-inches, and Athens senior Brenden Comstock was third at 44-feet, 8 1/2-inches.
Comstock placed second in the discus with a toss of 134-feet, 4-inches, and Malanoski was 13th at 87-feet.
Senior Chase Ingram placed second in the pole vault at 11-feet, while junior Holden McKeever and Sayre junior Austin Quattrini tied for 14th place at 7-feet, 6-inches.
Read more about the Kirby Classic on Valley Sports Report.
About the Author
Tim Birney
Tim Birney is the founder / owner of River Road Media Group. He was born and raised in the Valley, graduating from Waverly High School in 1984.
Birney earned an Associate's Degree in Journalism from SUNY Morrisville in 1986 and a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism / Public Relations from Utica College of Syracuse University in 1988. He began his newspaper career at The Daily Review in Towanda in 1989, before moving on to The Evening Times in 1995. He spent more than 10 years at the Times, the last four as Managing Editor.
River Road Media Group includes five sites in "The Sports Reports" family that cover 24 school districts in five counties: Valley Sports Report (launched Aug. 10, 2009), Tioga County (NY) Sports Report (Aug. 13, 2018), and Northern Tier Sports Report (Aug. 31, 2020); Northern Tier West Sports Report (March 15, 2021) Southern Tier Sports Report (Aug. 16, 2021).
