Leading off today: I'm note sure there's a better weekend for high school sports than the first weekend of March when you consider both the quantity of sports to see and the quality of the contests at this stage of the postseason.

   The combination of sectional basketball finals for most of the state and association playoffs in New York City alone made it a great 72 hours to kick back and watch the scores flow in. Mix in the action from other sports -- hey, is that Williamsville North-West Genesee hockey game over yet? -- and it's a dream for high school sports enthusiasts.

   I hope to blog a few times today and tomorrow catching up on weekend notes in between taking care of a few other obligations.

   And away we go . . .

   Indoor track: I'm going to miss Aisling Cuffe.

   I've only dealt with the Cornwall distance runner a handful of times over the years, but she's always been terrific on and off the track. Besides being a regular visitor to the top of the awards podium, she's also a very good interview because she's able to recount subtle details of her races and then turn around and discuss bigger-picture topics such as her future in the sport.

   On Saturday at Cornell University's Barton Hall, she was amazing in breaking the meet and state records in the 3,000 meters. She came through the mile in 5:07, which is a pretty good showing even when you don't have nearly another mile to go, and her final lap on the 200-meter circuit was 35 seconds.

   Her last eight laps leading up to the bell lap were all 37 or 38 seconds. I have watches in my dresser drawer that don't run that consistently.

   Racing against three girls ranked in the top five in the nation this season, her winning time of 9:29.89 broke the state record of 9:31.97 by Elmira's Molly Huddle in 2002 and moved her to No. 6 on the all-time U.S. list. North Shore's Samantha Nadel was second in 9:33.41, setting herself up as New York's next distance prodigy by breaking Cuffe's New York junior-class record.

   We shared a bit of a laugh after the awards ceremony when I asked Cuffe when she realized for the first time that she might have a future as a distance runner.

   "Maybe when I won my first race in the mile as a freshman," the Stanford recruit said. "I thought, 'You know, I could be a county champion if I keep working.'"

   More track: I didn't get there in time to see it because of work obligations, but Oregon recruit Chad Noelle of Greene continued his monster year by taking the U.S.

Winter season bonus links Boys hoops: Road to Glens Falls, your all-purpose destination Boys hoops: Sectional tourney scores and NYSPHSAA brackets Girls hoops: NYSPHSAA brackets Boys hockey: NYSPHSAA brackets - D-I | D-II

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season lead in the 3,200 meters at 9:08.29 on a day in which an awful lot of other pre-race favorites didn't win.

   Megan Clark of Highland Falls O'Neil was a bit gassed by the time the pole vault bar was set at 13 feet, but she did win at a hight of 12-6. The junior, who was presented with her medal by U.S. record holder Jen Suhr, won't be defending her title a year from now as her family is moving to Georgia this summer.

   A strong day by the Section 5 boys reminded me just how much I miss my days of covering track and field on a regular basis back in the day. Wilson Magnet junior Ismail El-Amin won the 300 meters, Gates Chili senior Joe Postwaite captured the high jump and Cory Cox of Rochester East snared honors in the long jump.

   Random track thought: I've seen the figure of what Cornell charges to host the state track meet. Here's hoping they put aside some of that money to someday upgrade the lighting inside Barton Hall. By 4 p.m., the place is dimmer than Lindsay Lohen's career prospects.

   Boys swimming: Senior Stanley Wong of Tappan Zee and Lawrence Virgilio of Pine Bush were named co-outstanding swimmers at the NYSPHSAA swim championships at the Nassau Aquatic Center in East Meadow.

   Wong set a state record in the 100-yard breaststroke and was part of two championship relays Saturday, including the Federation-record-setting 200 medley. He barely missed another victory when Virgilio touched him out in the 50 freestyle a day after Wong qualified in a state-record 20.33.

   Also, Kevin Hughes, a senior at Rye swimming for the Rye/Blind Brook/ Rye Neck team, won state titles in the 200 and 500 freestyles.

   Next up: Back later with ice hockey, gymnastics and bowling.