Canton - Every time Aislinn Ryan passed the start-finish line yesterday she took notice of the big running clock alongside the track and fueled her imagination with the possibilities.

Ryan needed just three laps to leave no doubt she was going to defend her state Federation title at 3,000 meters. The question was by how much, and whether she would etch her name in the Section 9 record book again.

A stunned crowd at St. Lawrence University watched in amazement as the Warwick senior blew away a talented field by almost 12 seconds. As she passed the finish line for the last time, Ryan just knew she had set the mark but that was probably just the last scene playing out in her busy mind. The reality is Ryan won in 9 minutes, 38.21 seconds, and Tri-Valley graduate Kate Landau's 1992 mark of 9:35.7 will remain safe for a while longer.

"This one definitely means a lot more to me than last year," Ryan said. "Even though it's only four seconds faster, it means more because last year I hated the way I ran it ... I ran it so cowardly. This time I went out there to run the hardest I've ever run before. Just because I didn't (break the record) didn't mean I didn't (go all out)."

Asked if she was disappointed in not being able to secure the record while at Warwick, the Colorado University-bound Ryan said: "I will run 8:35 in a year (from now). I am not in Warwick. Warwick is in the heart. It doesn't matter what jersey you are wearing."

Yesterday will go down as one of the greatest in Section 9 history, with five gold-medal performances by locals.

Eldred senior Kyle Anthony savored his moments atop the medals podium, fighting back tears as he was awarded the small-school (Division II) long jump gold medal. He had already won the triple jump, making him not only the first Eldred athlete to win at the state meet but also the first Section 9 athlete to win two different events in the same meet since Tri-Valley's Theo Chewiwi won the 800 and 400 hurdles at the 1998 championships.

"I think it's a phenomenal accomplishment," Anthony said. He won the triple jump (48 feet, 1½ inches) and long jump (22-10), and advanced to today's Federation finals in both disciplines.

"(Today) is definitely the day I have to go a little bit farther than I normally go," Anthony said. "It's a lot on the legs because it's always up and up and up, and you have to warm up and it takes so much out of you."

Dan Busby of New Paltz capped the day with a daring run in the pouring rain during his 3,200 final. Tommy Gruenewald of Fayetteville-Manlius (9:01.75) set a blistering pace and built a huge lead in the Federation race, but Busby ran at a furious pace behind him, losing his No. 2 spot for 1½ laps before regaining it on the final circuit to win the small-school title in 9:12.63.