AMHERST-- Mary Kate Champagne figured since she had to miss her high school graduation this weekend, she might as well run two events at the New York State Track and Field Championships.

The result was two state titles. The Seton Catholic senior won a championship in her strongest event, the 3,000 meters, on Friday. She hadn't competed in the 1,500 at the state meet since her freshman year, but Saturday she took home the Division 2 (small schools) title and placed fourth in the Federation (overall) standings.

Ticonderoga's Lee Berube also earned his second championship of the weekend by winning the 1,600 in Division 2.

Champagne said Seton Catholic's graduation ceremony in Plattsburgh started about the same time she was lining up on the University at Buffalo Stadium track.

"They gave me my own ceremony on Wednesday," Champagne said. "It was just me in a cap and gown and everyone staring at me. I had to give a speech, too."

The distance standout ran a 4:36.20 Saturday, which wasn't quite as fast as she had hoped -- she said the pack went out at a slow pace. She was in fifth place at the halfway point, and in the final lap, she pulled into second, on the heels of Emily Lipari. Three runners overtook Champagne, but she passed one of them down the stretch to place fourth overall.

Lipari, from Roslyn, clocked a 4:30.58.

"I thought I was going to be able to stay with her," Champagne said. "I maintained more distance than I had with her (Friday) night, but I just didn't expect everyone to come up on us at the end like that.

"I was just happy I could pass someone in the last 150, because that rarely happens."

Champagne likes to run from the front and said she needs to work on chasing competitors down after they pass her.

She has one more high school event left -- the national meet in Greensboro, N.C. -- and she'll run for Providence College next season.

Lake Placid's Heidi Baumbach took home a medal with a sixth-place finish in the 1,500. Running in the first heat, Baumbach crossed the line in 4:45.57.

Berube, also a senior, finished the 1,600 in 4:20.86 to take eighth in the Federation standings. He was trying to break the Ticonderoga record of 4:16 but said he didn't have enough left after setting the record in the 3,200 Friday night.

"I was a little tired from (Friday); that kind of played into it," Berube said. "But it was a fun way to end the season."

And he said he surpassed his personal best of 4:21.3, which he had run last week.