Track and field

Ex-runner’s ramble: Track and field is off and running

2005 SEASON PREVIEW

By RICHARD A. ROSS

JEFFERSONVILLE, NY — Runners, take your mark, get set, go!

As the snow fades from the landscape marking an end to the long and dreary winter, the brilliant colors of area track and field uniforms begin to adorn high school tracks as area teams gear up for the outdoor track season.

Spring track is the culmination of the schools’ year-long running programs, which began with cross-country in the fall, continued into indoor track in the winter and now make their glorious emergence as the high point of the scholastic year-long running continuum.

Unlike its predecessors cross-country and indoor track that draw smaller numbers of running aficionados, outdoor track draws large teams of the fast and the furious who burst onto the scene with dreams of vanquishing lofty personal goals while simultaneously contributing to the collective success of their school teams.

Track meets feature a dazzling array of sprinters, hurdlers, middle- and long-distance racers, relay races, pole-vaulters, jumpers and throwers. Coaches are carefully orchestrating the meets, spending sleepless nights trying to figure out ways to maximize their teams’ talents to accrue the most points in the compact season of dual meets, invitationals, sectionals and league meets. Down the line there will be the state qualifier and for a few of the most talented, a trip to Syracuse for the New York State championships.

For local track coaches such as George Shakelton and Ron Bauer of Sullivan West High School, Joe and Missy Iatauro of Tri-Valley High School and Frank Schorling of Eldred High School, as well as their loyal cadre of runners, there is so much to do and so little time. This is not sunny southern California or Florida where track season is blessed with months of warm weather. Spring break knocks days off the early season training regimen, so the coaches look to the first week after vacation for their teams to hit the ground running.

Each of the local teams has its stalwart runners who have run the gauntlet through the two previous seasons as well as others who begin track without the benefit of two prior seasons of running. Some kids started their year out in football or soccer, while others ran in the fall and moved over to basketball during the winter. Still others are newcomers who enter this season without the benefit of previous competition in any sport. Here is a list of some of the local athletes to keep an eye on this spring.

Who’s who in Eldred, Sullivan West and Tri-Valley

(Participation in events is subject to change)

Eldred boys (reigning Class D boys’ champions): Middle- and long-distance runners: Kieran Pierce, Max Gunther, Kyle Anthony, Sean Ranne, Jonathan Ranne and Dave Venturini. Sprinters: Tim Hallock (defending Class D 100 meter champion), Jonathan Counts, Jeremy DeForge, Coyote Anderson, Nick Gottlieb and Kevin Prunka. Jumpers: Kyle Anthony, Tyler Laput, Nick Gottlieb and Jeremy DeForge. Throwers: Tim Hallock, Kweku Williams, and Greg Fotiades.

Eldred girls: Middle- and long-distance runners: Maggie Snyder, Oyuna Myagmar, Lindsey Warden, Sasha Brush, Gracie Babula, Kristie Meehan and Ashley Vicari. Sprinters: Sasha Brush, Becky Hallock, Jamie Schombs and Megan Paterson. Throwers: Katie Hanson, Kristie Meehan and Jamie Schombs.

Sullivan West boys: Middle- and long-distance runners: Mike VanWagenen, Trevor Kreznar, Matt Layman, Matt Gain, Adam Nebzydoski and Colin Seidl. Sprinters: Scott Peters, Will Schlott, Jim Erlwein, Bryan Lopez and John Kitson. Throwers: Andre Trujillo and Alan Ackermann. Hurdles: Scott Peters and Bryan Lopez.

Sullivan West girls: Middle- and long-distance runners: April Ackermann, Jamie Clifford, Amanda Ward, Maria Gabriel, Jessica Wagner, Jessica Weyandt, Chelsea Schadt, Jessica Armstrong, Eleanor Bryan, Moselle DiPane, Charlotte Peters and Stephanie Clifford. Jumpers: Brittany Geiger, Charlotte Peters, Morgan Hawkins, Jessica Weyandt and Ashley Murphy (hurdles). Throwers: Kayla Bozan and others to be determined.

Tri-Valley boys (defending Division IV champions): Middle- and long-distance runners: Travis Wolfe, Jeremy Mathsen, Derek Smith, Brett Hyde, Jon Huppke, Justin Tompkins, Michael Kaplan, Nick Denman and Josh Mattingly. Sprinters: Casey Gray, Sean Messenger, Max Fiedler, Anthony Rivas and Joe Johnson. Throwers: Andy Garigliano, Alan Coombe, Chris Mickelson, Ryan Loughney, Garrett Grey and Chris Grey. Sprinters; Casey Gray, Sean Messenger, Max Fiedler, Owen Williams and Anthony Rivas. Jumpers and hurdlers: Gavin Perella, Max Fiedler, Sean Messenger, Greg Knox, Casey Gray, Josh Mattingly, Matt Smith, and Owen Williams.

Tri-Valley girls (defending Division IV champions): Middle- and long-distance runners: Jen Gorman, Melissa Fancher, Erin Beach, Miranda Benevides, Courtney Roosa, Meghan Drown, Heather Riordan, Monica Lee and Rachel Sanborn. Sprinters: Jen Gorman, Miranda Benevides, Meghan Drown and Casey Offringa. Jumpers and hurdlers: Jen Gorman, Kanacia James, Brandy Carroll and Casey Offringa. Throwers: Lacey Moore and Amber Murphy.

Key dates to circle

March 29 Tri-Valley@ Washingtonville

April 2 Eldred to Bergen County Pulaski Relays; Tri-Valley to Northern Virginia Invitational

April 6 Eldred @Monticello with Liberty; Sullivan West @ Fallsburg; Liberty @ Tri-Valley

April 9 Tri-Valley @ Cornwall

April 11 Eldred@ Liberty with Chester

April 12 Tri-Valley @ Sullivan West

April 16 Tri-Valley @ Rondout Valley

April 19 Chester @ Tri-Valley

April 20 Eldred home to Chapel Field; Sullivan West @ Liberty

April 23 Tri-Valley Invitational

April 26 Cornwall @ Tri-Valley

April 27 Eldred @ Sullivan West with Livingston Manor

April 28-29 Penn Relays

April 30 Monticello Invitational

May 4 Sullivan West @ Cornwall; Fallsburg @ Tri-Valley

May 7 Tri-Valley Relays

May 9- Decathlon at Warwick

May 10 Monticello @ Sullivan West

May 11 Throwers’ Pentathlon @ Monroe-Woodbury

May 13-14 League meet @ Warwick

May 18 Class B Sectionals @ Dietz Stadium

May 19 Class C and D Sectionals @ Tri-Valley

May 24 to 25 State qualifier

June 2-3 State championships @North Cicero