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MMA girls indoor track switches to club level Since its inception three years ago, Sacred Heart has dominated the Monsignor Martin Association’s indoor track program, winning every league meet and All-Catholic event. If the Sharks fare well this season, it will be at the club level. Sacred Heart coach Rod Sarkovics, the brainchild behind the girls MMA indoor track program, was told by the Monsignor Martin Athletic Association Executive Committee, that indoor track would become a club sport because not enough meets could be secured for backing by the league. Four meets were scheduled last year, including All-Catholics, at Lancaster High School’s Field House, but one was snowed out. This year, two meets are scheduled at Lancaster from 2 to 4:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 20 and Feb. 3. A third meet is tentatively planned from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 7 at St. Mary’s of Lancaster. “Because we cannot be a part of Section VI, we could only have three meets,” said MMHSAA Executive Director Brian Kiszewski. “How can you run a season with only three meets? We had venues taken away and meets cancelled because the public school tracks are used for the section league. It’s cost prohibitive to use UB. Keeping them as club, they are still able to compete in any invitationals.” Sacred Heart, Holy Angels, St. Mary’s of Lancaster, Mt. St. Mary’s and Nardin are all scheduled to compete inthe club league. An All-Catholic-type event will occur at one of the meets, said Sarkovics, although because it’s a club sport, cannot be called All-Catholics. Sarkovics, also Sacred Heart’s Athletics Director, said girls’ indoor track was going to happen at his school whether it was club or varsity. “We were going to go ahead with indoor track one way or another,” he said. “I still want to get them in meets outside of Western New York like in Rochester and have them run with a team unattached at an open meet.” “Let’s face it,” he continued. “There’s only one varsity, JV and freshman team for basketball here and JV and varsity bowling. Even if indoor track is at the club level, the kids are doing something. Kids want to be active.” Sarkovics’ team is loaded once again. Returning for the Sharks include seniors Melissa Federice (sprinter), Jackie and Jenna Piecuch (mid-distance, triple and long jump), Kerry Hurley (distance), Stephanie Smith (900, 1050), juniors Kellianne Connolly (long, triple jump), Emily Tutak (sprinter) and Kim Patterson (distance) and sophomore Melissa Naab (sprinter). Naab is returning from knee surgery. Patterson finished second on the Sharks at this fall’s cross country All-Catholics. Federice and Hurley are captains. Patterson, Smith, and Hurley were on the team’s first place 4x750 All-Catholics team last year. Smith was also on the Sharks’ medley first place quartet and fourth in the 900. Tutak was second in the 900. Federice and Hurley were third in the 300 and 1500, respectively. Federice and Tutak were on the second-place 4x150 relay. Connolly was third in the triple jump and tied for fifth in the long jump. Sophomore Christine Loftus debuts in sprint events. Sarkovics sees the distance events with Patterson, the Piecuch sisters, and Federice as the team’s strengths. “Experience will help. There’s no two ways about it,” he added. “I can count on the Piecuch sisters, Hurley, Smith, Federice, Tutak, and Patterson.”
Sarkovics, who will primarily coach the sprinters, will be joined by assistant coaches, David (distance) and Sara Mohr (jumping). |
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