South indoor track faring well at meets
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville South coach Sam Hasan set lofty goals for his indoor track team and this year's squad has far exceeded them.

"Every meet their times are coming down," said Hasan. "They're doing a great job. It's nice to see the kids developing. They're actually better than I thought they would be at this point of the season. I'm very pleased with them right now. They're also a family and cheer each other on."

Six girls and one boy has already qualified for the Section VI Championships later this season.

Allie Van Buren has the No. 1 55-meter hurdle time in Section VI and fourth best 300-meter time. Van Buren also qualified in the 4x400-meter relay, which is ranked third in the section.

Sam's daughter, Jenna, has the second-best triple jump in the section and has also qualified in the 55 hurdles and 4x4 relay.

Amanda Breymeier (600, eighth-best in section; high jump, 4x400), Ashley Ferenczy (600, sixth in section; 4x400), Jennifer Lopez (shot put, fourth-best in section) and Jenny Mooney (race walk, fifth in section, 917.1) have also qualified for sectionals.

Paul Mangold is the lone South representative at sectionals so far, qualifying in the 1000, 1600 and 3200.

South fared well at the Southern Tier Invitational at Cornell University on Jan. 6.

Van Buren placed third in the hurdles (8.95) and fifth in the 300 (43.29). Hasan was 13th in the hurdles and fourth in the triple jump (34-1 ½). Lopez threw the shot 32-3¾ for fifth place. Ferenczy was eighth in the 600 (146.53). Breymeier was 18th in the 800 (150.84).

The 4x400 relay of Ferenczy, Breymeier, Van Buren and Hasan came in fourth (427.52).

Mangold set a personal record in the 600, running a 133.97 for 28th place. Alex Podvezko (140.41) and Peter Galbo (144.21) also hit personal bests in the 600.

In the 1600, Mangold took 16th (453.28), Podvezko ran it in 519.42. Mangold also was 11th in the 3200 (10:44.27).

South also excelled at a meet at Fredonia State College on Sunday. Van Buren won hurdles (9.32) and the 300 (43.8). Breymeier was second in the high jump (4-8), third in the 600 (148.1) and fourth in the 300 (45.8). In previous meets, Breymeier won the high jump twice.

Hasan was third in the triple jump (31-11¾) and seventh in hurdles (9.95). Lopez set a pr in the shot with a throw of 33-5.

Mooney (1000, eighth, 335.5, pr), Allison Shubert (1000, 404.51, pr), Ferenczy (600, second, 148), Leah Neumann (high jump, third) and Rachel Zucker (600, 204.90) also excelled for the girls team.

Mangold (1000, fourth, 252.8), Podvezko (1000, 306.70, pr) and Max Kahn (long jump, pr 15-5) were notable boys finishers.

In earlier meets, Van Buren won the hurdles (9.28) and 300 (44.5). Hasan was first in the triple jump with a leap of 32-5½. The 4x400 relay team of Breymeier, Ferenczy, Lauren Falzone, and Danielle Giancarlo finished third with a time of 4:46.0. Elisa Frazier was fifth in the 1500 in 5:56.0. Mangold was the strongest performer for the boys, finishing second in the 600 (1:34.5), third in the 1600 (4:58.2) and setting an indoor pr of 10:47.57 in the 3200.

South runs at the Rochester Institute of Technology Invitational on Feb. 3.

Sacred Heart

The Piecuch sisters led the Sharks to victory at one of its only two indoor track meets all season.

Jenna Piecuch won the 1200 (4:34.2) and triple jump (27-9) and Jackie Piecuch took first in the long jump (14-6) on Saturday at Lancaster High School's Fieldhouse.

The meet was not sanctioned by the Monsignor Martin Association.

Both girls were also on the team's winning 4x600-meter relay. The Piecuch sisters, Kim Patterson and Stephanie Smith won in 8:09.

Sacred Heart won with 98½ points. Holy Angels was second at 67½.

The Sharks' only other meet will be held on Feb. 3 at Lancaster.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com