South preparing for indoor track sectionals
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville South indoor track coach Sam Hasan has high hopes for his girls' team at Saturday's Section VI Championships at Fredonia State College, and why shouldn't he?

Six Lady Billies are ranked in the top ten in events and half are freshmen - Allie Van Buren (second in hurdles, fifth in 300), Jenny Mooney (eighth in racewalk), Amanda Breymeier (ninth in 600). Breymeier will also high jump. Senior Jenna Hasan is ranked second in the triple jump and classmate Jennifer Lopez is fourth in the shot put. Jenna Hasan will also compete in the hurdles. Sophomore Ashley Ferenczy is sixth-best in the section in the 600.

Coach Hasan also said there is a good possibility Breymeier, Ferenczy, Colleen Hurtubise and Mooney will run the 4x800 relay. Elisa Frazier is an alternate. Leah Neumann has also qualified for sectionals in the high jump.

"I have high hopes," said coach Hasan. "It seems like every week they surprise me. They do a little more work than what you're thinking."

Coach Hasan's girls have stepped up in recent meets. At the Rochester Institute of Technology Invitational the first weekend in February, Mooney broke the school record in the racewalk with a time of 8:49.63. The old record was 8:52.61, set last year by Trish Esposito.

Ferenczy (1:46.08, seventh) and Breymeier (1:46.54, 10th) ran personal best times in the 600. Van Buren was third in the hurdles (8.95), eighth in the 55 dash (7.69) and fourth in the 300 (personal best 43.23).

Lopez threw the shot 32-11¼, good enough for third. Jenna Hasan triple jumped 32-11¼ for sixth. Ellie Falletta ran a personal best in the 300 (49.32) and 55 dash (8.23).

South's 4x400 relay of Ferenczy, Breymeier, Van Buren and Jenna Hasan combined for fifth place (4:27.52).

Mooney and Hurtubise also ran well in the 1000, coach Hasan said.

On the boys side, Sean Mooney (300), Max Mangold (300, long jump) and Peter Galbo (600) all hit personal-best marks.

South's success continued at the team championships on Feb. 10 at Fredonia.

Van Buren ran in seven races - 55 trials, semis, finals, 55 dash trials, semis, finals, 300 finals. She finished second in the hurdles (8.98), fourth in the 300 (43.26) and sixth in the 55 dash (7.69).

Mooney was fourth in the triple jump (32-9½) and eighth in hurdles (9.83).

The 4x8 team of Hurtubise, Mooney, Ferenczy and Breymeier ran a season-best 11:13.1.

Ferenczy was fourth in the 600, Breymeier was seventh. Lopez threw the shot 32-9 for third. Mooney racewalked to a seventh place. Breymeier high-jumped 4-6 for sixth place.

Mangold long jumped a personal best 16-1½.

Sectionals begin at 9 a.m.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com