Spartans indoor track teams take fifth at team championships

The Williamsville North Indoor track team placed fifth in the boys and girls division at Fredonia State College in the Section VI League Championships held Feb. 10 at Fredonia State College. The boys scored 37 points while the girls scored 34½.

Out of a field of 30 schools, the boys took two first places, two third places, a fourth place, and a sixth place. Senior Matt Losi went 8.76 FAT in the 55-meter hurdles for sixth and 20-5¼ in the long jump to place third. Senior Arthur Collins (fourth) and junior Sean Felton (third) both leaped 5-8 in the high jump event. However, it was senior, Greg Losi who took two first place finishes in the triple jump (44'-3 ½") and long jump (21-4¾). Losi's long jump was just 7½ off the school record.

Also setting a personal best and having an exciting season for the Spartans is Casey Middle eighth grader, Collin Preston. This is Preston's second season with the team and has managed to secure himself a sectional spot in the 55-meter dash with a time of 7.08 FAT. Preston also has a personal best in the triple jump (35-5½) and is a pivotal runner in the 4x200 meter relay.

The boys' team is coming off a remarkable cross country and track and field season last year. Losing athletes like John Bauman, Mike Dobmeier, Kurt Wende, Andrew Mikulski, Richard Wong, Jeff Nelson, William Du to name a few, this year's team has managed to stay pretty competitive. With captains Greg and Matt Losi leading the way, others are stepping up. Those contributing include junior Steve Oehler in the 55 hurdles, Collins and senior David Woods in the 600 meter run, senior Alex Weiser in the 55 meter dash and the triple jump, Michael Thielmen in the 1500 and 3200, and senior Richard Wiess in the shot put.

North girls

After coming home with a third place trophy five weeks ago at the Western New York Relays and an impressive showing at RIT on Feb. 3, the Lady Spartans tried to fight their way threw what has to be the section's toughest group of girls ever.

With teams like Lancaster, North Tonawanda, and West Seneca West, the Spartans are finding themselves competing right with them. Sophomore Lauren Triantafillou ran 1:48.4 in the 600 meters to finish sixth. Senior co-captain Ashley Redino went 8-0 in the pole vault for sixth. Junior Sarah Mikulski ran a 9.36 FAT in the 55-meter hurdles for fifth and junior co-captain Meredith Kirby went 31-10½ in the triple jump to place fifth.

Sophomore Amy Loud also ran the 55 hurdles, taking fourth place and setting a new school record with a time of 9.28 FAT. Loud is also apart of another school record set this season by the 4x 200 relay team.

Junior Emily Curry finished second in the triple jump with a leap of 32-2 ¾ and took fifth and qualified for sectionals with a long jump of 15-3. In the girls' 1000 meter run, senior Kim Dohn and sophomore Kim Berus broke the school record set in 2003-04, but it was Berus taking sole position of the title with a time of 3:19.5.

The girls have already managed to break five school records - Redino (50 meter hurdles), Loud (55 meter hurdles), Berus (1000), eighth grader from Casey Middle Ashley Fillmore, freshmen, Molly Mitchell, Berus, and junior Kim Schueler (4x800 relay), and Dohn, Mikulski, Kirby, and Loud (4x200 relay).

"This is a very talented group of women coach Stang and I have to work with," said coach Julian Blake. "I can see more improvements to come before the season's end on Saturday at sectionals. They have been showing a lot of strength and competitiveness in their training and performances and really starting to come together. They have good balance from the field to the track and depth in all most every event. I am very pleased with the direction my girls team is heading in. I see great things to come for them."

FAT = Fully Automated Timing (.24 difference from hand held times).