Sweet Home attempts to distance itself in league
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Sweet Home has a lot of great athletes to run on the track this season but its greatest strengths are the distance events.

Panthers coach Mike Lauria returns senior distance runners Jacob Hagen and Ryan Poley. Both qualified for the New York State Championships in cross country. Hagen also made it to states during the indoor track season as a member of the intersectional relay team.

It's safe to say that Hagen is respected by his teammates. Hagen was the team MVP in outdoor as a junior and has also earned the honor three times for cross country and twice for indoor track.

Lauria said Poley has been one of the most improved athletes because of his work ethic, intense training and overall commitment to the sport.

"Together, these two distance runners will be a strong force in [ECIC] Division [II] along with many other returning contributors, including seniors Ryan Hughson and Tim Heavern and junior Mike Bakowski," said Lauria.

Lauria is also looking for good results from junior throwers Andrew Hopkins and Nick Christman. Each finished in the top five of the league as sophomores.

"Andrew can throw the shot put and discus and is one of the strongest shot putters coming out of the indoor season," said Lauria. "Nick throws the shot and should be a strong contributor in Division II."

The Panthers are young in the sprinting events. Two newcomers Lauria hopes will bring success are junior Marcus Johnson and sophomore Cord Daniels.

"Both seem to have great potential to becoming solid performers in the 100- and 200-meter races," said Lauria.

Returning junior Dan Miranda shows promise in the 110 high hurdles and sophomore Matt Cross, also returning, hopes to qualify for the Section VI Championships in the 400 and the jumping events, Lauria said.

Sweet Home finished 3-4 in 2006 but Lauria believes his team is more balanced which should help it improve its record.

"I look forward to putting these young athletes to the test and am confident that they have the potential to be successful," said Lauria.
  Sweet Home 2007 Schedule
4-21 WNY Officials Relay (ECC
South Campus) ............ 1:15 p.m.

4-24 Jamestown ........... 4:30 p.m.
4-28 Ken West Invitational (Crosby
    Field) .......................... 10 a.m.
5-1 Hamburg................. 4:30 p.m.
5-8 at W.S. East............ 4:30 p.m.
5-12   Starpoint   Team   Challenge
(Starpoint High School)   10 a.m.
5-15 at Lake Shore 4:30......   p.m.
5-19     Carl     Roesch     Classic
(Clarence High School)... 9 a.m.
5-21 All-Amherst Championships
(Amherst High School) ... 4 p.m.

5-25 ECIC Championships (Alden
High School) ..................... 3 p.m.
5-26 ECIC Championships (Alden
High School) ................... 10 a.m.
5-31 Ninth, tenth Championships
(Iroquois High School) 4:30 p.m.
6-1   Section   VI   Championships
(Starpoint High School) .... noon
6-2   Section   VI   Championships
(Starpoint High School) .... noon
e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com