North girls track making large strides
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

It's early in the Section VI outdoor track season but judging by early results, Williamsville North's girls team is in for a great season.

The Lady Spartans almost beat perennial powerhouse Clarence, falling 78-63 in the team's first dual ECIC Division I league meet of the season on Wednesday, April 18, and did extremely well at the Legend Relays at Erie Community College's South Campus on Saturday, April 21.

The loss to Clarence was promising for coach Julian Blake.

"It's been a long time since we've come that close to a beating a team of that caliber," Blake said, who is joined this season by coach Greg Stang and volunteer assistant Bryan Weinstein, a former indoor section champ in the 300. "We were eight points from winning the meet (need at least 71 to win a dual meet)."

North's Amy Loud was a double winner, taking first in the 100 (13.3) and 200-meter dash (27.9). Sarah Mikulski (100 hurdles, 16.8), Emily Curry (triple jump, 31-4½), and Kim Dohn (400, 103.8) also won individual events.

The Lady Spartans' 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams also took top honors.

The 4x100 relay team of freshman Jessica Little, sophomore Amy Loud, junior Michelle Bauman, and Mikulski, a junior, won in 54.2. The 4x400 of senior Ashley Redino, junior Kim Schueler, sophomore Lauren Triantafillou and Dohn were first in 4:29.5.

North also swept the 400 with Bauman taking second with a 1:06.4 and Lauren Triantafillou coming in third with a 106.6.

The Lady Spartans also earned many points from second and third places. Redino was second in the 100 hurdles (18.1), 400 hurdles (116.7), and pole vault (7-6). Junior Lidia Yemchuk threw the shot put 26-8 for second the discus 76-1 for third. Mikulski was third in the 100 dash (13.6) and 200 dash (29). Bauman tripled jumped 30-6 for second.

Third place finishes went to Curry (long jump, 14-3½), freshman Shelbey Gray (400 hurdles, 118.8) and Sarah Khan (pole vault, 7-0).

The team continued its great week at the Legend Relays. Blake said team scores were not taken at the event but if they were, he feels North would have come in first.

The Lady Spartans set school records in the distance medley relay and the triathlon. The distance medley relay team of freshmen Natalie Worley and Mackenzie Miller, junior Dawn Hu and sophomore Melissa Dobmeier finished in 15:25. Freshman Meghan Winkle set the school record in the triathlon with a score of 657 points. Caitlin Triantafillou scored 484 points.

The team's 4x400 and 4x200 relays each took second. The 4x400 team of

Bauman, Dohn, Lauren Triantafillou and Meredith Kirby finished in 418.5. The 4x200 team of Dohn, Gray, Meredith Kirby and Loud finished in 151.1.

The 4x100, sprint medley and freshmen sprint medley relays each took fourth. The 4x100 of Little, Mikulski, Redino and Loud finished in 52.1. The sprint medley of Mikulski, Bauman, Redino and Lauren Triantafillou had a time of 4:43.7. The freshman sprint medley relay of Little, Raven Baxter, Gray and Molley Mitchell finished in 4:54

North dominated the field events. Curry and Bauman combined to win the triple jump in 60-6. Baxter and Kirby were the best in the long jump, leaping a combined 28-16¼. Redino and Sarah Khan were second in pole vault at 14-feet.

North competed against Orchard Park on Tuesday, April 24 but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. They will also run in the Ken West Invitational at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 28 at Crosby Field. North won overall last year.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com