East boys set several high marks; Amherst's Jones wins high jump

It was a record-setting ECIC Championship meet for Williamsville East.

Several school marks fell at the 50th annual ECICs, held at Alden High School on Friday, May 25 and Saturday, May 26.

Leading the Flames were senior Andy Heim and junior Greg French, who placed first and second in the pentathlon with 3,039 and 2,915 points, respectively. Both were personal-best point totals and exceeded the previous school record in the event set in 1999 by Ian Gipson, who still holds the 110-meter hurdles school record. Heim is projected to enter the Section VI Championships this weekend at Starpoint High School ranked second in the pentathlon. Sectionals start at noon on Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25.

Another East school record fell on Friday as senior Sean Lanighan and junior Colin Begy finished second and fifth, respectively, in the 800 race. Lanighan was edged out in .11 seconds by Frontier senior Josh Zubler at the finish and blazed to a time of 1:59.6, breaking the old 800 school record previously held by Herb Guth since 1984.

Begy's time of 2:01.7 was a season-best and qualified for sectionals.

Also setting season-best times at ECICs were junior co-captain Matt Pawlicki, who anchored the 1600 meter relay, sophomore Dan Egan with a 19-1 in the long jump for 12th place and senior Dave Taubman, a first-year track athlete and three-time dual meet winner this season in the pole vault (10-6, tied for 14th).

East finished ninth among large schools in team scoring with 29.

Besides Heim in the pentathlon, French (110 hurdles, triple jump), Lanighan and Begy (800) and the 4x400 relay of Begy, Lanighan, French and senior Matt Stabel, qualified for sectionals.

Amherst Central

Willie Jones won the high jump in 6-4. David Robinson came in eighth in the triple jump with a leap of 39-11.5. Viron Hale was sixth in the 110 hurdles in 16.29. David Szymkowiak placed fourth in the 800 (2:01.74) and seventh in the 1600 (4:37.76).

Amherst was tied for tenth among large schools in team scoring with of 22.

Sweet Home

The Panthers dominated the shot put with Andrew Hopkins placing second with a throw of 53-11 and Nick Christman taking eighth in 45-10.50. Christopher Akromas threw 36-2 for 32nd.

Christman also took ninth in the discus throw with a distance of 131-10.

In the 1600, senior Jacob Hagen was fourth in 4:31.91 and classmate Ryan Poley was ninth in 4:38.69. Hagen also took fifth in the 3200 in 9:54.71.

Sophomore Matt Cross finished sixth in the 400 in 53.17.

Sweet Home's 4x800 took second in 8:33.71 and the 4x400 relay was seventh in 3:39.56.

Sweet Home finished sixth among large schools in team scoring with 29.

Williamsville North

Senior identical twins Matt and Greg Losi rounded out their final ECIC meet by placing high in the specialty, the jumping events.

Matt Losi won the long jump (21-4.5) and was second in the triple jump (41-8). Greg Losi took third in the triple jump (41-1.5) and fifth in the long jump (20-8).

Kurt Schlewitt placed seventh in the high jump with a 5-8. Kyle Siskar tied for 11th in the pole vault with a score of 11-0.

Junior Geoff Hurley came in 21st in the 800 (2:11.45) and 16th in the 1600 (4:49.42). Mike Thielman was 17th in the 3200 (10:36.03).

Rick Weiss was 16th in the shot put (43-6.5).

North finished seventh among large schools in team scoring with 32.5.

Williamsville South

Jordan Lawson tripled jumped 38-4 for 11th place and came in 19th in the long jump with an 18-3.5.

Russ Schiess came in 13th in the 400 in 55.86. Paul Mangold was 20th in the 1600 (4:55.54) and 27th in the 3200 (11:10.74).

Peter Galbo was 29th in the 800 (2:17.53), Alex Podvezko came in 27th in the 1600 (5:03.84) and Max Kagen was 36th in the shot put (32-7.25).