RSS Feed
|
|
Links: |
 |
Bee Home Page |
|
WNY Events |
|
Classifieds |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
North looking for solid fifth runner
Stang is content with his top four runners - seniors Geoff Hurley and Mike Thielman; sophomore Ryan Perry; and junior Joe Seitz - but the fifth spot could be a number of runners. Included in the mix are sophomores Robert Golightly, Tom Calandra and Pat Steadman, and junior Steve Willert. Golightly, Calandra and Steadman ran JV races last year; Willert transferred over from the soccer team. "I need one of those four to step up and be a good fifth man for us," said Stang. "When that happens, I will have a good, competitive team." Hurley, a co-captain, is clearly the team's top runner. As a four-year runner, he has the most varsity experience. Two years ago, he was the eighth man for the Spartans' Section VI championship team that went to the New York State Championships although Stang said Hurley could have run in the third or fourth spot on any other roster that year. He's also much stronger and confident after attending the Aim High Running Camp at Camp Aldersgate in Brantingham, N.Y. this past summer. So far, he's been running mid-17 seconds. Stang said if Hurley can lower his times between 16:30 and 16:50 at sectionals, he has a good shot at qualifying for the state meet, which is held Nov. 10 at Norfold High School (Section X) in Norwood, N.Y. Stang has sent one of his runners to state meet the past five years. Stang's No. 2 is Thielman, who with Hurley, are his "one-two punch" also has a chance to make to the state meet if he keeps improving. Thielman, co-captain with Hurley, also attended the Aim High Running Camp. He's back for his third straight year and is running under 18 seconds. "Mike's a consistent, intelligent and smart runner," said Stang. Perry ran last year as a freshman and has already lowered his time from last season by 2.5 minutes. Stang sees Perry and Seitz to run in the mid to low 18 seconds. Other runners on the team are senior Matt Helm; sophomores Nate Chertack and Rich Rockwell; and freshmen Carl Copeland, Charles Jordan and Don Seitz. Chertack and Rockwell ran JV last year; Helm, Copeland, Jordan and Don Seitz are newcomers. Stang said early team goals are to win the Town of Amherst Championships for a fifth straight year (North has won overall last five years) and run a competitive race at sectionals. The Town of Amherst Championships is Oct. 5 at Sweet Home; sectionals are Nov. 2 at Elma Meadows Golf Course. North finished 2006 with a 7-5 record and a fourth-place showing at sectionals.
The Spartans competed in the Don Hall Memorial Invitational on Tuesday, but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. Amherst Central The Tigers' top runner wasn't even on the team last year. Senior David Szymkowiak, one of the top distance runners in track, takes a stab at cross country for the first time. "He's got talent and speed," said Amherst coach Bob O'Donnell. "He's one of the best mile runners in Western New York, so I'm interested to see if he has the endurance to run for 3.1 miles." Szymkowiak is off to a good start, taking sixth in the boys large school division at last Saturday's 13th West Seneca Invitational at Firemen's Park. Szymkowiak finished with a time of 17:00.05. Szymkowiak is tri-captains with seniors Jeremy Jones and Sam Houh. Jones and Houh have run for the Tigers since they were freshmen. Others who should run in the top seven are returning junior Elliot Bible, a three-year varsity member; junior twin brothers Kreig and Kory Roche; and senior Ian Kraus. The Roche twins and Kraus are first-year cross country runners. Helping O'Donnell coach the team will be Amherst graduate and former standout runner Jen Koeppel, who will serve as a volunteer coach. Koeppel also ran at the University at Buffalo.
The Amherst boys JV team took sixth place at the West Seneca Invite. Jamie Swartz took second in 19:04. |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
News
)