Fri, Jul 04 2008
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Published May 17, 2008 10:05 pm - The weather for the annual District 10 Track & Field Championships was borderline abysmal for most of Saturday. But the forecast for next weekend’s PIAA Championships is bright, based on Mercer County’s collective performance. Wilmington boys grab team title at D-10 Class AA Track & Field Championships By Ed Farrell
Herald Assistant Sports Editor The weather for the annual District 10 Track & Field Championships was borderline abysmal for most of Saturday. But the forecast for next weekend’s PIAA Championships is bright, based on Mercer County’s collective performance. With Wilmington winning a quintet of individual titles, the Greyhounds garnered 102ê points to easily outdistance runner-up George Junior Republic (63è) and the remainder of the 28-team boys’ Class AA field en route to the crown. Fort LeBoeuf edged Erie County foil Fairview 82-78 for the 22-team female AA banner. The Greyhounds’ great Chris Burns and throwers Paul Yohman, Josh Falvo and Ryan Bell dominated. Burns, bound for the University of Pittsburgh for football, won the 100-meter dash and long jump, while Yohman yanked twin titles in the shot put and discus, with Falvo forging runnerup berths in both. Bell basically made one throw — a meet mark (196-5) — to earn his win in the javelin. Wilmington’s wealth of wondrous talent was enough to invigorate veteran mentor J.R. McFarland. Standing on the soggy sod at Hickory High’s Hornet Stadium, McFarland, in his 31st year as a Wilmington track coach (having led the Lady Greyhounds to 2 D-10 and 3 WPIAL titles), admitted, “We do have kids who can score big points, and we knew that coming in. All year, they’ve scored big points at the Baldwin Invitational, McDowell Invitational and (City of Hermitage) Invitational. As long as you keep the kids healthy, you know we were going to score some big points. “This is probably one of the stronger, if not the strongest, boys team that Wilmington has had, just because of those big points we can get,” McFarland admitted. “They went undefeated in the dual-meet season, won a number of invitationals ... “But (former Wilmington boys’ coach and Lawrence County legend) Ray Cebula gets the credit,” McFarland emphasized. “He pretty much laid the foundation for this team, and he’s the one responsible for getting Chris Burns to come out, and Chris, obviously, is a big part of the team. ... He’s had a great four years here. He’s a great athlete, very coachable and we’re really going to miss him, as well as the other seniors.” In addition to the Hounds’ haul of medals, numerous other countians collected crowns, including: ä Mercer’s Weston Schaa, who swept the high and triple jumps, going out attempting to annex a personal-best 6-9 on the former. ä Grove City’s Kristy Woods, who out-threw her cousin, Hickory’s Emily Woods, for a double-double in the shot and disc. ä Sharon’s Jacques Moss and Billy Altman, who claimed the 400-meter dash and intermediate hurdles, respectively. Moss also anchored the Tigers’ triumphant 4x4 relay team that included Jim Santillan, James Hosey and Ronnie Howard. ä George Junior Republic’s 4x1 foursome of Triston Miller, Haneef Tull, Chris Featherstone and Earl Banks, who garnered gold when the Greyhounds bobbled a baton exchange and bowed 43.61 to 43.87. 
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