Drama can be found each and every year at D-10 Track Championships

May 20, 2008 06:17 pm

— Cable TV networks boast, “We know drama,” but that’s for ratings. For those interested in the real deal, try tuning into the annual District 10 Track & Field Championships, where teenagers put it on the line for the pristine imeptus of love of sport.
Here’s a sampling of sentiments from last Saturday’s annual outing:
ä “It’s nerve-wracking,” admitted Reynolds’ jumper Kara Mostoller, who was top-seeded in both the long and triple jumps and defended her D-10 title in the former. Mostoller will be making her 2nd straight trip to Shippensburg, having stood 7th in the long jump last year.
“It feels good, I’m hoping to do better,” she said, referencing states. “I didn’t have a very good jump last year (16-8).”
Her personal-best long jump is 18-2.
ä “Most of the time it’s a mental battle,” related Wilmington’s Paul Yohman, who did a D-10 double-double by sweeping the shot put (52-11è) and discus (151-6), despite weighing 184 pounds.
“I get that a lot,” he admitted with a wry grin. “When a lot of guys see me, they don’t expect me to do well. And then after they’ve seen me throw it’s like, ‘Wow! How does a kid that weighs 180 pounds throw as far as he does?’
“Technique, lifting, leverage, and determination, mostly,” Yohman replied.
A senior, Yohman yearns for Youngstown, where “most likely” he will continue his education (business or physical education and/or therapy) and throwing career at Youngs-town State University.
ä Sharpsville’s Shane Sigler, who set a school standard in the metric mile (4:26.06) and is headed to Shippensburg as the district runner-up.
Sigler admitted the school record (Barry McLaughlin, 4:28) served as his motivation.
“Definitely. It was something I wanted to get a lot earlier, but this is just fine for me,” the rain-drenched senior said.
As a sophomore Sigler was part of Sharpsville’s state-qualifying 4x4 relay team, but admitted regarding this coming weekend, “It’s awesome, especially my senior year. I wanted to end it on a good note. ... I’m going to give it a shot, no nerves or anything like that, I’m just going to go and run my heart out.”
Sigler is set to matriculate at St. Francis University to major in business management and compete in cross country and track for the Red Flash.
ä Sharon’s Jacques Moss, a senior who won the 400-meter dash.
“It was not easy to run in rain and wind, but I did what I had to do. To get a 51.03, my personal best, so far.
“Every race, I get nervous, so those first couple meters I had to get the nervousness out,” the well-spoken Moss admitted.
Essentially, Moss outkicked to the tape Titusville’s Corey Henderson during the race’s final 100 meters, winning by five-tenths.
“My first time, ever, going to state. I didn’t go in wrestling ...” Moss reflected, admitting, “It feels real good. ... “I asked (Tigers’ teammate) Billy Altman (who won the D-10 intermediate hurdles title and returns to state this spring) the run-down of state this week, so I think I can handle it,” said Moss, who is considering either Kent State or Clarion to major in elementary education and possibly walk on in wrestling or track.
ä West Middlesex junior Adam Shrawder is making his 3rd trip to The Ship.
“I’m just pleased I made the state-qualifying time (1:58.85, ending 3rd) so I can run again next week.”
Shrawder said an adrenaline surge enabled him to battle last week’s weather conditions at districts, and said the caliber of competition carried him, also.
“District 10 is usually strong in this event (800-meter run). I was third last year, too, and got ninth place at states (in a PR of 1:58), so it just shows how District 10 compares with the rest of the state,” assessed Shrawder, who has his sights set on surpassing last spring’s performance.
“That’s what I’m planning to do,” said the determined teen.
ä Ken Enscoe, an 11-year George Junior Republic assistant coach has seen his athletes’ share of disappointment. So last Saturday’s 4x1 relay team (Earl Banks, Haneef Tull, Chris Featherstone (going to Thiel) and Triston Miller title was gratifying.
“It always feels good to go to states. They’ve been working hard all season. Last year — in fact, Chris (Featherstone, a senior) is the only kid back — you know how it works at George Junior — but we fell, I think, three-tenths of a second short of making it. So for (Featherstone), I’m kind’ve happy. He felt short in the ‘4’ by, like, seven-tenths, even though he’s been working hard all year. So I’m just happy to get him.
“It appeared that Wilmington had a problem with their handoff,” Enscoe assessed, admitting, “We were just hoping to come in second and get the (state-qualifying) time, to be honest with you. So we were really happy with how we finished. That is the season best (43.61). We’ve been consistently hitting state times, but haven’t been able to get under 44. But they’ve been working hard all week trying to get there and it paid off in the end.”
ä Greg Slatcoff, Lakeview girls head coach who will take 2 relays to state, regarding his 4x1 team:
“They were saying to Autumn (Tesinsky, the — pardon the pun — Lady Sailors’ anchor), ‘You won the race,’ but that’s not true. Each one has a job to do. They know what their job is, and she did her job. She was the anchor. She’s a good anchor-girl. For a ninth-grader, she does a great job, but three other kids (Ashley Lewis, Kelsey Pears and Jessica King, who posted a 51.03 clocking, seven-tenths faster than their previous best) got them to states, not just Autumn
“It’s a real special group of kids right there,” Slatcoff said, adding with a wink while walking away, “I needed that.”
Slatcoff was referring to his squad’s disappointment in the final team standings.
“I would like to think we had a good shot at winning the district title, but we had a couple bad-luck situations with Ashley Lewis falling twice in the hurdles — who would’ve thunk that? But Ashley’s a spunky little kid. She can do that. Some kids would’ve just felt bad the rest of the meet.
“But hey, look, we’re getting kids to the state meet, and that’s all that matters right now. My kids did a great job today,” Slatcoff praised.
ä Mercer’s Justin Angermeier: “That’ll work. That’s the first time I’ve thrown the state mark (180) this year. I’ve been banged up with (shoulder) injuries — just wear and tear, football, and then straight into wrestling, then coming into (track) — but I finally stepped up, I guess.”
After ending 3rd at state a year ago with a PR of 190-10, Angermeier admitted, “I was definitely happy to make it. I was a little worried about it because I haven’t been throwing well — just technique problems, just fixing everything up because I haven’t thrown much this year. I’ve just gotta go back and look at my technique and critique it.
“But I definitely am looking forward to seeing what I can do (at state).”
Following graduation, the 3-sport scholastic standout will matriculate at the University of North Carolina to compete in the javelin and possibly try to walk on the Tar Heels’ football team.
ä Greenville boys coach Mark Hayes on his 4x4 team that stood 2nd to Sharon (3:32.02 to 3:33.98, but made the qualifying cut): “First of all, I’m exceedingly pleased with their finish. It’s the best time they’ve had all year, and they really have suffered some adversity.
“Our best returning quarter man (Spencer Snyder) tore his ACL (ending his season); our next-best 400-meter man (Chad Hanna) pulled his hamstring the second meet of the season; he’s been out essentially the whole year. And so these kids (newcomer Justin McCrillis, Eddie Summerlin, Josh Riffe, and Tyler Lapadat) had to step up and perform, and they were committed and they worked hard at it. And it’s real satisfying to see this kind of finish for them, so I’m real happy,” Hayes said.
ä Don DiNardo, “the voice of District 10 track and field (and the PIAA Championships)” for 30 years according to administrator Gus Picardo, will retire at the conclusion of this weekend’s statewide event. The 81-year-old DiNardo — who serenaded last weekend’s Hickory High Hornet Stadium assembly with one of his public-address system personal favorites, “Please release me,” by Englebert Humperdink, is a former teacher, counselor and administrator.
His D-10 Championships heir apparent could well be Patti Rodenbaugh.
ä The PIAA Championships again will be covered by Pennsylvania Cable Network. Same-day coverage begins 5 p.m. Saturday, and will continue on tape-delayed basis throughout Memorial Day weekend, with replays scheduled Sunday at 2 p.m. and Monday at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Ed Farrell is assistant sports editor for The Herald

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