2004 SPF Outdoor Boys Track Review

Indoors and outdoors, Brian Kopnicki and Sean Smith were the main stories of an otherwise lackluster season for Scotch Plains track this year. The two picked up where they left off from an outstanding indoor season and were proficient in so many events they could have almost won dual meets by themselves.

Kopnicki, a senior and Smith a junior were consistent contributors as the Raiders kept their 22 year dual meet unbeaten streak intact with a 3-0 record. Kopnicki was the team’s top runner in the distance events and in an unusual twist, the triple jump, where he was conference champion and placed in almost every meet. Smith was the county champ in the high jump, second in the 400 intermediate hurdles and was also the Raiders’ best high hurdler, javelin thrower and 400 meter runner. They won six events between them, pacing the Raiders to their 13th conference title in the last 14 years.

While there were many individual and team successes this season, Jeff Koegel, who shares coaching duties with former Scotch Plains star Rich McGriff, is well aware of the powerful track tradition the Raiders have established.
“It wasn't too long ago that we would win the conference, the county relays, counties and the sectionals,” said Koegel.
“We're not as good as we were then, but we're looking to work through that and return to that level. In the meantime, we were able to develop a lot of young talent, but at the same time, get some outstanding performances from our seasoned veterans.

Koegel did not hesitate when naming Kopnicki the outstanding runner this year.
“He's the best distance runner I have ever coached, and his performances speak for themselves,” said Koegel.

“He went from 2:03, 4:34, and 9:51(last year) to 1:57, 4:17, and 9:29. I still think he has room to grow as a runner, as he was just starting to break through this season,“ said Koegel of Kopnicki who will be running next year at the College of New Jersey.

“TCNJ is definitely getting a steal in him. Had he performed like this a year ago, he would have gotten much more attention in the recruiting process,” said Koegel.

Smith’s versatility gives Koegel a good cornerstone to build from next year.
“We have to see how Sean develops through next winter. We have been discussing
having him do something else instead of throwing the javelin, since he isn't
quite at the level there that he can make it out of the sectionals, “ said Koegel.

“He is, however, very competitive in the conference in that event, so if we're going to take him out of the javelin, we have to find someone else who can fill the points we'll lose there in the dual meets and the conference meet. We know he'll definitely be hurdling and high jumping, but everything else is up in the air ,” added Koegel.

Koegel is heartened by an outstanding freshman group that included distance runner Mike Miller, sprinter Kyle Rowbotham and pole vaulter Tom Pennella who jumped 12 feet after having never vaulted before this spring. In addition to Pennella, sophomore Max Carow jumped 12 feet six inches.

“I think our pole vault program has come a long way in the past year, and Pete Kane (SPFHS '98, 15'0" vaulter at TCNJ) has done a phenomenal job with them ,” said Koegel.

“We need more sprinters on both sides, and I think for the first time since I started coaching in the spring of 1997, we may be hurting for depth in the boys' distance events. We also need more throwers ,” said Koegel. The top discus thrower, football star Tim Karis will be graduating after winning the conference championship.

In addition to Karis and Kopnicki the Raiders will also lose sprinter Josh Liss and distance runner Zack McGuire. After an outstanding junior season, McGuire looked primed to have a great senior season, winning the Fanwood Contact We Care 5K last August. But injuries limited McGuire’s performances throughout cross country and track seasons.

“The graduation of Brian and Zack will hit me personally. I have coached them both for three seasons a year for four years, plus the summers. Those who attempt to step up will have large shoes to fill.,” said Koegel.

Despite the losses Koegel is confident that the Raiders will elevate back to their usual standards in the next few years.
“ Track isn't about practicing plays. It's about training the body and improving one's physiology in order to perform better. Track and field events are the purest form of human competition. How fast can you run? How high or far can you jump? How strong are you,” said Koegel.

Our kids are lucky in that among the six coaches, we have done every event in high
school track and field .”.

2004 Scotch Plains Girls Outdoor Track Review

Credit Scotch Plains Girls Track Coach Jeff Koegel for his prescience. Despitestarting the outdoor season with a miniscule squad of 25, Koegel warnedopponents.“We always make the best out of what we have, so don't count us out,” he said.Koegel could point to his razor thin squad of six cross-country runners, whichhad gone 9-1 and won the conference championship and a slightly larger indoortrack team thathad finished second in the Union County Relays and set numerous school record.Continuing the theme, the Outdoor Track team was again able to gettremendous production out of their small squad of talented girls Probably the top achievement was at the Union County Championships where theRaiders finished second only to Elizabeth, whose team got 90% of its scoringform the talented Cintron sisters. A big reason for the strong finish was theshocking victory of freshman Amanda Bobyack in the long jump, which was almostcertainly the pleasant surprise of the season. Bobyack wasn’t even on the radarscreen of potential long jumpers when the season started but she won theconference meet and a week later beat her personal best by over a foot to winagainst a competitive field. Junior triple jumper Michelle Regg, junior 400runner Aja Bundy, junior 3200 runner Mary Shashaty and sophomore pole vaulterKate Zaleski were also key contributors.Another accomplishment was the four by 800 relay team, which smashed the schoolrecord by 20 seconds in qualifying for the Penn Relays. Freshman Kim Appezzatowas the leading half miler until injuries shortened her season. junior distancerunner Laura Harrison, Shashaty and the versatile Bundy completed the relay. ”Hopefully, we will make it back next year, and won't be as nervous now that wehave this year under our belts ,” said Koegel.Records came often for Shashaty who started her year before school startedwith a first place finish in the Fanwood Contact We Care 5K in August. Shashatybattled injuries near the end of the track season. “This was her first year ofrunning all three seasons, which is a difficult thing to adjust to. Generally,I see the most improvement during the second full year of running,” saidKoegel.. Among her school records were the 3200 where she qualified for thestate finals.The team also finished second in the conference behind powerful Westfield andits squad of over 100 athletes, which also handed the Raiders their only dual meet loss in three contests. The lack of athletes frustrates Koegel. Increasingthe team would take a rule change and a different attitude among athletes.“If you are on an athletic team at Westfield, you are exempt from your phys.Ed.requirement for the duration of the season. This is probably a good reason whythey have so many people. I would like to see something like that instituted here ,” said Koegel.“I think the phys. ed. exemption would get our numbers up, and we'd be bound toget a number of athletes that way who would be able to contribute, but wouldnot have otherwise come out for the team. Not everyone agrees with doingthat.”Koegel also points to the large number of girls who are limiting themselves toonly competing in their best sport. “I think it's ridiculous that so few peopledo three seasons of high school sports. Out of all of the Iron Raiders (peoplewho have lettered in threesports in the same year) and Raider Tri-Athletes (participated in threeseasons, may have lettered in up to two of them), the predominance are involved for at leastone season in the cross-country and/or track and field programs. A greatnumber of the most successful athletes to have passed through this school havebeen track stars,” said Koegel. “ Track is the one sport that is guaranteed to make you a better athlete for other sports. Why would someone not want to take advantage ofthat?” Koegel added using Essence Carson of Paterson Eastside, an all statebasketball player as a role model .“ Here is one of the best basketball players in the state. She ran track thisseason as a way to make herself a better athlete. She won the Group IV longjump championship, and was victorious in the 400 at the Meet of Champions. This was her first year running track. That's something for the one-sportathletes to consider ,” noted Koegel..The team should only get better next year as every runner who scored points was an underclassmen. Better and Koegel hopes bigger next year.