2005 SPF Indoor Track Preview

Sean Smith and the Girls Cross Country team, which both had breakthrough fall seasons are the cornerstones of optimism for thin but talented Scotch Plains Indoor track teams.

Smith, who in his first football season, used his speed and athleticism to become quarterback Dan LaForge’s top receiving threat, actually is healthier than he was a year ago at this time when he was recovering from a stress fracture while training for cross country.

“Except for a few bruises, I feel pretty good right now ,” said Smith.
“I am starting from a much higher fitness level.”

On the girls’ side, things are considerably more balanced with Coach Jeff Koegel’s deep cross country team, fresh from winning their first Union County title, look to add indoor track trophies and improve on their second place finish in the county relays, which will kick off the new year on January 3 at Dunn Athletic Center Elizabeth.

“We definitely think we can win the relays ,” said Koegel, who shares coaching duties with Outdoor Boys Coach Rich McGriff.
“ We came in second in the county relays last year with no seniors and without scoring in the shuttle hurdles, team high jump, and team
shot put. We've worked on making up for those deficiencies.”
As in cross-country, Koegel is expecting the strongest competition to come from Jen Buccino’s deep and talented. Westfield squad, which won the title in 2004.

The biggest problem that Koegel faces with Smith is the lack of indoor events for his virtual one-man track team.
“We have less choices of what to do with him indoors than outdoors. We have used him in the intermediate hurdles, long jump, triple jump, and javelin previously outdoors, but those aren't options indoors ,” said Koegel.

Smith will definitely be high jumping in every meet and running the 55-meter high hurdles. In the high jump he teams with Iceberg Bryant to give the Raiders a good threat to win the high jump relay at many meets. Smith’s third event is likely to be a middle distance between 400 and 800 meters.

Smith will team in relays with sophomore Kyle Rowbotham, who had an excellent freshman season in the 400, but Koegel and McGriff have not decided on the other personnel or which relay they will head up.

The 4 by 400 relay would likely be completed by sprinter Nehemiah Burney-Porter and either James Alfano. or Tom Ventura.

The distances will be missing top cross country runner Mike Miller who is on the swim team, but sophomore Adam Biner and junior Josh Zinman have been showing improvement.

Senior Teddy Acosta, is the top shot-putter. and could top 50 feet this year after just missing that milestone a year ago. Tom Pennella, an outstanding pole-vaulter, is also the leading hurdler, where Lamont Hunt is nursing a bad ankle from football season. The Union County Boys’ Relays will be run January 5, also at Dunn.

Depth is no problem on the girls’ distance side where Koegel has senior cross country stalwarts Mary Shashaty, Laura Harrison and Liz Elko joined by this years’ sophomore sensation Samantha Gates and dependable Allie Hoynes-O’Connor as well as soccer player Kim Appezzatto to form several strong relays.

“I am not sure if we have what it takes to go head-to-head with Westfield in the four by 800 but we'll be looking to get back to the Easterns and Penn Relays in this event ,” said Koegel.

“We have the bulk of our cross country team back for the winter track season, and we know if we work hard and as a team, anything is possible ,”
said Shashaty.

The versatile Gates, a sprinter a year ago, will run anywhere from the 55-meter dash up through the 800. meters.
“ She has more range than anyone on the team. Based on her performance in cross-country, she' will be able to run good races in the 1600 and the 3200, but we are deep enough in the distances that we can keep her in the sprints ,” said Koegel.

“ She may run one of the interior legs on the 4x800,
and she'll most likely be anchoring the 4x200 and the 4x400. “

With no long jump or triple jump in most indoor meets, McGriff will be unable to fully utilize county outdoor long jump champion Amanda Bobyack or star triple jumper Michelle Regg, but they will contribute on the sprint and hurdle relay teams.
Sprinter Danielle Vena and freshman soccer star Alana Bencivengo have been improving in the hurdles and will combine with multi-talented soccer player Meaghan Kelly and Regg on the shuttle hurdle relay team.

Bobyack joins Gates and the above-mentioned hurdlers to try and defend the surprise four by 200 title they won a year ago.

Kat Berka will once again be the top shot-putter and Kaitlin Carman and Carlene Bronikowski will be the high jump team.

“We don’t have that many kids, but we have a lot of quality ,” said Koegel.