May 01, 2008 12:53 pm
—
By ERIC AHLQVIST
Cooperstown Crier
For the 19th consecutive year,
the Cooperstown track and field
teams will host their annual invitational
on Saturday, but this year
longtime boys head coach Don
Howard will be just a spectator.
Howard retired last spring after
a more than three-decade run as
head coach, and at last year’s invitational
it was announced the meet
would be renamed the Cooperstown
Don Howard Invitational.
Howard’s protege, Joe Kennedy,
took over the coaching reins this
spring, and the team hasn’t lost a
step. Cooperstown will enter Saturday’s
2 p.m. meet with a 6-1 record,
and will be looking to start a
new winning streak in its own invitational
after Bainbridge-Guilford-
Afton won the meet last year, the
first time in five years the Redskins
did not win.
``B-G-A is the favorite again,’’
Kennedy said. ``They have a star in
Dustin Ross who we’re happy to
have here and is just a privilege to
watch perform. If we’re going to
win the meet, our balance will have
to overcome his star power.’’
Kennedy said Ross specializes
in the 400, but will ``probably win
every event he enters.’’
Seniors Tirrell Silvera (shot and
discus), Ryan Huggins (hurdles, relays)
and sprinter Greg Sorin will
have to lead the way on Saturday if
the Redskins are to win, Kennedy
added.
Silvera has already thrown over
130 feet in the discus and 44 feet,
nine inches in the shot put this season.
Huggins anchors both the
1,600 and 3,200 relay teams as well
as running the hurdle events.
``Ryan’s been a horse for us so
far,’’ Kennedy said. ``He’s really
been carrying a big load early in
the season.’’
Sorin has been nursing a hamstring
injury and his status for Saturday
is 50-50, Kennedy added.
Both Alec Silvera and Scott Millea
have cleared 12 feet in the pole
vault this season, while R.J. Alton
has cleared five feet six inches in
the high jump and 19 feet five inches
in the long jump, which could be
good enough to win Saturday, Kennedy
said.
``Along with B-G-A, Oneonta,
Cooperstown and Sidney will be
battling it for the top four spots,’’
Kennedy said. ``This is always a fun
meet and we have some great individual
talent coming again this
year.’’
Cherry Valley-Springfield will
return to the invitational for the
first time in a few years, and will
bring a boys team that returns almost
everyone from last year’s Tri-
Valley and Section Four Class D
championship team.
Milford head coach Dave Prouty
said sprinter Mike Foy, who has recorded
a time of 11.4 in the 100 and
24.13 in the 200, should be in the
mix for a ribbon, as well as shot put
and discus thrower Andy Jones,
who has a personal best in both
events early in the season.
Coop girls hope for top 3 finish
Cooperstown girls head coach
Connie Herzig said she is hoping
her young team can finish in the
top three spots among the 15 teams
competing this year.
``We’ve been showing steady improvement
as a team, and individually
(hurdler) Anna Weber has been
just phenomenal,’’ Herzig said.
``She’s performing above and beyond
expectations and is a wonderful
role model for our young team.’’
Weber will see some tough competition
in the hurdle races from
B-G-A’s Bethany Norris and Sidney’s
Ashley Mahlmeister, however,
Herzig said.
``She probably won’t win, but she
is looking forward to the competition
and hoping it brings out the
best in her,’’ Herzig said. ``That
should be a great event for the fans
to watch.’’
Other top performers for Cooperstown
so far this season have
been Laura Resnick in the triple
jump and Anna Kieler in the high
jump.
``The field events will be the key
for us,’’ Herzig said. ``B-G-A, Sidney,
Oneonta and Cobleskill are all
traditionally strong programs.’’
Milford head coach Dave Prouty
said he is hoping both his 4x100
and 4x400 relay teams can place on
Saturday. The 4x100 team includes
Maria Arnot, Chandler Prouty, Natasha
Roseboom and Avalon Ward,
while the 4x100 includes Prouty,
Roseboom, Krista Krol and Brenna
Campbell.
The CV-S girls also won Tri-Valley
and Section Four titles last
year, and also return a number of
athletes, including three-time
league champion Laura Kroon in
the high jump.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
Photos
