Shanahan’s track renaissance continues with share of Ches-Mont title
DOWNINGTOWN >> Bishop Shanahan senior Seamus Fromhartz will never forget his first steps into the stadium at last year’s state meet.
“A guy with a press pass walked by, then he took five more steps, turned around and stared at us,” said Fromhartz. “And under his breath, he said, ‘Shanahan? What are they doing here?’
“That’s probably my favorite story of how far the program has come.”
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When seniors like Fromhartz and Chris Kolimago — not to mention head coach Pete Ulman — arrived at Shanahan four years ago, the track and field program was buried in the cellar of the Ches-Mont National standings.
Fast forward to Wednesday, when the Eagles topped Downingtown West, 90-60, to earn a share of the regular season division championship.
“It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come. This shows how much of a comeback we’ve made,” said Kolimago, who won two individual events and was a part of a winning relay.
“I think our program is on the right track,” added Ulman. “We’d much rather be here than where we were. It’s been a good run and it’s rewarding to see it pay off.
“All the credit goes to our seniors. They did all of the hard work. I feel privileged to have a small part in it.”
There has been a track renaissance at Shanahan, and it’s not just limited to the boys. The girls’ squad clobbered the host Whippets, 113-37, on Wednesday and now heads into the upcoming Ches-Mont championships with high aspirations.
“Let’s be honest, it used to be that Bishop Shanahan was not good at track,” said two-time winner Paige Plevyak. “Since I’ve been here we are getting better and better each year.
“We are now beating teams that used to kill us.”
The Shanahan boys wrap up the regular season at 5-1 and share the title with once-beaten Coatesville. Downingtown West (4-2) headed into the meet with a chance to get in on the crown, but wound up finishing third.
On the girls’ side, Shanahan finished third at 4-2, while the youthful Whippets fall to 2-4.
“We also have a young team, but a lot of girls want to succeed,” said the Eagles first-year head coach Peggy Conlon. “It’s been really nice to work with this group.”
Thanks to multiple wins by Kolimago (1,600 meters, 800 meters) and teammate Keegan Hughes (200, 400), the Eagles opened a 25-point lead in the track portion and then slightly increased the lead in the field events. Kolimago was also part of the winning 4×800 relay (with Fromhartz, Logan LoQuinto and Seamus Breslin).
“My first year here, there was no real drive to win. Now we are better in every way, and that makes it a lot more fun and satisfying,” Kolimago said.
“Before, Shanahan track was seen as a joke,” added LoQuinto, a sophomore. “We were a laughing stock of the Ches-Mont. It’s changed from a bunch of kids running to kids going out to win. It’s taken lots of hard work, and coach Ulman really pushes us to perform to our abilities.”
West’s leading point getter was sprinter Joshua McLemore, who won the 100-meter and the 110 high hurdles. In addition, James Holt won the long jump and was a member of the winning 4×100 relay.
“We kind of used this meet as a workout for some big meets coming up, like the Ches-Monts, the Penn Relays and states,” McLemore said. “But (Shanahan) is good.”
Shanahan notched 16 firsts out of the 18 events in the girls’ competition, including Plevyak in the long jump and triple jump. There were four other multiple winners for the Eagles including Ally Kelly (200, 400), Anna Ebersole (javelin, high jump), Cloe Klespies (shot put, discus) and Siona Burke (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles).
And the squad’s most dominant performer, senior distance runner Emily Bracken, won the 1,600 and was part of the winning 4×400 relay.
“The whole attitude of the team has changed,” said Bracken, who is undefeated this season in the 1,600. “Girls would join Shanahan track thinking it was a joke and just do it to get in shape. It’s totally different now.”
Downingtown West has several key performers out with injuries, but did get a big day from sprinter Jenna Bianco, who placed first in the 100 meters and anchored the victorious 4×100 relay.
“I’ve been with Downingtown West for eight years and (Shanahan) has improved tremendously the last two, three years,” said West girls’ coach Scott Burns.
“(Shanahan) has a lot of kids out,” added West’s boys’ coach James Smith. “Once you get the numbers, you can really start to improve and get stronger. They have a good recipe over there.”
Boys
Bishop Shanahan 90, Downingtown West 60
110 hurdles – McLemore (DW); 4×800 – Bishop Shanahan (Fromhartz, Breslin, LoQuinto, Kolimago); 100 – McLemore (DW); 1,600 – Kollimago (BS); 400 – Hughes (BS); 4×100 – Downingtown West (Bills, I. Alleyne, N. Alleyne, Holt); 300 hurdles – O’Neel (BS); 800 – Kalimago (BS); 200 – Hughes (BS); 3,200 – Bullock (DW); 4×400 – Bishop Shanahan (Fromhartz, Dacey, Ingram, Hmiel); long jump – Holt (DW); triple jump – Alston (DW); high jump – Juliana (BS); pole vault – Mullen (BS); shot put – Barry (BS); discus – Hammond (DW); javelin – Lacey (BS).
Girls
Bishop Shanahan 113, Downingtown West 37
110 hurdles – Burke (BS); 4×800 – Bishop Shanahan (Harlan, Trevelino, Cody, Brueggman); 100 – Bianco (DW); 1,600 – Bracken (BS); 400 – Kelly (BS); 4×100 – Downingtown West (Bianco, Logan, Newkirk, Goodstein); 300 hurdles – Burke (BS); 800 – Cody (BS); 200 — Kelly (BS); 3,200 – Shaw (BS); 4×400 – Bishop Shanahan (Bracken, Sylvester, Boland, Kelly); long jump – Plevyak (BS); triple jump – Plevyak (BS); high jump – Ebersole (BS); pole vault – Forde (BS); shot put – Klespies (BS); discus – Klespies (BS); javelin – Ebersole (BS).
