2017 Mercury Area Girls Track & Field Preview
BOYERTOWN
Coach: Dave Hartman, seventh season.
Last year’s record: 5-4 Pioneer Athletic Conference.
Athletes to watch: Rebecca Hemingway, Sr., jumps; Gillian Kasitz, Sr., distance; Erin Kelly, Sr., jumps.
Outlook: Paige Akins, Amanda Murray and Marley Stackonis are also being looked at to impact the Bears this spring. … “After losing a state qualifier from last year,” Hartman said, “the throwing events will be in a year of rebuilding. Haven Kelley, Sierra Landes, Kayla Yacavone and Samantha Russo look like the leaders for this spring. This season will be challenging due to the restructuring of the PAC-10 league into a small school/big school format. Our main goal will again be to send as many athletes as possible to the District 1 meet.”
DANIEL BOONE
Co-coaches: Russ Keith, second season; Bob Reismiller, second season
Last year’s record: 2-5 Berks Conference.
Athletes to watch: Megan Breidigan, Sr., jumps/throws; Hannah Moyer, Sr., middle distance/distance; Kayla Pogash, Sr., throws; Lauren Reightneour, Sr., middle distance/distance; Emily Scott, Sr., middle distance/distance; Gianna Walker, Sr., jumps; Cassidy Carroll, Jr., sprints; Ashley Cimino, Jr., middle distance/distance; Bella Okkerse, Jr., middle distance/distance; Maeve Picariello, Jr., middle distance/distance; Hannah Starolis, Jr., sprints; Alyssa Breidigan, So., hurdles/jumps; Skylar Emory, So., sprints; Rachel Kelly, So., jumps; Emily Lodge, So., sprints/jumps; Maggie Nygard, So., middle distance/distance; Haily Schinski, So., throws; Jocelyn Shank, So., middle distance/distance; Laura Taraboletti, So., throws; Zoe Thompson, So., hurdles; Sydney Troxel, So., jumps; Emily Wedemoyer, So., throws.
Outlook: Freshmen Abby Bulafka, Carlina Davis, Vivian Kase and Sierra Rivera have joined the competition for the Blazers. … “(There are) only about 30 girls on the team, with half the team being middle and long distance runners,” Hartman said. “The team is lacking depth in many events. The girls will need to produce some top-level talent to compete in the Berks Conference.”
HILL SCHOOL
Coach: Patrick Lake, seventh season.
Last year’s record: 3rd place in Mid-Atlantic Prep League.
Athletes to watch: Gabby Bendall, Sr., sprints; Hannah Cummings, Sr., throws; Kristine Earl, Sr., sprints/jumps; Marissa Letizio, Sr., distance; Rachel Schaaf, Sr., jumps/hurdles; Amber Kulesa, Jr., jumps/hurdles; Maddie McKean, Jr., sprints/jumps; Nicole Serwiga, Jr., jumps; Paige Swartz, sprints/jumps/hurdles; Violet Robinson, So., sprints/pole vault; Paige Barcus, Fr., distance; Ally Lomire, Fr., distance.
Outlook: Cummings is a nationally-ranked javelin throws who qualified for the 2016 Penn Relays. … Schaaf was the highest individual scorer of any athlete in the MAPL’s indoor championships, winning three events (hurdles, long jump, triple jump) and placing third in the high jump. … “The team returns a very talented core of veteran athletes,” Lake said. “We are a MAPL contender this year, and remain very deep in the field. If the team can get reliable scoring from some younger athletes in distance, we will be very hard to beat.”
METHACTON
Coach: Tracy Peal, first season.
Last year’s record: 6-3 Pioneer Athletic Conference.
Athletes to watch: Abbey Dungan, Sr., hurdles/pole vault; Lea Dungan, Sr., jumps/hurdles; Rainah Dunham, sprints/jumps; Gianna Fazio, Sr., sprints/jumps; Angela Ramsden, Sr., middle distance; Fallon Brown, Jr., jumps/pole vault; Amy Domenick, Jr., sprints/hurdles/throws; Sarah Nicoletti, Jr., distance; Lauren Prusacki, Jr., sprints; Nickie Annelli, So., sprints/throws; Tina Prince, So., middle distance; Camaryn Rodriquez, So., sprints/hurdles.
Outlook: The Warriors have a crew of freshmen in Marina Daywalt (middle distance/hurdles), Camille Dunham (sprints/jumps) and Juliana Keenan (sprints/hurdles). … The Warriors to be strong in sprint and relay events, and with their upperclassman leadership. … “We’re trying to find our identity with a very young team, instilling a new coaching philosophy,” Peal said. “Our goal is Oto be able to seriously compete in the PAC 10, build upon our relay success in the winter (4×200: States/Nationals, school record 1:44.04; 4×4 States).”
NORRISTOWN
Coach: Milton Williams
Last year’s record: NA.
Athletes to watch: Sheila Day, Sr., sprints/hurdles; Charity Guy, Jr., middle distance; Siani Saunders, So., sprints.
Outlook: “We have a very talented team, and we have some depth,” Williams said. “We are really looking to maximize our potential and overcome some hurdles to not only be one of the better teams in state but also regionally and nationally. I believe we learned a lot about ourselves from the indoor season, and I believe that experience will carry us to some tremendous heights for the outdoor season.”
OWEN J. ROBERTS
Coach: Tim Marcoe, second year.
Last year’s record: 8-1 Pioneer Athletic Conference.
Athletes to watch: Mady Alvaro, Sr., throws; Katelyn Bernotas, Sr., sprints/hurdles; Ally Brunton, Sr., distance; Rowan Donnelly, Sr., sprints/hurdles; Angela Feiser, Sr., sprints/hurdles; Emily Hansell, Sr., distance; Stephanie Heighton, Sr., throws; Teneisha Myers, Sr., sprints/hurdles; Savanna Sachar, Sr., jumps; Rae Rae Taylor, Sr., jumps/throws; Mary Bernotas, Jr., distance; Corrin Ferrizzi, Jr., jumps; Alex Glasier, Jr., distance; Carly Jennion, Jr., jumps; Autumn Sands, Jr., distance; Avery Sapp, Jr., sprints/hurdles; Morgan Shronk, Jr., sprints/hurdles; Lea Wunderlich, Jr., jumps; Brinley Beveridge, So., jumps; Shaylan Cobb, So., sprints/hurdles; Lindsay Lafountain, So., throws; Kenzie Milne, So., sprints/hurdles; Cassidy Skilton, So., throws; Emma Torak, So., distance.
Outlook: “The girls are looking forward to the challenge of defending last season’s league championship,” Marcoe said. “Our goal is to compete well at each meet this season and continually improve as the season progresses. We want to practice and race to the best of our ability each time out, so that we are as prepared for the championship season come May.”
PERKIOMEN VALLEY
Coach: Joe Petsko, 11th season.
Last year’s record: 9-0 Pioneer Athletic Conference.
Athletes to watch: Rebekah Bondi, Sr., sprints/jumps; Michelle Daniels, Sr., distance; Annie Glodek, Sr., distance; Celeste Pachella, Sr., throws; Rachel Daniels, Jr., jumps; Julia Dorley, Jr., distance; Teaghen Scheinbecker, Jr., distance; Kylie McDonnell, So., throws; Dorian Philpot, So., throws; Jocelyn Rotay, So., distance; Emma Vornschlag, So., throws; Christina Warren, So., sprints/hurdles/jumps.
Outlook: “The Perkiomen Valley girls’ team hopes to continue to have success after last year’s undefeated dual-meet season, and build upon the success of its winter track and field season in which its girls DMR relay team were state champions and sophomore standout Christina Warren won three state medals,” Petsko said. “This year’s team will continue to be strong in the distance races with senior Annie Glodek leading the way while senior Rebekah Bondi will continue to be a strong sprinter and jumper. Sophomore Dorian Philpot looks to lead a talent group of young throwers. The girls look forward to hopefully another successful season.”
PHOENIXVILLE
Coach: Justin Winters, fourth season.
Last year’s record: 3-6 Pioneer Athletic Conference.
Athletes to watch: Natalee Serwatka, Sr., middle distance/distance; Heather Branan, Jr., jumps/pole vault; Ashlyn Duda, Jr., throws; Peyton Graham, Jr., throws; Desire Gray, Jr., throws; Riley Kappenstein, Jr., throws; Madison O’Brien, Jr., jumps; Victoria Wright, Jr., middle distance/distance; Summer Cirino, So., sprints/jumps; Gianna Flora, So., sprints/jumps; Mary McNamara, So., jumps; Gabby Perotto, So., sprints.
Outlook: “On the girls side, our throwing remains ultra competitive and will be carry us in many meets. If some of our younger athletes can mature and learn to compete quickly, we will be in the hunt for a division title on both sides,” Winters said.
POPE JOHN PAUL II
Coach: Lisa Cagiola, second season.
Last year’s record: 4-4-1 Pioneer Athletic Conferemce.
Athletes to watch: Jackie Lerro, sr., sprints/hurdles; Bridget Plate, Sr., sprints/hurdles; Liz Kropp, Jr., sprints/hurdles; Madison McNamara, Jr., sprints/hurdles; Colleen Morton, Jr., throws; Kendra Sykes, Jr., sprints/hurdles; Carson Tracy, Jr., sprints/hurdles; Caitlyn Behan, So., pole vault; Julia Costello, So., middle distance/distance; Lauren D’Amico, So., throws; Rebecca Schureman, So., throws; Jess Velicer, So., middle distance/distance; Julia Patterson, Fr., middle distance/distance.
Outlook: “We are looking forward to competing in the newly organized conference and hope to finish well in the Frontier Division as well as Conference championships,” Cagiola said.
POTTSGROVE
Coach: Michael Romeo, fourth season.
Last year’s record: 2-6-1 Pioneer Athletic Conference.
Athletes to watch: Diana Randleman, Sr., sprints/jumps; Anna Myers, Jr., throws; Miazziah Rose, Jr., jumps; Amia Slade, Jr., middle distance; Megan Czerpak, So., distance; Brittany Hellams-Ray, So., sprints; Jailyn Newman, So., throws; Chloe Sullivan, So., distance.
Outlook: The Falcons’ roster is bolstered by freshmen Becca Delp (sprints, middle distance), Victoria LaPrince (hurdles), Chloe Manogue-Shivak (hurdles) and Hannah Phillips (distance). … “With the addition of a large ninth-grade class and the return of almost the entire 10th-grade class,” Romeo said, “numbers are up this year and should provide much-needed depth. The ninth grade class is also very talented, with many already having achieved highly during the winter season. Combined with the small but talented 11th and 12th grade classes, led by Diana Randleman and Mia Rose (indoor state meet qualifier), Pottsgrove girls are aiming for the lofty but achievable goal of completing the newly-formatted dual meet season undefeated in 2017.”
POTTSTOWN
Coach: Michaela Johnson, first season.
Last year’s record: 0-9 Pioneer Athletic Conference.
Athletes to watch: Yuliza Cruz, Sr., middle distance/distance/hurdles; Ja’Mya Greer, Sr., throws; Giavanna Mitchell, Sr., throws; Angel Olvera, Sr., throws; Danielle Slody, Sr., throws; Claire Fetterman, Jr., pole vault; Kay’lah Pearson, Jr., sprints/hurdles; Ceola Smith, Jr., sprints/jumps; Elsie Cannell, So., sprints; Shalisha Paschall, So., sprints.
Outlook: Freshmen Bryonn Chimbinja (sprints) and Aniya Hoskins (sprints) are also competing for the Trojans. … “I am looking forward to this year’s track and field team,” Johnson said. “We have a lot of talent on this team. The outlook for the season looks bright as there are some very promising freshmen in addition to the upperclassmen who are returning.”
SPRING-FORD
Coach: Danielle Stauffer, third season.
Last year’s record: 6-3 Pioneer Athletic Conference.
Athletes to watch: Bella Marchini, Sr., distance; Aleigha Johnson, Sr., jumps; Nia Muhammad, Sr., sprints; Samantha Watkin, Sr., jumps; Gabriella Bamford, Jr., distance; Sydney Galster, Jr., middle distance; Lily Nowakowski, Jr., sprints; Ally O’Connor, Jr., sprints; Jordan Sigler, Jr., hurdles; Brigitte Smith, Jr., throws; Madeline Turosinski, Jr., pole vault; Julia Vledder, Jr., middle distance; Jenna Darlington, So., middle distance; Jaime Green, So., hurdles; Melissa Israel, So., pole vault; Kyra Jones-Scanlan, So., throws; Nandini Patel, So., middle distance; Devin Rawley, So., jumps; Emily Smith, So., distance.
Outlook: “We are a young team that has of talent just gaining experience who are hoping to move up from our final standing last year,” Stauffer said. “We are looking forward to our first meet and seeing what kind of performances we get from both our team leaders and our younger athletes. This year, it would be nice to see the girls finish in the top two even with two additional teams in the mix. Our goals are to make PAC, challenge for a team title and advance as many as possible to districts and states.”
UPPER PERKIOMEN
Coach: Steve Keyser, third season.
Last year’s record: 1-8 Pioneer Athletic Conference.
Athletes to watch: Gabby Martin, Sr., sprints/hurdles; Teresa Swartley, Sr., sprints/hurdles; Kayleigh Durning, Jr., sprints/hurdles; LeeAnn Markwalter, Jr., middle distance/distance; Jess Schaut, Jr., sprints/hurdles/jumps.
Outlook: “So far in our season,” Keyser said, “we have seen some great leadership from our older students. We hope this continues into the competition season. With our returners we are looking to improve on everyone’s performances and have them teach the younger girls. This year will focus a lot on individual performances and we are going to try to get as many girls as we can into the championship meet.
