Track and Field Notebook: Springfield Montco 4×1 leaving its mark

The Springfield Montco girls 4×100-meter relay team is in a pretty nice spot, rocketing up the leader board for the fastest times in school history while also notching a qualifying time for the District 1-2A Championships.
“I think coming in here, our goal overall, especially for the 4×1 teams, was to make district times,” said senior Alanna Kelly at Saturday’s Wissahickon Relays. “And it’s really nice because we were able to get that.
“It feels really awesome because this is just a really fun meet to be a part of,” Kelly said on a sunny afternoon at Wiss, “especially because the schools that are here are very welcoming and positive. Everyone’s just kind of pushing everyone to do better.”
Springfield Montco did just that, going against some quality 3A programs and racing to a second-place finish overall in the 4×1 with a time of 53.69.
That’s the third-fastest time in Spartan history.
“Our 4×1 girls are the fastest group we’ve had together in six years,” coach Chris Mazurek said. “If we can just get those handoffs cleaned up and get the same four girls working together, they’re gonna make a mark at the Penn Relays (Thursday) and make a little bit of noise. We’re gonna have a great performance there.”
“It’s such a cool atmosphere and you’re running on the Penn track, looking at all of these people up in the stands,” Kelly said of the upcoming trip to Franklin Field. “And you’re right in Center City. It’s a really cool meet.”
In season >> Saturday provided one of the best days to run so far this year, and the Spartans responded.
“This feels like spring track,” Mazurek said. “A week ago, it was 82 degrees and it felt like summer track. But this is a little more like it. I think what we found out last week is how much the snow of the early season kept us trapped inside, limited our exposure to get long miles for the distance kids.
“We hit the weight room a lot in the first three weeks, more than ever before. But you get to that point in the season where everyone is supposed to be hitting some decent marks, and last week we were just one step behind on everything. But looking at the meet we were at, 23 or 24 teams, they were all a step behind too. So coming out here (Saturday at Wiss), the kids ran great, some of the youngsters stepped up and ran some great marks, and going into Penn Relays this week, we have a nice group.”
The Penn Relays provides a nice preview of what lies ahead in those hot, fast meets in May.
“It’s a great reward. You get to that middle part of the season, you get on a big stage, and everybody runs a little faster at Franklin Field,” Mazurek said. “You’re surrounded by the universities that are there, the international element is there, and the kids just shine.
“So I’m really excited about just getting them on the track there, taking some of the older kids and having them show the younger kids what it’s like to be downtown on a big stage. They can shake that rust off those young’uns. And coming out of that, we start thinking about districts already. The conference championship is only a few weeks away. Now, we need to be in shape. And the Penn Relays is gonna be sort of that checkmark, to see just where we are.”
Climbing the Mount >> Mount St. Joe’s Bridgett Joupe soared higher than all competition in the pole vault Saturday at Wiss, clearing 9 feet, 6 inches for first place.
With that mark, Joupe nailed down a qualifying spot for the District 1-3A Championships.
Wissahickon’s Maya Ansbro (9-0), Springfield’s Sarah Patacki (8-0) and the Trojans’ Tess Klugherz (7-6) round out a strong top four.