2021 Mercury Girls’ Track and Field Team-by-Team Preview
Pioneer Athletic Conference
Boyertown
Coach: Jon Zellers, third season.
2019 record: 1-4 PAC Liberty Division.
Athletes to watch: Zora Bergey, Sr., middle distance/distance; Lillian Mauger, Sr., sprints/jumps; Gabrielle McKee, Sr., middle distance/distance; Renee Simmonds, Sr., sprints/hurdles/throws; Rachanee Tith, Sr., middle distance/distance; Alona Hopkins, Jr., sprints; Alyssa Albanese, So., middle distance/distance; Samantha Devlin, So., sprints; Elisabeth Frank, So., sprints; Emily Wilson, So., jumps.
Outlook: The Bears’ roster is bolstered by the presence of freshmen Sarah Campbell, Natalie Caprio, Katie Macaluso and Riley Ruyak. Caprio and Macaluso will be in sprints, Campbell middle distance/distance and Ruyak jumps, … Mauger, Simmonds and Hopkins are all state medalists and national qualifiers. … “I have a very small team of athletes, but they will be ready to compete,” Zellers said. “Over 70 percent of the team is freshmen or sophomores. The distance crew is working hard and will give their best. I am looking for the young athletes to step up. They will be ready for the challenges put in front of them.”
Methacton
Coach: Rob Ronzano, 21st season (26th overall).
2019 record: 4-1 PAC Liberty Division.
Athletes to watch: Madi Eastmure, Sr., jumps/hurdles; Meredith O’Donnell, Sr., jumps/middle distance; Rory Stein, Sr., pole vault; Cerise Walker, Sr., throws; Coco Dunham, Jr., jumps/throws; Adi Gormley, Jr., jumps; Riley Hydock, Jr., jumps; Kirsten O’Brien, Jr., throws; Shannon O’Brien, Jr., hurdles/middle distance; Kaitlin Richards, Jr., pole vault; Kristen Riddell, Jr., middle distance; Camryn Steere, Jr., hurdles/jumps; Gabrielle Baker, Soph., hurdles/throws; Bella Coppola, So., middle distance/distance
Outlook: The Warrior roster is bolstered by the addition of freshmen Aubrey Beaugard (middle distance), Molly Keegan (hurdles/middle distance), Summer Mellow (sprints/jumps), Kenslee O’Donnell (sprints/middle distance), Kate Thomas (distance) and Molly Thomas (distance). … “Like many other teams, the Methacton girls are trying to rebound from a lost season a year ago,” Ronzano said. “We have some veteran leadership to help guide us, but there are a great number of new athletes to the program, and the first few weeks of practice have been focused on getting the team ready for competition. Each day leads to a greater understanding the team has for not only this season, but for the seasons ahead. With no PAC Championship Meet to look forward to this season, the focus is on having each athlete improve every day throughout the season.”
Norristown
Coach: Milton Williams, sixth season.
2019 record: 0-6 PAC Liberty Division.
Athletes to watch: None mentioned.
Outlook: “We are very young on the girls side,” Williams said, “and are looking to build on the success we have had with Teliyah James and Jonae Cook. There are many freshmen and sophomores who have not run track in almost 2 years that we need to develop and hope to emerge as leaders.”
Owen J. Roberts
Coach: Tim Marcoe, fifth season.
2019 record: 2-3 PAC Liberty Division.
Athletes to watch: Emily Glasier, Sr., distance; Erin Hendershot, Sr., throws; Caleigh Bold, Jr., sprints/hurdles; Brooke Corson, Jr., jumps; Julia Forrest, Jr., springs/hurdles; Alyssa Greiner, Jr., sprints/hurdles; Abby Norton, Jr., distance; Olivia Roach, Jr., throws; Morgan Weaver, Jr., sprints/hurdles; Tara Wittlinger, Jr., sprints/hurdles; Grace Fennell, So., distance; Reese Fisher, So., jumps; Kat Larsen, So., sprints/hurdles; Maggie Lustig, So., distance; Alyssa Taylor, So., jumps; Olivia Thompson, So., sprints/hurdles; Maggie Walker, So., throws; Claire Zubey, So., distance
Outlook: The Wildcat roster is bolstered by the presence of freshman Sabrina Marks, who will compete in sprints and hurdles. … “The girls are looking forward to competing again this season,” Marcoe said. “The goal is to continually improve throughout the course of the season and compete well at each meet. Missing last season has really been tough for our athletes that compete in the technical events. We are looking forward to competing again and seeing how the season unfolds.”
Perkiomen Valley
Coach: Joe Petsko, 15th season.
2019 record: 4-1 PAC Liberty Division.
Athletes to watch: Isabella Ewing, Sr., jumps; Megan Fried, Sr., sprints; Casey Murray, Sr., sprints; Delaney O’Sullivan, Sr., distance; Isabella Rumsberger, Sr., throws; Rebecca Stratton, Sr., pole vault; Megan Furlong, Jr., distance; Summer Watts, So., distance.
Outlook: The Viking roster is bolstered by the presence of freshman Sienna Miller, a distance runner. Miller placed eighth in the District 1-AAA cross country race in the fall of 2020. … Watts had joined Miller in qualifying for the 2020 PIAA Class AAA cross country meet by placing 10th in districts. … “The Perkiomen Valley girls team is a group with a lot of young talent led by some outstanding senior leadership,” Petsko said. “The girls are looking forward to a great year as they look to do great things in the PAC this spring.”
Phoenixville
Coach: Justin Winters, first season.
2019 record: 3-2 PAC Frontier Division.
Athletes to watch: Madison O’Neill, Sr., distance; McKenzie Hodges, Jr., jumps/sprints; Lizzy Behnke, sprints; Anna Carruthers, distance; Kenzie Padilla, distance; Brooke Rosenbaum, sprints.
Outlook: Winters takes charge of the Phantom program from Jess Conran, who headed it for two seasons prior to the 2020 shutdown. …”More than anything, we’re so excited to be back,” Winters said. “Our philosophy is built on long-term development, so losing last year was certainly a setback. But it’s also given us a chance to reevaluate, rebuild and lay a new foundation with a young, inexperienced group. We look to be competitive this season, but also planning for the future with the unique circumstances we find ourselves in.”
Pope John Paul II
Coach: Lisa Cagliola, sixth season.
2019 record: 5-0 PAC Frontier Division.
Athletes to watch: Heather Lesinski, Sr., sprints; Audrey Moroz, Sr., hurdles; Gianna Cagliola, Jr., middle distance/distance; Kayla Croiger, junior, hurdles/jumps/pole vault; Tess Crossan, Jr., middle distance/distance; Anna Patterson, Jr., sprints; Amaya Ransom, Jr., sprints; Colleen Schiele, Jr., middle distance/distance; Katy Todd, Jr., middle distance/distance; Cecelia Abruzzo, So., sprints.
Outlook: The Golden Panther roster is bolstered by freshmen Gabby Cooper and Hutton Cordrey (sprints), Ava McNicholas (jumps) and Amelia Reedinger (throws). … PJP placed sixth in the last PAC Championship meet held in 2019. … Cagliola and Katy Todd come into the spring season off a 1-2 finish in the District 1-AA cross country race during the fall. … “Our girls team looks really strong with some great freshmen, the 4×100 is mostly intact, we only lost one member of that team to graduation in 2020,” Cagliola said. “The mid-distance and distance teams remain strong with a potential quick 4×400.”
Pottsgrove
Head Coach: Dean Wright, second season.
2019 record: 4-1 PAC Frontier Division.
Athletes to watch: Calista Faust, Sr., distance; Naomi Hillen, Sr., distance; Janiya Jones, Sr., sprints/jumps; Hailey Strain, Sr., hurdles/sprints; Nevada Grant, Jr., jumps; Cyenna Martinez, So., jumps.
Outlook: Wright took over the Falcon program from Megan DeLena, who stepped up to fill the vacancy from Larry Rechtin. … “The girls team hopes to get back to the top of the Frontier Division and compete for the PAC championship,” Wright said.
Pottstown
Coach: Victoria Collins, first season.
2019 record: 1-3 PAC Frontier Division.
Athletes to watch: Zoe Earle, Sr., sprints/jumps; Juliana Figueroa, Sr., sprints/jumps: Arianna Torres, distance/throws.
Outlook: Collins takes over the Trojan program from Michaela Johnson, who guided it for three seasons prior to the 2020 shutdown.
Spring-Ford
Coach: Danielle Stauffer, eighth season.
2019 record: 4-1 PAC Liberty Division.
Athletes to watch: Maura Baker, Sr., throws; Alyssa Diana, Sr., middle distance; Brooke Donoghue, Sr., distance; Kaela Grant, Sr., jumps; Amanda Grubb, Sr., sprints; Emily Higgins, Sr., sprints; Amanda Mulhall, Sr., distance; Kailey Smith, Sr., hurdles; Julia Breisch, Jr., distance; Kailey Hudson, Jr., sprints; Claire Lanzisera, Jr., sprints; Jordan Littlejohn, Jr., hurdles; Jordan Lutz, Jr., middle distance; Ester Mokonchu, Jr., throws; Nene Mokonchu, Jr., jumps; Lyndsay Yang, Jr., pole vault; Abigail Duersch, So., distance; Madison Lebiedzinski, So., pole vault; McKenzie Thomas, So., middle distance.
Outlook: The Rams roster is bolstered by the addition of freshmen Caley Kuestner, Mary McNelly, Brooke McPike and Sajani Patel. An up-and-coming sophomore is Carly Winston. … “The girls team is returning many of the underclassmen who helped lead the team to the PAC championship in 2019,” Stauffer said, “but is still rebuilding after losing 2020’s season. We hope to see improvement in all our young athletes. Our goal is to compete in the PAC, challenge for a team title and advance as many as possible to districts and states while staying healthy both physically and mentally.”
Upper Merion
Coach: Michelle Franko, third season.
2019 record: 4-1 PAC Frontier Division.
Athletes to watch: Kayla Brown, Sr., throws; Hannah Hope, Sr., jumps/hurdles; Chloe Rivera-Montes, Sr., pole vault; Brianna Hill, Jr., sprints; Avalon Leech. Jr., throws; Alana Alves, So., hurdles/sprints; Sienna Butler, So., sprints; Rhianna Ferreira, So., distance; Anna Fleischer, So., distance; Kaylie Francis, So., hurdles/jumps; Sedona Hansell, So., jumps/sprints; Neve Morio, So., pole vault.
Outlook: The Viking roster is bolstered by a slew of freshmen: Kyra Bostic (distance), Megan Chaing (hurdles/pole vault), Emily Devonshire (sprints), Melanie Evitts (pole vault/hurdles), Alyssa Gansky (pole vault/jumps), Dasia Hayer (distance), Joy Lu (distance/hurdles) and Maddie Minami (distance), … “The UM girls track and field team had a phenomenal 2019 season, finishing second in the Frontier Division of the PAC,” Franko said. “The team is beyond excited to be back together for the 2021 season and is looking forward to competing once again together. The team will thrive this season from the support, dedication and effort given day in and day out by the whole team of athletes. The team is focused on improving as individual athletes and as a team.”
Upper Perkiomen
Coach: Clayton Mowrer, third season.
2019 record: 0-5 PAC Frontier Division.
Athletes to watch: April Romanowski, Sr., jumps (high jump); Gianna Deskovich, Jr., jumps (long jump/triple jump); Lilianna Goodrich, Jr., hurdles; Audrey Nagata, Jr., jumps (triple jump/high jump).
Outlook: “We are hoping for a good season this year,” Mowrer said. “Our athletes have come into this spring in shape and ready to make up for missing last year. The coaching staff is looking forward to a good year with our returning athletes, and to build with our younger athletes.”
Others
Daniel Boone
Coach: Robert Reismiller, fifth season.
2019 record: 3-1 Berks League, 4-1 overall.
Athletes to watch: Ashley Benoit, Sr., middle distance/distance; Hannah Cassner, Sr., throws; Veronica McClelland, Sr., throws; McKenzie Toth, Sr., throws; Renee Camburn, Jr., middle distance; Taylor Cassner, So., throws; Lily Ferguson, Jr., jumps; Emma Kay, Jr., sprints; Olivia Poore, Jr., distance; Hannah Santos, Jr., middle distance; Kayla Vitabile, Jr., sprints/hurdles
Outlook: The Blazers’ roster is bolstered by the presence of freshman Dani Ferrara, who will compete in hurdles. … Hannah Cassner was second place finisher at the 2019 District 3 Championships in the javelin. She was also the 2019 BCIAA Javelin Champion with a throw of 127-10. … “Covid and Virtual have hurt our numbers considerably,” Reismiller said. “We do have some very good talent returning that should be contenders at our championship meet.
Hill School
Coach: Patrick Lake, 11th season.
2019 record: Not available.
Athletes to watch: Mofe Akinyanmi, Sr., jumps; Bella Basile, Sr., distance; Sydney Floyd, Sr., sprints; Kiki Lange, Sr., jumps/throws/pole vault; Laura Null Sr., hurdles/jumps; Susanna Soderman, Sr., sprints, jumps; Adele Harris, Jr., hurdles/relays; Courtney Bodolus, So., distance; Sarah Kenvin, So., sprints/jumps; Collette Zidek, So., distance.
Outlook: Floyd has already committed to attend Sacred Heart University. … “The Hill girls’ track team has perhaps the most talented nucleus of senior athletes in the program’s history,” Lake said. “The team will look to win a MAPL championship this year, and possesses significant balance and depth in the sprints, hurdles and jumps in particular. Led by Sydney Floyd (a former MAPL champ in the 200m & 400m) in the sprints, the team possesses a trio of sprinters that look to place 1-3 in many dual meets. The same is true for a talented and deep hurdle crew, led by Harris in the 300m hurdles and newcomer Null in the 100m hurdles. The combination of Soderman and Akinyanmi will be particularly difficult to beat in the horizontal jumps, as both athletes leapt over 34’ in the triple jump in the team’s first cold weather scrimmage this past week. Kiki Lange remains the Blues’ utility threat, as she looks to score in the throws, high jump and the pole vault. If Hill can address depth issues in the throws and distance, the team will be very difficult to out score, particularly in a championship format.”
