Area squads shape up for 2021 after lost season
Area track and field is back after an unprecedented wait, and the Suburban One League Colonial Division is as tough as ever.
Said North Penn coach Brandon Turner: “I expect to have a strong season that is full of growing pains. Like most other schools, not having a season last year or indoors this year has set us back. We still hope to compete for a division championship.”
North Penn, Central Bucks West, Pennridge and Souderton Area are part of a stacked Colonial.
“This is going to be a great year for some of our individuals, but as a team, we are young and have a lot to do to grow and reach the level of competition in the SOL,” Big Red coach Mike Feliciani said.
Ashley Gordon leads the Rams back to the track while Dock is shaping up well in the Bicentennial Athletic League.
“The Dock girls have a lot of leadership and depth in the middle distance events,” coach Tim Eger said. “These girls understand the needs of the team and want to help in scoring wherever possible.
“A season lost created some big holes. However, we will look to stop-gap our jumping and throwing events with some very athletic newcomers. Depth and confidence will be keys down the stretch. Dock will look to put together three quality relay squads in preparation for a postseason of some kind.”
Following is a team-by-team look at the area.
Central Bucks West
Coach: Kiki Bell.
Key returners: Emmi Simon, Sr.; Julia Flood, Sr.; Carlin McFadden, Sr.; Ella Lentini, Fr.; Francie Ebert, Sr.
Outlook: The Bucks have quite a distance group coming back and should have a squad that challenges for the SOL Colonial title.
Dock
Coach: Tim Eger (19th Season).
Key performers lost: Elle Bergey, middle distance; Alison Keach, utility; Kate Landis, hurdles/javelin.
Key returners: Clara Benner, Jr., hurdles; Celeste Derstine, So., distance/javelin; Sara Kennel, Sr., distance; Maddy Lewis, Jr., throws; Olivia Mercure, Sr., sprints/jumps; Tiffany Oponski, So., sprints; Sydney Putera, Sr., middle distance/pole
vault; Isa Rodriguez, Sr., middle distance.
Others to Watch: Abigail Brown (11th, multi), Maddy Churches (9th, multi), Laura Frederick (12th, hurdles), Marlyse Giesbrecht (10th, distance), Lindsey Gouldey, (12th hurdles), Lydia King (Captain, 12th, middistance), Abigail Lanning (12th, sprints), Ainsley Moyer (10th, javelin), Jordanna Naidoo (11th, discus).
Question Marks: “Navigating this spring season in a COVID world is still proving to be difficult. Normal meets are being canceled and League, District, and State Championships may look different for 2021. Teamwise, Dock is still looking for their breakout sprinter and jumper. Field events will ultimately prove to be the key to team success. The new athletes project to be immediate contributors but finding their roles may take some time.” Coach Eger says: “We are all very happy that there is a season. The Bicentennial Athletic League has gone through a big change, leaving the Dock girls as the team to beat.”
Lansdale Catholic Coach: Matt Connelly (8th season).
Key performers lost: Taylor Connelly.
Key returners: Anthony Gargani, John Murphy.
Others to watch: Isabella Greco.
Coach Connelly says: “Strengths and question marks are one in the same for us this year, and that is youth. We are a fairly young team, which is exciting because we were concerned with numbers as a result of the pandemic. Our freshmen coming in haven’t run since they were in seventh grade. Our outlook for the season is one of excitement, that we have an opportunity to train and compete.”
North Penn
Coach: Brandon Turner (fourth season).
Key performers lost: Anais Williams, Sierra Gee, Rachel Ahlmark, Ishana Asinor, Aaliyah Allen, Vanessa Hernandez.
Key returners: Megan Gambogi, Sr., 400⁄800; Anahita Eshraghi, Sr., 800⁄1,600; Jamie Diedel, Sr., 1,600⁄3,200; Sierra Heisey, Jr., 400; Jayme Corrado, Sr., hurdles; Dominique Bethel, shot put/discus; Chinazaekpere Nwokolo, shot put/jumps.
Others to watch: Maya Adams, So., 100⁄200; Megan Chester, So., 400⁄800; Madeline Lewis, So. jumps; Jael Sykes, So., 100⁄200; Kira Logiovine, Fr., 1,600; Jamie Webb, So., 800; Madison Gee, Fr. jumps/hurdles; Laura Leibiger, Fr. sprints.
Strengths: Sprints and throws.
Question marks: Contributions from underclass athletes after missing last spring; 800⁄400 depth.
Pennridge
Coach: Bill Smith.
Key returners: Ashley Gordon, Sr.; Nora Ritting, So.; Maria Lera-Lozano, Fr.; Ava Pultorak, So.; Isabella Musgrove, Sr.
Outlook: The Rams have a versatile star in Gordon and should be one of the tougher teams to beat in the SOL Colonial.
Souderton Area Coach: Mike Feliciani (8th season).
Key performers lost: “Maria Deaviz was the best thrower in the nation, and I don’t think you can overstate how exceptional she was. Sarah Thayres, who surpassed the previous school record in the shot put, would have been a strong candidate to be runner up at the conference meet.”
Campbell Bache, pole vault/ middle distance; Kristine Kearns, triple jump/middle distance; Nichole Gunderson, high jump; Jennifer Sidarous, distance; Olivia Fink; Morgan Kelley; Carly Richardson, middle distance.
Key returners: “I’m leaning on the seniors more than ever. With the loss of the 2020 season, all of the teams will be ‘young,’ having no competitive reference from the last year. At distance, Gina Smyth (Sr.), Francie Flores (Jr.), and Allison Malmquist (Jr.) will be our strongest athletes. Middle distance, I’m looking at sophomore Abby Kolb and Cara Hickey (Sr.) to represent the team. Long sprinters Emily Schulingkamp (Sr.) and Hannah Alderfer are set for a great season at 200-400 and the relays. In the field, I fully expect Hannah Alderfer, Maddie McCarthy (Sr.), and Athena Peterson (Jr.) to do great things in the horizontal jumps. Athena should also be one of the top hurdlers in the conference. Katie Mellott (Jr.) will be our best thrower and a leader in that area.”
Others to watch: “Miranda Vasey looks like the javelin might be her event. She has shown promise and I think she could do something special. We have a handful of young polevaulters that have been working hard and improving by leaps over the last few weeks. Ava Weismantel (Fr.) has shown to be a very competent hurdler as well as sophomore Peyton Krebs. Ava Mills (Fr.) looks like she will impact the team in a great way long jumping and sprinting.” Strengths: “We are a small squad and young, but this group of girls has loved to train and are really training for the right reasons. They come to work every day and seem to look ahead at each new challenge. I’m excited to see how they grow.”
Question marks: “The loss of 2020 and the youth of our team leave a lot of holes in our lineup. I’ll be asking girls to pick up new events and race distances that they may not be used to. It’s going to be an exciting year.”
Wissahickon
Coach: Heidi Butt (22nd season).
Key performers lost: Carly Amato, Jenna Saunders.
Key returners: Kasi Brown, Sr., jumps; Leah Dubin, Jr., distance; Lena Perlmutter, Jr., pole vault. Others to watch: Laila Cottom, So., sprints; Mila Jovanovic, So., sprints; Kenya Williams, Fr., sprints; Emma Jovanovic, So., hurdles.
Strengths: “Good turnout of new runners, considering the pandemic.”
Question marks: “Over half the team has never been in a high school track meet. No one has been in a spring track meet in two years.”
Coach Butt says: “Flexibility is key. We have learned to live with a very flexible definition of ‘normal.’”