Track teams look to seniors for leadership, experience

With a hefty total of 91 athletes on the Oxford boys and girls varsity team there’s bound to be potential throughout the season.
And with eight 2006 state qualifying teammates on the roster, there’s sure to be many wins.
Returning seniors for the girls team include captain Ashlee Eller, Danielle Esman, Natalie Lukas and captain Tiara Tatarczuk.
‘They will definitely bring leadership and experience,? said Head Coach Andrew McDonald. ‘Kids look up to them. When we’re at practice, kids look for them to be leading them.?
Juniors Jacqui Sylva and Shaunte Waller will fill the two other captain positions.
Last year, the girls finished 3-4 in Flint Metro League for a 3rd place league finish, 4th in dual meets.
Sophomore Hannah George, Tatarczuk, Sylva and Eller placed 18th in the state for their 800-meter relay, and George placed 11th in the state for her 400-meter run, which is something McDonald hopes to be duplicated this season.
But it’s not only the seniors and state-qualifiers who are drawing McDonald’s attention.
Underclassmen like freshman Taylor Carpenter (long jump), freshman Keeona Ives (long jump) and freshman Shannon Seeley (distance running) have been showing serious potential.
At the Oakland County indoor meet last Thursday Ives took 3rd place in the long jump, while freshman Kate Wolanin leaped 5 feet on the high jump.
Returning seniors on the boys team include captain Mitch Blose, Cavon Cappuccilli, Nick Collier, Chris Crozier, Russ Francis, Eric Kubina, Phil LaBrash, Derek Lewis, Dylan Moore, captain Brent Mueller, Nate Musgrove and Joe Rigley.
Like the girls, McDonald expects to see great leadership from the boys.
‘It’s a common theme that we’ve tried to develop in my years as a coach,? he said. ‘Since there’s a lot of athletes it’s nice to have some leadership experience from your seniors.?
Juniors Adam Heskitt, Andrew Moll and James Nelson will fill the other three captain positions.
Last year, the boys finished 4-3 in the FML, with a 4th place standing in both FML and in their dual meet conference.
Collier placed 7th in the state for his 100-meter dash while also lending a hand to Nelson, Andrew Klimbal and 2006 graduate Mike May in a 31st place win in the state 200-meter relay.
Underclassmen showing potential this season are sophomore Spencer Britt (middle distance), junior Ben Cole (800-meter), Moll (hurdles) and junior Austyn Sylva (sprints).
‘Our goals this year are to continue to improve each week so that we can compete for the FML title,? McDonald said.
‘We need to compete well at the state regionals and conference level as well.?
The track team’s first league meet is Wednesday, April 18 at Linden High School.

Track teams look to seniors for leadership, experience added by Casey Curtis on March 28, 2007
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‘Tradition never graduates.?
That’s the motto the Oxford Varsity boys? and girls? track teams will be following this year, according to head coach Andrew McDonald.
After losing many state-qualifying athletes last season to graduation, McDonald said he is sure his returning seniors will follow that motto and lead the way for the underclassmen.
Captain James Nelson and second-year captain Adam Heskitt will lead the boys, while Jacqui Sylva and Shaunte Waller will lead the girls.
Returning to the team are 16 seniors, 13 of which are on the boys? team.
Waller, who took second in shot put and discus at leagues last year, was named fourth in the county. McDonald chose her as a captain because she’s been a very consistent thrower throughout her high school career.?
The coach is looking to Sylva, a three-time state qualifier, to be a leader for the younger girls in the 100 and 200-meter relays.
Distance runner Ashley Hansen will help the Wildcats dominate the half, one and two-mile sprints.
For the boys, McDonald is looking to Zach Alexander, Mike Brendel, Matt Deighton, Ben Cole and Andrew Stein, to kill any opposing teams in middle distance running.
Sprinters have their work cut out for them this year, with Devon Davis, soccer recruit David Hurrish, James Nelson, Andrew Klimbal, Zach Tilley and Roderick Skeete leading the way.
McDonald said Nelson and Klimbal are his ‘sprint leaders? this season.
‘They both want to get back to states and win a league championship,? he said. ‘They’re both a pleasure to work with.?
In shot put and discus, Zach Gunnels , who finished third in the league last year, and Brad Jacobsen will be a guiding force for the underclassmen.
‘We really try and make it, when you become an upperclassmen, you should be able to teach that skill to someone younger,? McDonald said. ‘Some days, we have 105 kids to coach. It always helps to have some of that leadership.?
Oxford is the only team in the Flint Metro League with returning seniors, Alec Piliafas and Andrew Moll, who hurdle.
As for underclassmen, McDonald said Oxford track and field fans should keep an eye out on sophomores like pole vaulter Keeona Ives, middle distance runner Spencer Britt, pole vaulter Kevin Jickling, relay runner Shannon Seeley and hurdler/high jumper Kate Wolanin.
Spectators should also expect great things from juniors, like record-breaking pole vaulter Katherine Bosetti and Molly Bonfiglio, Danielle Kelly, Hannah George as well as Austyn Sylva and Terrence Webb-Anderson.
With the help of assistant coaches Adam Westmoreland (hurdles/high-jump), Mike Sudrovech (sprints/long-jump), George Schraut (discuss/shot put) and Adam Russell (pole vault), McDonald said there’s no doubt this year’s team will be a winning one.
‘A head coach is only as good as his assistants ? and I have great assistants,? he said.
At their first meet of the season last Friday at Eastern Michigan University, the girls? team placed 4th out of 15 teams with a total of 53 points.
The boys? placed 9th out of 20 teams with a total of 30 pts.
Highlights included a first place win for the girls in the 1600-meter relay, which included Wolanin, Seeley, Megan Seeley and George; and a third place win for the boys in the 800-meter relay, which included Skeete, Tilley, Klimbal and Nelson.

Track teams look to seniors for leadership, experience added by Casey Curtis on April 2, 2008
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