The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
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Milan track ready for big 2007 season
By Jerry Hinnen, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: April 5, 2007
The wait is nearly over for the 2007 Milan track and field teams.
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This Saturday, the Big Reds will compete in their first official competition of the season when they participate in the Clinton Relays in Clinton.
Team score will not be kept at the meet and Milan boys' head coach Rich Pellegrini called it something of a "fun meet." Nonetheless the event will be the first step in a season that Pellegrini hopes will end in the same successes as the 2006 season -- a Huron League title and a top-15 finish at the state meet.
"We've had 50 guys come out, so those are good numbers, and they've been working hard," he said. "We'll see what they've got."
Although the majority of the 2006 team has returned, the Big Red boys have absorbed major losses, as well. Richard Cosme, who finished second in the state in the 400 meters, graduated and is now a part-time assistant coach. Perhaps the bigger blow, though, came when the program lost its top two returning hurdlers, one after a move and the other to academic ineligibility.
"It hurt. They were events beyond our control," Pellegrini said. "But if I can find some hurdlers, we'll be all right."
As of now, the first two hurdlers looking to step up will be junior Eric Betts, also the team's leading high jumper, and Kyle Love.
The team's strength, however, likely once again will be in the sprints. The Big Reds will have great depth with Chris Duval, Anthony Marshall, Cedric Douglas, Randy Butts, and newcomers Leandro Gabrielzyk and Ronald Spears.
Although Pellegrini has high hopes for all of them, he believes Spears, the leading rusher from the 2006 Big Red football team, and Marshall could have the biggest impact.
"They're going to be right in the mix for league titles," Pellegrini said. "But we've got a lot of guys who are going to be good quarter-milers and half-milers."
Spears should also be the team's leading long-jumper.
In the distance events, Milan will be led by the trio of Jessie Nye, Kyle Anderson, and Eric Myyra.
In the throws, Hamid Thompson and Corey Gunderson will look to handle discus cuties while Jake Hill and Scott Kenyon will compete in shot put.
If everything comes together, Pellegrini feels his team could compete with Airport and St. Mary Catholic Central to defend its conference title.
"We're covered in most events," he said. "We're not going to get shut out, at least."
The goals are a little more modest for the Milan girls and head coach Steve Porter, who admits that a repeat of last season's third-place finish in the Huron standings is probably his team's ceiling.
"Last year, we were contenders going into the last week and we had a little bit of drama and finished third. It was OK, but not up to our full potential," he said. "This year we have a much younger team and a lot less experience. But there's no 'drama,' either."
Only 16 of the 40 girls on the Milan roster also ran in 2006, but there is talent to build around, starting with senior Emily Wilson. Wilson broke a longtime school record at the state cross country meet last fall and is poised for a big season in track, as well.
"She finished eighth at the state indoor meet in all classes in the two-mile," Porter said. "She should be one of the better two-mile runners in Division 2 and a state qualifier."
Other members of Milan's sixth-place cross country team, including seniors Rebekah Michalak and Tiffany Stoddard and freshman Jordan Tomecek, will make the Big Reds strongest in the distance events. Porter believes the 3200-meter relay will be the team's best.
The team also will benefit from senior experience in the form of Remina Reed in the sprints and middle distances and Stephanie Kanitz and Jennifer Terry in the throws.
Milan also several promising sophomores, including hurdler Ashley Agar, sprinter Mareisha Lala, and high jumper Loren Weber.
Add it all up and it equals a team that Porter believes will build a strong foundation for years to come.
"Somebody will represent Milan at the state meet, and we'll be competitive with many of the teams in our league," he said.
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