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Sports

Friday, 23 September 2011 12:24

News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan

The St. Cloud boys (center) led the way at the Orange Belt Conference track meet last season, and they are favored to win it again.

St. Cloud boys, girls defend OBC crowns

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
St. Cloud’s boys and girls were the surprise Orange Belt Conference champions last season, and both squads advanced to the state meet.

This year, if the teams repeat, it will be no surprise. Both squads are loaded with returning talent.
New district alignments have Osceola, St. Cloud, Harmony and Celebration in 3A-5; Liberty and Gateway in 4A-4 and Poinciana in 2A-7.
St. Cloud
Kevin Harkema returns to coach the Bulldogs, and he has high expectations for both the boys and girls teams. Harkema took 12 of the runners to the Smokey Mountains over the summer to train at a cross country camp.
“The girls team is looking strong. They are No. 10 in the preseason poll in Class 3A,” Harkema said. “The boys should also be strong, but they need to be focused. We have our top four returning and we need have a fifth step up.”
The Lady Bulldogs are led by OBC champion Ashlyn Stadtlander, a senior, and her twin sister, Katelyn Stadtlander. Standout Anaya Reid also is back, along with juniors Rebecca Davis and Kristen Detroyer. Junior Taylor Wassum also returns. Promising newcomers, Harkema said, are sophomore Karissa Solorzano and freshman Octavia Gonzalez.
“We should be really good. They are excited about the season and are highly motivated. It should be fun,” Harkema said.
The boys also have a cast of talented veterans like seniors Matthew Cole, Carlos Perez and Bailey Morgan. Junior Antonio Montalvo will be one of the team’s top runners. Ralphy Hernandez also returns and sophomore Aaron Allcorn has a chance to crack the top five, the coach said.
“I fully expect one of those boys to step it up this season to try to go to the state meet for the fourth straight season,” Harkema said. “I want to get them pumped up because I know they will have a target on their backs this year for OBC and districts.”
Gateway
Travis James (boys) and Derek Knappins (girls) will coach the Panthers this season.
Both teams are in, as Knappins puts it, “a transition stage.”
Juniors Naomie Castin, Stephanie Carillo and Eliana Armas will lead the Lady Panthers, Knappins said.
“We look to be competitive in a rebuilding process, but also realize the strength of our district (4A-4), too,” he said. “Our goal is to have fun this year, but we we have stressed to the kids that winning can also be fun.”
James said the boys squad will be led by returning runner Bryan Cudjoe, one of the county’s top runners last season, along with Raul Cotto and Carlos Espinal.
“We’re looking forward to having a great year,” he said.
Panthers track coach Scott Sisson is assisting this season.
Poinciana
Bryan McLoughlin’s boys team is led by junior Christian Ramos, a contender for the OBC individual championship, McLoughlin said.
“He was able to run some miles this summer, so with those miles and a great sophomore track season, I expect good things from him,” the coach said.
Joining Ramos are Axel Arroyo, Brandon Correa, Yasin Guergaf, Jacob Morell, Giovan Morell, Cristian Ramos, Ismael Roman and Giovanni Santa.
Coach Darcy Barr returns for her second season as the Lady Eagles coach.
Barr, a marathon runner who spent the summer in Africa as a volunteer teacher, said her team has a mix of experience and youth.
Senior Shyenne Barnes, juniors Karen Hernandez and Alexandra Zayas and sophomore Kayla Greene are among the team’s runners.
Poinciana will host the OBC meet Oct. 26.
Celebration
Storm Coach Bart Roberts has one of the
best runners in the state, senior Quincy O’Connor, the defending conference champion. O’Connor should return to the Class 3A state meet, where he placed 14th (16:07) last season.
The challenge for Roberts is to put a competitive boys team around O’Connor.
“The team is looking forward to building upon the successes of last season with a young but eager group of runners,” Roberts said. “Quincy and Christina Ricci are leading the way as the only seniors. Both teams have been working hard and have shown strong commitment this season. We are especially excited about the focus and leadership that Quincy has shown so far.”
Roberts said the girls team has 16 runners, seven back from last season, while the boys have five returning runners and nine total.
“We expect both boys and girls team scores to be improved this year and the girls team scores should see a big improvement with runners 3 through 7,” Roberts said.
Harmony
Coach Jake Grantham takes over the boys and girls programs this season.
The boys team will be led by senior Matt Henning, 20th (16:13) at the Class 3A state meet last year. Henning will challenge Celebration’s O’Connor for the conference title.
“Definitely going to be a tough task, but Matt enjoys the competition,” Grantham said.
Grantham said the Longhorns can challenge St. Cloud for the conference lead with a solid squad that includes junior Alex Grieve and sophomore Jake Gilbert, who finished as Harmony’s No. 3 runner as a freshman.
Bruce Wallenquest and Austin Miller will move up from the JV team, Grantham said, and Taylor Wilhelm and Chris Huff ran track last season and will try cross country.
The Lady Longhorns, state qualifiers last year, lost four of their top five to graduation, but senior Brianna Stacy and junior Kylie Korol return.
“Kylie had the best time on our team last year with a 19:59 at districts and made it to regionals in track in the 400,” Grantham said. “We are expecting a strong season from her.”
Providing support are Taylor Rivenbark, Addison Hickey, Abby Gilbert, Natalie Menedez and Amber Frawley.
Osceola
Coach Mike Clemens will guide the boys team, which is in rebuilding mode, he said.
“We have very few left from last year and a lot of new young runners,” Clemens said.
Expected to crack to varsity roster are Victor Suero, Joshua Rodriguez, Milo Williams and Edwin Estrella.
Also competing are Abismael Abreu, Christian Cruz Castillo, Gamalier Cedeno, Jovanne Colon, Andrew Diaz, Hassan Haidar, Marquis Hegwood, Christopher Kobinsky, Landon McCarl, Giovanni Perez, James Rivera, Amaury Santiago, Richard Vester and Eric Williams.
Former Kowboys runner Daniel Lackey takes over the girls program after serving as an assistant for several seasons.
“I’m really excited about the girls on the team and the overall attitude they have,” he said.
Among the runners competing for varsity spots are Brooke Basho, Eleana Estrella, Kelsey Estrella, Mary Hernandez, Kali Jones, Isamar Rios and Destiny Merckling.
Also competing are Melanie Agosto, Mikayla Arnold, Ashley Bierria, Jasmin Cruz, Mercedes Diaz, Evelyn Hernandez, Llasmin Hernandez, Rachel Jakoby, Marcia Martinez, Rosa Ortiz, Brianni Rodriguez, Joalys Rodriguez, Camila Sosa, Caridad Torres and Yaritza Turcios.
Liberty
Coach Robert Pauley led the boys team to a runner-up finish in the OBC last season, and the girls were third.
Pauley said the boys team, which will be led by returning senior Germine Amadis, must tighten its pack.
“Our goal will be closing the distance between our one through five (runners) and have a 30-second spread or less,” he said. “If we can accomplish the spread we are looking for and we run competitive as a team, then we could turn some heads.”
Competing for spots in the top five are juniors Richard Eyiangho, Tyler Haas, Javier Artega and freshmen Rogelio Araiza and Joshua Ortiz.
Pauley said Daniel Smith, Julio Cabrera, Rodney Diaz and Curtis Jeudy also may find varsity berths.
Junior Summer Lazzell leads the girls team along with juniors Khrista Gonzalez and Amanda Gaffney, Yami Diaz and senior Sarah Grecni.
Katlin and Nicole Holborn also will contribute, Pauley said.
New Dimensions
Second-year Coach Cathy Esposito said her teams should be improved.
“We have a large boys team with a lot of experience which will be a great improvement from last year,” Esposito, the school’s athletic director, said. “The girls team will continue to improve with many new athletes this season.”
The runners are Carlos Ortizvalle, Carlos Rodrigues, Omar Hernandez, Paola Ferrao, Azell Campbell, Pedro Bobea, Karen Holguin, Antonio Oliva, Marc Serat, Jennelle Isaacs, Devon Pitter, Kayla Weis, Kepler Francois, James Fuchs, Xavier Price, Jaime Jorge, Aaron Donlow, Gloria Loenzana, Shanya Santiago and Oscar Giron.
The Tigers compete in district A-7.
City of Life
Coach Dave Warren has a team of 40 runners competing in District A-7.
The boys are led by captains Alberto Pinero and Isaiah Griffin. Daniel and David Villa and Tyler Travelute also compete on the varsity squad.
The girls are led by Rayna Johnston, Nineth Caleca and Lauren Williamson.