Girls track
Laurel Highlands on pace for another section title CONNELLSVILLE – It seemed only fitting the final Laurel Highlands athlete left to compete Thursday was junior Deena Blanc. In the team concept of the day, Blanc was looking for a cap to the meet against Connellsville with a first place in the pole vault.
Although the Lady Falcons’ Colleen McLaughlin won in a “vault-off,” Blanc’s three points put the finishing touches on a 91-59 Section 2-AAA victory that put the Fillies all alone atop the standings.
Laurel Highlands (6-0) improved to 5-0 in the section with next Tuesday’s section finale at Uniontown with a 6 p.m. start. Connellsville (5-1) dropped to 3-1 in the section, and must defeat Derry on the road Monday and Belle Vernon at home Wednesday.
Blanc, deemed “Miss Versatility” by girls coach Ron Morris, did a little bit of everything for Laurel Highlands. She was put in the 100 for only the third time (and finished third), won the 300 intermediate hurdles and ran the lead leg of the winning 1,600 relay team of Danielle LaPresta, Jackie Wells and Jessi Evans.
“The hardest thing at practice is it’s hard to work on one thing,” Evans said of her varied workout. “I don’t just like straight running. This makes it more exciting. I’m always anxious to see what I’m going to do.
“I just missed the school record in the 300 intermediate hurdles. I’m having a good time, but right before a meet I get so nervous.”
The Fillies finished first in nine of 11 racing events. Christine Salandra won the 100 high hurdles for the Lady Falcons with freshman Shanielle Nobles holding off the field to take the 100 in 13.5 seconds.
Morris realized his team’s strength was on the track, so he placed individuals in key events with a number of athletes adding to the victory.
“I thought we’d reinforce our strengths. For us, it’s the track and for Connellsville it’s in the throws. The kids stepped up today for second and third places. One kid doesn’t win a meet. It is a combination of first, second and third places. It was a team victory,” Morris said.
Mikie Monaghan continued her consistent season by winning the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 in addition to running the anchor leg of the 3,200 relay team. Evans was also on the 3,200 relay with LaPresta gaining points with a win in the 400 and running a leg of the 400 relay.
Eleree Keilbach was steady in the 3,200 relay and finished second in the 1,600. Lauren Slampak was a workhorse for Laurel Highlands by anchoring the 400 relay, and winning the 200 (27.6) and triple jump. Diane Gmiter picked up five points by winning the shot put.
Morris acknowledged Connellsville’s strength in the throws with Thursday’s accolades going to the Lady Falcons’ Christina Roadman. Roadman won the discus (110-10) and javelin (111-8) and finished second to Gmiter in the shot put.
Connellsville has a young group of throwers, a group Roadman characterized as a family.
“We’re a young group. We’re one big happy track family. It’s relaxing. We work together and we have good coaches (Tim Morris and Rich Evans),” Roadman said.
“I feel I can throw better. I’ve been working on my spin technique in the discus and I’m getting better in the shot put. I had a little more juice against Laurel Highlands. I was a little more pumped up.”
Connellsville’s Jaynece Stafford was the top jumper in the high jump and Salandra was a multiple winner with a win in the long jump.
A somber Connellsville head coach Jeff Galand had little to say after the meet.