Mustangs finished second in Sky Division
By: Rudy Brandl
SOUTH PLAINFIELD Manville High track and field coach Tony Treonze admitted he was pleasantly surprised by his team’s accomplishments this spring.
Treonze had a chance to reflect on his team’s season while waiting for Amy Cutler to long jump at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions. He wasn’t sure he’d be coaching an athlete at this year’s Meet of Champs after star long jumper Franklin Andreyko transferred to Hillsborough prior to the 2002-03 school year. Treonze also never expected his co-ed squad to post a 5-2 record in dual meets.
"Things looked kind of dim at the beginning of the season, but we had some kids who did a great job," said Treonze, who also lost multi-event standout Ryan Gilmore to graduation. "We had a couple people we could rely on and they did the job. I’m pretty happy about our season."
Andreyko’s departure left Treonze searching for a big scorer. He found one in senior Chris Greene, who had a huge year in the weight events and even contributed some clutch performances elsewhere. Greene just missed joining Cutler at the Meet of Champs after qualifying for the State Group 1 Championships in all three weight events. Greene’s javelin title at the Central Jersey Group 1 Championships was one of the season’s biggest highlights.
"I’ve gotten seconds and thirds, so it was really great to win that javelin at sectionals," said Greene, whose 158-8 established a new personal-record.
Greene finished the year with an astounding dual meet record. He scored 123 points out of a possible 140, dominating the shot put, discus and javelin. However, his five biggest points came in the high jump, where he pulled out a first place personal-best jump of 5-2 to make the difference in a 62-60 victory over Dayton in April.
"I feel good that I helped us win as many dual meets as we did," Greene said. "Everyone makes it a team effort and it always feels good to win. I like to look back and think about all the points I scored."
Treonze certainly appreciated the effort and named Greene the boys’ MVP at the recent team banquet.
"Greene did a great job," Treonze said. "He helped us out a lot. He was great in the weights, but we just threw him in the high jump and he won a meet for us."
Cutler proved she could compete with boys and beat most of the girls in the long jump this spring. After scoring a few points here and there in the co-ed dual meets, Cutler really stepped up her game in the championship meets.
The MHS junior, who was named the girls’ MVP, set a school record (17-0½) in winning the Mountain Valley Conference long jump title. Cutler never surpassed the 17-foot mark again but consistently hit in the high-16s. She finished second in CJ 1 with a 16-7½ and wound up 12th in New Jersey with a mark of 16-9¾ that missed the finals cut by less than three inches.
"I’m just hoping to get back here next year," Cutler said after her third and final jump. "I want to change my form and stride next year. I have to try to get more arc in my jump so I can use my hips more."
Cutler would like to have more girls join her on the team. She’s qualified for the State Group 1 Championships in all three years of high school without any female company from her schoolmates.
"I don’t mind jumping against the boys but it would be nice to go against girls," said Cutler, who also finished second at the Somerset County Championships. "It’s more realistic."
Cutler scored in the 100 and 200 at some meets and Treonze would like to see her continue to add events to her repertoire. Without the pressure of contributing to a girls’ team score, however, Cutler can concentrate on her signature event.
While Greene and Cutler made most of the headlines for the Mustangs, there were other athletes who contributed to the team’s overall success in 2003. Greene led a dominant weight team that included fellow seniors Jimmy Noble and Kile Galasso, who often completed 1-2-3 sweeps in the throws. The senior trio, which teamed for second place in the shot put and third in the discus at the Mountain Valley Conference Relays, occasionally swept all 27 points in the weight events.
"I knew we’d score in the weights," Treonze said. "I knew what those three guys could do and they were pretty consistent."
Manville also compiled points in the distance events, where junior Nghi Nguyen and sophomores Mike Andreyko and Rich Ozieblo were steady. Nguyen tripled in a few meets and Andreyko showed his versatility by scoring in the hurdles. The distance trio should be pretty formidable for the Mustangs next spring, especially after another cross country season in the fall.
Chris Wass emerged as a multi-event scorer for the Mustangs. Wass, a four-year letterwinner, excelled in the long jump and sprints, mainly in dual meets. The senior won four events to lead the Mustangs to a victory over Roselle Park. He also hit 19 feet in the long jump during the season.
The weightmen and Wass will graduate, along with pole vaulter Mark Gregor, sprinter Chris Nordone and girls’ runners Kristen O’Bara and Christine Andreyko. Eight athletes who received varsity letters are eligible to return juniors Cutler, Nguyen and javelin thrower Cathy Gorbatuk, sophomores Andreyko, Ozieblo, Matt Nile and Marc Casamassina and freshman Katelyn Nile.
"We’re losing a lot of weightmen, so we need some younger people to come around," Treonze said. "We’ll need a little more help next year. We have to rebuild in some of the events. We’ll have to count on some of the eighth graders coming in."