Local track teams set for opener on Saturday

By: Sean Moylan
   Although the Northern Burlington County Regional High School boys’ varsity track and field team is low in numbers, this season it should do well in certain events.
   "I think we’ll be pretty solid in the distance events," said NBC head coach Tim Tedesco, who points to sophomore Matt Melillo and juniors Ben Berben and Danny Bowden as key runners on the distance team.
   Of course, David Reed (senior), Kiernan Shea (senior), Ben Traino (senior), Caleb Walton (sophomore), Dan Lucy (sophomore), Matt Mayo (sophomore) and Bekir Yilmaz (senior) are skilled distance runners too.
   Tedesco believes that junior Irving Fryar should do very well in the jumps and seniors Miles MaGee and James Wheeler are powerful throwers. Al Wonesh is a multi-talented 12th grader, who should excel in the jumps, hurdles and pole vault.
   Some of the other returnees are: David van Sciver (a senior pole vaulter), Steve Makuka (a junior pole vaulter and distance runner), Jay Castaldo (a junior sprinter), Kevin Hynes (a sophomore pole vaulter), Aaron Rask (a sophomore sprinter and thrower), Ben Case (a sophomore thrower), Darnell Kirkland (a junior jumper) and Darrell Melvin (a junior sprinter and jumper).
   Some of the newcomers to the club are: Matt Schwab (a freshman hurdler), Saidu Mustapha (a freshman sprinter-jumper), Dave Specca (a freshman sprinter, jumper and hurdler), Chris Sichel (a freshman distance runner), Chris Tomori (a freshman sprinter, jumper and thrower), Dale Dombrowski (a freshman distance runner) and Adam Rotside (a freshman sprinter).
   "I am looking forward to the season, but I think we’ll be a little weak this year because we started a new boys’ lacrosse program," said Tedesco, who lost some of his athletes top the new team.
   With baseball, tennis, lacrosse and golf all going on at the same time, it’s hard to establish the large track and field teams of the past. Still, NBC should do well in the distance races and the field events.
   Jack Lukis, Kevin Robinson, Tabitha Gary and Mike Trojak will assist Tedesco with his team. NBC is scheduled to open up its season with the Hall of Fame Relays on Saturday. NBC’s girls’ team will also compete in the event.
   BRHS



   The Bordentown Regional High School boys and girls’ varsity track teams had events cancelled this past Saturday because of the heavy rains.
   The Scotties’ boys’ team was scheduled to host Delran while Bordentown’s girls squad was scheduled at Delran yesterday (Wednesday).
   Both Bordentown squads are tentatively scheduled to compete in Saturday’s Hall of Fame Relays, but that could change.
   Both Bordentown track teams are scheduled to host Burlington City on Tuesday.
   The Florence Township Memorial High School boys’ varsity track and field has always had good throwers with Mike Flynn at the helm. And this year shouldn’t be any different with Andrew Cipriano and Joey Fitzpatrick both back for the field events.
   However, Abree Jones may be the athlete to watch because he is an incredibly skilled jumper.
   Florence’s returning varsity athletes are as follows: Andrew Cipriano (a senior javelin thrower), Joey Fitzpatrick (a senior shotputter), Reece Woolston (a senior middle distance runner), Daniel Starkey (a junior distance runner), Jim Karwacki (a sophomore hurdler), Dave Havens (a senior sprinter), Zach Rinaldi (a senior sprinter), Jared Schuster (a sophomore sprinter), Abree Jones (a junior jumper), Francis Ugowe (a senior middle distance runner), Kyle Carlson (a sophomore javelin thrower) and Kyle Schaefer (a sophomore javelin thrower).
   Senior Ryan Arroyo is a powerful athlete who should be a strong thrower. Justin Stone, a freshman hurdler, is another solid addition to the Flashes’ lineup.
   The Flashes boys’ team beat Riverside on Tuesday while the girls’ squad lost. Both Florence teams (boys and girls) are scheduled to compete in the Hall of Fame Relays at Maple Shade on Saturday.