TRACK & FIELD PREVIEW
By: Rudy Brandl
Better depth, thanks to higher numbers and more quality, should make the Manville High track and field team more successful this spring.
The Mustangs missed a winning dual meet record by one point last year. They also fell short in a few other meets because there wasn’t enough depth to support the standouts that won events. It’s difficult to win without picking up some second and third places, but Manville expects to do much better in that area this year.
Second-year head coach Michelle Mongillo has 39 athletes in the co-ed program, with a healthy mix of 23 boys and 16 girls. There are enough girls for a separate gender team and Manville will compete that way against schools with enough female athletes. Most of the time, however, the meets will be co-ed.
Mongillo fully expects her team to improve upon its 4-5 record of last season. She has more athletes to cover the events and an exciting list of newcomers who should make an immediate impact.
Manville enjoyed some individual excitement late in the 2005 season when senior Armand Fodorean captured the Central Jersey Group 1 discus title. The Mustangs also lost multi-event standout Mike Andreyko to graduation. While it will be difficult to replace those guys, Mongillo believes her overall team will be stronger this season.
"Last year, we didn’t have a lot of second and third places," Mongillo said. "We have a lot more depth this year. We might get a first and a second or a first and a third instead of just getting a first. We have more talent this year."
Junior multi-event performer Mike Knitowski returns for his third season. Knitowski will be a factor in all jumping events, the 400 and the relay. Mongillo’s biggest problem with Knitowski is where to use him.
"He’s looking great," she said. "His goal for right now is 20 feet (in the long jump) and six feet (in the high jump). He’s been getting up there in practice."
Two newcomers are shaping up as key ingredients to this year’s team. Sophomore Sasa Todorovic, the school’s top cross country runner, and senior Rafal Brozyna will combine to cover a myriad of events. Todorovic may triple in the three distance events.
"He’s a strong runner and he loves to run," Mongillo said. "I hope it translates into success on the track. He just runs and runs. I’m sure it will pay off for him."
The versatile Brozyna gives Manville a presence in the speed events. He could make an impact in any sprinting or hurdling race.
"He’s a so versatile, he can do anything," Mongillo said. "He’s a senior and he never came out for track. He’s fast and he’s going to help us."
Manville appears to have the running and jumping events covered with Knitowski, Todorovic and Brozyna leading the way. The weights could be a question mark, but the return of junior Mark Manderski and addition of senior Josh Krantz will help the throwers provide points.
Manderski, who had a big season as the school’s heavyweight wrestler, hopes to carry that momentum into the spring. He’ll compete in the shot put, discus and javelin. Krantz will join him in the shot, while freshman Tim Santoro and sophomore Matt Kita will throw the discus and sophomore Chris Kocur will hurl the javelin.
Kocur will do his best work in the two hurdling events, where he made some noise as a freshman. Junior Leo Rodriguez is back in the sprints and jumps. Rodriguez will run the short sprints and compete in the long jump and triple jump.
Other MHS athletes who will contribute this year include sophomore Lukasz Bodganowicz (400, 110 high hurdles), junior Roland Yakobchuk (800, relay), junior Jack Calvo (distance), freshman Dan Pierrot (high jump) and junior Matt Golen (triple jump).
Mongillo also expects a handful of young ladies to contribute. That list includes junior Marzena Brozyna (sprints, hurdles), junior Gabriela Firak (distance), freshman Angelika Lazur (sprints, hurdles, high jump), sophomore Lucy Yakobchuk (long jump, sprints, hurdles) and freshman Casey Shields (long jump, middle distance).
Manville was scheduled to open the season with a Tuesday afternoon tri-meet with Oak Knoll at Bound Brook before hosting North Plainfield Thursday. The Mustangs have 11 regular season meets scheduled this year.
"I definitely want to get over .500 and I’m sure we will," Mongillo said. "I’m always stressing commitment to the kids. They’re hard workers and I always tell them effort will pay off in the end. They’ve been working hard. We have a good group of kids and I’m expecting big things."

