By: Sean Moylan Sports Writer
While Florence Township Memorial High girls’ varsity track and field has had some great athletes over the past decade, this year’s club is probably one of the deeper and more balanced units the Flashes have ever had.
“All the way around they all have good events,” said Florence’s girls varsity track and field head coach Rodney Roberson, who is in his 10th year with the Florence track program.
Last season Florence posted a 4-1 record in the Freedom Division and the team highlight of the season came when the Flashes placed first as a team at the divisional meet.
The Flashes should enjoy similar, if not more, success this season. In fact, in their first meet of the season on April 1, the Flashes crushed both Trenton Catholic Academy( 86-9) and Pemberton (63-28). Then the Flashes followed that meet up with a strong showing in the Hall of Fame Relays at Maple Shade on April 4th.
Competing in the small schools division, Florence placed second behind Willingboro in sprint medley relay race with a time of 4:51.20. Senior Talaya Loran had a big day for Florence as she placed fifth in both the long jump and the triple jump relay.
Florence junior Molly Fitzpatrick placed sixth in the triple jump, eighth in shot put and 20th in the discus relay.
Florence sophomore Claudia Shafer captured ninth place in the javelin, and junior Rene Connors placed 14th in the javelin and 17th in both discus and the shot.
Originally, Roberson’s girls track team going to compete in this past Saturday’s Moorestown Open, but the team decided to take the meet off instead.
“Because there’s only three of us coaches (for Florence boys and girls’ varsity track and field teams) it would have been too hard to split us up to cover everything at such a big meet,” added Roberson.
As usual, Roberson is handling the throwers on both the boys and girls squads while Ross O’Neill coaches the sprinters and Mike Flynn coaches the distance runners for Florence.
Junior distance runner Emily Ivins is coming off a sensational sophomore season. And Roberson and Flynn are expecting more of the same out of her this season. And everyone seems to be impressed with freshman hurdler, high jumper and sprinter Kristin Tully.
Senior Kate Dmitruck looks good. Moreover, Jennifer Allen, Hera Anasari, Kelly Brikowski, Kaitlyn Daley, Chakera Hightower, Elizabeth Jordan, Kacie Kellerman, Rebecca Krammer, Audrey Lee, Amanda Lutz, Jaclyn Mako, Brielle Myers, Destiny Reese, Sarah Rein, Kirstie Smith, Jennie Spadafora, Ashley Stoner and Meghan Weiser are all expected to make an impact on the team this season.
“It should be fun,” said Roberson.
Florence was scheduled to hosted Riverside this past Tuesday. Florence is scheduled to host Palmyra next Tuesday. Palmyra was the the only Freedom Division club to beat Florence last season so that should be a crucial meet for both teams.

