Athletes respond to practice
by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
Most athletes coming off a lopsided loss don’t show up at practice with a whole lot of bounce in their step the next day. Coaches usually need to work a little harder to get everyone back on the right track.
The Manville High boys and girls didn’t allow last week’s home track and field losses to North Plainfield bother them. In fact, the Mustangs were motivated by their performances in those defeats and came ready to work.
First-year head coach Pat Gorbatuk was more than happy to oblige, putting his athletes through a grueling workout that will help them continue shaving seconds and adding feet to their ever-improving times and distances. Although the MHS boys and girls could not compete with North Plainfield on the scoreboard, they did an amazing job setting new personal records.
”I tried not to overemphasize winning the meet,” Gorbatuk said. “We have to use these better teams to pull up our times. That part was pretty nice.”
There were many outstanding performances in the meet. Most of them weren’t good enough to win and some didn’t even score or place.
Eddie Yakobchuk stunned everyone with a 5-10 clearance in the high jump. Amazingly, that was only good for second place. Kate Harodetsky ran her fastest mile ever, hitting 6:11.7 to shave six seconds off her personal record from last year’s Central Jersey Group 1 Championships.
Courtney Brisebois had a great meet in the sprints, going under 14 and 30 seconds, respectively, in the 100 and 200 for the first time this spring. She won the 100 in 13.6 and took second in the 200 in 29.4.
Amy Evanylo and Sabrina Brozyna, who have emerged as a quality 1-2 punch in the hurdling events, ran new personal bests in the 400 hurdles. Evanylo hit 1:16.8 but that was only good for third place.
Both 4×400 teams ran their fastest times of the season. The girls’ team went seven seconds faster than their prior best at Mount St. Mary’s. The team of Anh Le, Christine Pohl, Evanylo and Brozyna won in 4:50.4. Gorbatuk is excited that all four of those young ladies are underclassmen.
The boys broke the four-minute barrier for the first time this season. Scott Alpizar, Devin Burke, Peter Hando and Matt Zangara placed second in 3:55.9. It probably helped that they were chasing a very impressive and fast North Plainfield team.
”I don’t know what was more impressive, the boys or the girls in the 4×400,” Gorbatuk said. “It’s amazing to see them cut so much time off. The girls were really excited about it.”
The Manville girls, who fell to 3-1 with the 111-31 loss, won just two events. Their other points came from seconds and thirds.
Christine Pohl continued her surge with two more personal records. She finished second in the 800 (2:46.5) and third in the 1,600 (6:20.2). Other MHS points were scored by Harodetsky in the 3,200 (2nd, 14:02), Le in the 400 (3rd, 1:08.3), Evanylo in the 100 hurdles (3rd, 19.8), Drina Hartman in the discus (3rd, 65-5) and Nicole Cruz in the triple jump (3rd, 26-10).
The MHS boys, who fell to 1-3 with their 125.5-14.5 loss, took first in only one event. Senior Billy Demeter hit 38-11½ to prevail in the triple jump.
Manville scored all but one of its points in the jumps. The Canucks ruled on the track and in the throws. Other MHS points came from Demeter in the long jump (2nd, 19-0), Dan Pierrot in the long jump (3rd, 18-9¼), high jump (3rd, 5-6) and triple jump (3rd, 35-7) and Scott Alpizar in the 400 hurdles (3rd, 1:05.8). Matt Zangara (55.0) and Devin Burke (56.1) ran great 400s but did not place against the speedy Canucks.
”They were pumped to come to practice after all those personal bests,” Gorbatuk said. “The kids came in with a little more confidence and belief in the system. I feel like what I’m doing is correct.”
The Mustangs worked much harder the day after the meet. Gorbatuk divided the athletes into two groups, with the jumpers, sprinters and throwers working out together and the distance runners doing a separate training session. Most of the team ran two sets of sprints ranging from 100 to 200 to 400, with four 100s, two 200s, one 400, then two more 200s and four more 100s before a seven-minute break and a repeat of the same series. The distance runners completed five reps of a one-mile lap around the school with five-minute intervals.
Gorbatuk expects the rigorous training to keep the athletes improving their times with a peak target of late May. He certainly doesn’t want them hitting the wall in April.
”We haven’t put in the work we’re capable of yet,” Gorbatuk said. “Right now, we’re trying to get them to have a positive student-athlete mentality and turn them into track athletes. We have to focus on that part of the sport. You have to bring your best effort every day.”
Last week, the Mustangs certainly were willing to do that even after a loss.

