First-year coach expects boys’ weight team to be Allentown’s strength.
By: Kyle Moylan
Once the Allentown High School boys’ track team manages to get everyone together, it should be very good. It’s just a matter of getting everyone together.
"We have over 40 kids, but we can’t get everyone to practice," Allentown Coach Art Raike noted. "Being Easter week, half the kids are on vacation."
This left Allentown a little short-handed for its meet this past Wednesday against Ewing and Hightstown. But once they all come back . . .
"We have good senior leadership," Raike said. "As the season goes on, we’ll get better. I don’t know how good we’ll be."
Raike, in his first year as coach, expects the weight team to be Allentown’s strength. This weight team features one of Allentown’s captains, senior Mike Nemeth. Also throwing the shot, javelin and/or discus are seniors Dan Gentz and Billy Hincher, junior Chris Cyeak, sophomore Dave Nicholson (who will also do sprints) and freshmen Dan Walters and Devon Yaeger.
"Our weight team is the best part of the team," Raike noted. "Next to the weight will be the distance guys."
The distance team features Scott Vorwerk, a cross country standout and another of the four captains. Raike looks upon Vorwerk as almost another coach out there.
Other standouts among the distance runners are juniors Pat Mazzella and Brian Mayer (who also does pole vault), sophomore Tim Crotchfelt and freshmen Angelo Piccdella, Joe Pepitone and Eric Smith.
In addition to Mayer, junior Dan Briar (long jump and high jump) and freshman Sean Graney will also compete in the pole vault.
Junior Charles Rini, another captain, does a little of everything. He’ll compete in the 400, 800, long jump and high jump.
"He’s just a good athlete," Raike said. "He could do the 100 if he had to."
Sophomore Vino Davis, another captain, also is very versatile. He’ll compete in the long jump, high jump, hurdles and sprints.
Other individuals who should help out the team are senior Mike Demingo (jumping events and sprints) and sophomore Mike Aldrich (long jump).
If it gets enough athletes back from vacation and illness, Allentown would be competing at the Hall of Fame Relays in Bordentown this Saturday. Allentown will also be at Notre Dame on Wednesday to face off against the Irish, Lawrence and McCorristin. With no home track, all of Allentown’s meets will be away this season. The track is in such poor shape, in fact, it’s not even up to providing good practices. A new track is in the works for next season, though.
That’s next season. This season along with assistants Matt Nemeth (weights) and Anthony Powell (hurdles and sprints) Raike and his athletes will just have to make themselves at home on the road. Raike, for his part, has already been very impressed by the members on his team.
"I’m a football guy," Raike said. "I’m starting to realize how tough these guys are. I’ve been very impressed."