Raiders runners-up at team finals

By SAM TALLARICO Eagle Staff Writer

May 14, 2004 Last Updated: January 06, 2005 12:14 PM High School

CANONSBURG - Sometimes second place is good enough.

The Seneca Valley girls track team placed second in their section this season, giving the squad its first trip to the WPIAL team playoffs in more than a decade.

After getting through the semifinals last week, the Raiders might have saved their best for last.

Seneca Valley knocked off Latrobe 89-61 and host Canon-McMillan 82-68, but lost to North Allegheny 99-51 to place second at the WPIAL Class AAA Team Championships Thursday.

North Allegheny defeated Latrobe and Canon-McMillan by identical 98-52 scores, and Canon-McMillan defeated Latrobe 77-73 for third place.

"I was very pleased," said Seneca Valley coach Wayne Roccia. "You can go from top to bottom and everyone on this team pitched in.

"It's tough to get out of our section. We came in here as an underdog and we ended up with second place in the district," Roccia added.

"It's an amazing feeling," said Raiders sprinter Ashlee Zinkhann. "The pressure was there, but we came here with our hearts. We came as a team and we'll leave as a team."

The Raiders received first-place finishes from Kim Chapman in the 300 hurdles (46.7 seconds), Ashley Turici in the javelin (121 feet, 2 inches), Anastasa Williams in the shot put (33-½), and Chelsey Pavlick in the high jump (5-2).

In two of those events, the Raiders took first and second place. Emily Ford was second in the javelin (102-7) and DaLynn Mills was second in the high jump (5-0).

The Raiders placed second in all three relays as well.

"I was impressed with Kim after the 100 hurdles," said Roccia. "To come back after the 100 to win that was a big boost for the team.

"Chelsey has come out of nowhere to become a first-place high jumper and win it all," he added.

Roccia told Williams before the event that she had to beat Latrobe and Canon-McMillan. As it turned out, she beat them all.

But the driving force behind the runner-up finish was the senior leadership that came through this season.

Some examples:

Zinkhann's efforts in the 1,600 relay as well as the 100 (third) and the 200 (fifth).

Brittany Cully rebounded from two stress fractures to return to running just two weeks ago.

"She didn't place, but gutted it out," Roccia noted

Susan Fletcher has been slowed by injuries and passed on Tuesday's WPIAL qualifiers last week so she could help the team Thursday.

"I was really disappointed," said Fletcher on the qualifiers. "I was hoping to do well and beat the school record, but it's all right. This was a good way to end the season."

"She was hurt, but she wanted to save everything for this," said Roccia.

Roccia said his coaching staff - Bob Harsh, Ray Peaco, Dan Sample, Craig Gehm, Jason Bell, Gar Bercury and Jeff Badger - was instrumental in the success of the team.

Finishing second place in the WPIAL was a fitting way to send out Harsh, who is retiring after 34 years and moving to Georgia.

"There were many years I thought we were the third best team behind North Allegheny and Butler," said Harsh, who works with the hurdlers and javelin throwers.

"This was one of those times we gotten to prove ourselves," he added.

Girls

Overall winners

Running events

100-meter high hurdles:

1-Katelynd McCelhaney (Canon-McMillan) 15.9;

100-meter dash:

1-Caitlin Hewitt (Latrobe) 12.3;

1,600-meter run:

1-Amy Ruffalo (North Allegheny) 5:16.5;

400-meter run:

1-Kelly Langhans (North Allegheny) 58.5;