Philogene 4-time winner
ADAMS TWP — Oliver Philogene was leaving everything out on the track — and he wouldn't have it any other way.
At Friday's Mars Invitational, the Seneca Valley senior earned four first-place medals — including the 800 and a meet record in the 400 — in assisting the Raiders to a runner-up finish behind Fox Chapel.
“What a spectacular night,” Raiders coach Ray Peaco said. “A lot of that is what he's about. He's very unselfish. He really stepped up.
“He didn't have to run the (closing) 1,600 relay. He said he wanted to do it. That's a tribute to the kind of person he is,” Peaco added.
Philogene, along with Andrew Schroeder, Andrew Mascio and Madison Goodman, won the 3,200 relay (8:12.59) to kick off the track portion of the invite, then proceeded to win the 400 with a time of 49.55, then the 800 at 2:00.07, edging Trinity's Josh Urso (2:00.93).
“I wasn't looking to go out too hard in the 400,” said Philogene, who won the Track MVP honor. “I wanted to try and save some energy for the 800. I felt good when the race was over.
“I'm always looking to go first in every event. My main strategy, especially in the 800, is to pace off a guy, then go about the final 200 meters,” Philogene added.
Then came the 1,600 relay, a race that the Raiders have won the past three years, setting a meet record in the process each time.
“I felt great for the 4x400,” said Philogene, the anchor of the relay. “The adrenaline was pumping because it's the relay.”
He was joined by Forrest Barnes, Brad Banks and Andrew Schroeder, just the first time the foursome has run the race together in that order.
“(Banks) is only a sophomore and he ran a 52 (split),” Peaco said. “Forrest opened with a 55 and you could see he was tired from the 100 and 200 heats and finals and relay.
“Bradley had a 52 split, then Andrew, whose been out with a hamstring injury, runs a 52.
“And, once you give a clean handoff to Oliver with the lead, not too many people are going to catch him,” Peaco added.
Barnes did finish with a pair of runner-up finishes to West Middlesex's Clay Allen in the 100 (11.03 to 11.07) and the 200 (22.33 to 22.63).
Among the boys, the only other area champion came in the discus as Knoch's Andy Tuzikow placed first with a throw of 154 feet, 3Z\x inches and also finished second with a 49-11 in the shot put.
Both results were personal bests for the Knoch senior.
In winning the discus, Tuzikow had to hold off some stiff competition.
Riverview's Nick Delmonaco, who won the Field MVP award, was right behind at 153-1¼ and Wheeling Park's DeWanya Neal at 152-5.
“Right now, in the shot put, I'm working on getting to 50,” Tuzikow said. “In the discus, I'm four feet away so whatever the day brings, I'll go with it.
“I'll let the distance come. Whatever happens, happens,” Tuzikow added.
