The sting of victory

By MIKE KILROY Eagle Staff Writer

April 30, 2009 Last Updated: April 30, 2009 03:26 PM High School

Freeport's Fred Bartell throws the javelin in the WPIAL class A team semifinals at Mars Wednesday. The Yellowjackets boys rolled to victories over Freedom, Rochester and Charleroi and will appear in next week's finals.

Yellowjackets rip foes in Class AA track semifinals

ADAMS TWP — As the Freeport boys track and field team marches toward May and the beginning of the individual season, the Yellowjackets still have their eyes on a team prize.

Freeport dominated its three opponents at Mars High Wednesday, downing Freedom 100-50, Rochester 110-40 and Charleroi 135-15 in the WPIAL Class AA semifinals.

The three wins land Freeport in the WPIAL finals next Thursday.

"Our goal every year is to get here, to get to the playoffs and get to the finals," said Freeport coach Bill Dillen. "Last year, our girls got to the playoffs and lost in the finals and our boys were young last year. We knew we could possibly make a run at it this year."

Balance has been the key for the Yellowjackets and it showed up again Wednesday.

Nine different Freeport boys won at least one event and Yellowjackets also peppered the other places in the meet.

"There's no one outstanding, but one time someone will pick us up and another time someone else will," Dillen said. "When we won back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003, we were very balanced."

Freeport swept the relay events and freshman sprinter Marcel Ittner swept the 100- and 200-meter dash events.

Nick Gentile also won both the 800 and 1,600 for Freeport.

Gentile said he and his teammates put a lot of stock in team accomplishments, even though, as the calendar nears May and the unofficial start of the individual season, the emphasis begins to shift.

"It's very important to us," Gentile said. "Even today, we had guys step in and run the relays. We have a lot of good people in a lot of events. We all compete very well."

Dillen said the WPIAL team playoffs go hand in hand with the individual season.

"I like the competition, No. 1," Dillen said. "We use these as workouts. We won't kill them (today). We'll rest 'em, then they'll have prom on Friday and we'll come back Monday, work hard, and go to the qualifiers. We'll use next Thursday as a workout, too."

Freeport 100, Freedom 503,200-meter relay: Freeport 8:39;

110-meter hurdles: Rigler (Fdm) 16.4;

100-meter dash: Ittner (F) 23.2;

1,600-meter run: Gentile (F) 4:39;

400-meter dash: Sauers (Fdm);

400 meter relay: Freeport 45.6;

300-meter hurdles: Zigler (Fdm), Teorsky (F) 43.4;

800-meter run: Gentile (F) 2:03;

200-meter dash: Ittner (F) 23.2;

3,200-meter run: Cantella (Fdm) 10:54;

1,600-meter relay: Freeport 3:39

High jump: Simpson (Fdm) 5-8;