Numbers can be misleading.

They certainly don't tell the story of this year's Moniteau girls track and field team.

Though the Warriors fought small numbers all season long, it didn't stop them from making history.

With its 97-49 win against North Clarion last Tuesday, Moniteau claimed what is believed to be its first-ever conference title in girls track and field.

"The program started sometime in the mid-to-late 1960's," said Moniteau coach Sue Scialabba. "And we have records going back to the early '70's. I don't know of any other year in which (Moniteau) girls track won a conference title.

"We've been 5-2 a couple of times," said Scialabba. "But we never came that close to winning the conference."

Moniteau was a perfect 9-0 against Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference foes, but the team's first opponent did not wear the colors of a rival school. Rather, it was the small number of girls who decided to wear Moniteau's red and black.

"At first, we had about 25 girls," said senior javelin thrower Danielle Patterson. "But as that first week of practice wore on, several girls decided to quit."

"We ended up with 20 girls," Scialabba said. "But with injuries, we were usually down to 18 or so at meets.

"And we're used to having at least 30 girls," added Scialabba. "This was the first year we've been below 30."

Not surprisingly, the low numbers influenced the expectations placed on the team.

"We weren't expecting much," said Scialabba. "A .500 record at best, that's what we were hoping for."

It was a meet on April 20 against conference opponents Karns City and Clarion that changed all that.

The Warriors entered the meet with a 3-0 record and defeated the Gremlins (77-73) and the Bobcats (69-63).

The wins gave Moniteau much more than bragging rights over two conference opponents.

Karns City and Clarion are perennial powers in the KSAC.

"No one ever imagined us beating Karns City," said Patterson. "When we did, it showed that we were capable of doing something special."

"Karns City had 72 girls and we had 18," said sophomore Kendra Hall, who throws the shot put and discus. "It was unreal."

Aside from a close call against Clarion-Limestone May 4 (a 77-73 win), the Warriors dominated KSAC competition down the stretch.

One reason for the team's success in 2005 was the addition of assistant coaches Carrie Bullman and Jeff Bruner.

Bullman helps the team's throwers while Bruner works with the sprinters and jumpers.

"I had no technique (in the javelin) before this season," said Patterson. "But Coach Bullman has helped me so much.

"Our coaches are the reason we were able to do so much with such small numbers," said Patterson.

Scialabba deflects the credit for the team's success back to the team members.

"Even though we had small numbers, the difference was that they're all quality girls," she said. "The thing that stood out the most was their attitude. They wanted to prove to everybody that they could do this."

For junior sprinter Haley McFeaters, the one characteristic from this year's team she will remember most has nothing to do with the squad's record or a particular event.

"The friendships that have come out of it, that's what I'll remember," she said. "All the girls get along so well and support each other.

"I've never been on a team as close as this one is."

WARRIOR ROSTER

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Following are the 20 members of the Moniteau girls track and field team that recently won the first conference title in the program's 35-plus year history.

Seniors:

Jill Davis, Alison Metz, Danielle Patterson, Amy Randall, Chastity Wissinger, Nicole Young

Juniors:

Kristi Costa, Alyssa Deal, Amber Dillaman, Haley McFeaters

Sophomores:

Amanda Gladd, Amy Gladd, Hannah Glass, Kendra Hall, Samantha Kristufek, Cassie Wiest

Freshmen:

Nikki Deal, Michele Gebhart, Jamie Hilliard, Kayla Hogsett

Head coach:

Sue Scialabba

Assistants:

Carrie Bullman, Jeff Bruner