Track teams finish in top five at SVCs

May 13, 2008 05:43 am

— SUNBURY -- Danville's boys and girls track & field teams both finished in the top five in the final Susquehanna Valley Conference Championships on Saturday in the first of the big postseason meets the next three weekends.
The DHS boys, anchored by five runner-up finishes, finished second to SVC-I champ Montoursville, the only team to beat them this season. The girls, led by Caitlin Cavanaugh's victory in the two mile, finished fifth.
Cavanaugh's win in the girls' 3,200 was the only victory for either team and it came in one of the tightest battles of the day. The senior, a two-time state medalist in both the two-mile and cross country, needed a late kick to hold off a pair of Lewisburg runners, Sophie Ziemian and Kiah Hardcastle. Ziemian and Cavanaugh were both faster than 11 minutes with Cavanaugh winning in 10:57.1, two and a half seconds ahead of Ziemian. Hardcastle was a close third in 11:00.9.
"That race was great preparation for next week and at states," said Cavanaugh. "I don't think I've been in a 3,200 this close since last year's state meet."
Danville once again had a strong showing in the field events on the girls' side, picking up six medals.
Senior Sarah Taylor finished fourth in the shot and discus. In the shot, DHS sophomore Abbi Woll was third with a throw of 33-feet, 3-inches, just eight inches ahead of Taylor's fourth-place throw of 32-7.
Taylor's throw of 98-feet in the discus was good enough for fourth as well with teammate Aimee Reinaker finishing sixth, just three inches back at 97-9.
Danville also got a pair of medals in the jumps with Adrienne Jantzi finishing fifth in the long jump (15-8 1/4) and Laura Umana fourth in the triple (33-5).
In addition to the field performances, all three of Danville's relays finished in the top six.
Woll and freshman Ashley Daniels also picked up individual medals as well. Woll was seventh in the 200 in 27.56 seconds while Daniels was eighth in the two-mile.
Danville's boys fell short of Montoursville for the final SVC title, just as they did in the regular season.
The Ironmen got runner-up finishes from five different athletes and third-places in four other events to garner 98 team points, behind only Montoursville's 131.
Leading the way for the Ironmen was senior hurdler Richard Smith, who was second in the high hurdles and third in the intermediates.
In the high hurdles, Smith finished in 14.93 seconds, behind only Keenan Michael of Montoursville. Michael also won the 300 hurdles were Smith was third.
Danville had a strong showing in the distance races where sophomore Chris Brandt took silver in the mile and junior Mike Davis was second in the two-mile.
In the 1,600, Selinsgrove freshman Vince Fadale edged Brandt by less than a second with Brandt finishing in 4:34.37. In the two-mile, Davis was second in 10:06.07 and sophomore Tylor Barnhart was fourth in 10:06.44. Brandt was sixth in 10:18.72.
Freshman Mikeal Owens-Wright also medaled in two events, finishing seventh in the 100 and third in the 400. In the 100, Owens-Wright crossed the line in 11.71 seconds, just a half-second out of first. In the 400, he was third in 51.83 ticks.
Danville was just as strong in the field, where Terry Dewalt and Holden Wallace earned silver medals and Jon Mrockosky was in the top eight in both jumps.
Dewalt's throw of nearly 50-feet -- 49-11 3/4 -- was good enough for second in the shot. Wallace was fifth.
Wallace and Jake Richardson finished second and third, respectively, in the discus. Wallace's throw of 137-9 was the second-best of the day and edged Richardson by an inch.
Mrockosky was third in the triple jump (42-1) and sixth in the long (19-11 Ā?). Teammate Aaron Clark was third in the long jump with a leap of 20-2 Ā?. Eric Ryman was seventh in the high jump while Kevin Black was fifth in the javelin.
The teams will now prepare for this weekend's District 4 championships, which are Saturday in Athens. The top two finishes in each event, plus anyone who meets the state qualifying standard, advance to states Memorial Day weekend in Shippensburg.
Softball
LEWISBURG -- Danville kept its playoff hopes alive heading into the final week of the season, scoring three quick runs and hanging on for a 3-2 win at Lewisburg on Saturday.
The win, the second in a row for Danville after seven losses in a row, puts the Ironmen at 7-10. Danville hosts Jersey Shore today and Line Mountain on Tuesday before closing with Mifflinburg. The Ironmen need to win all three games to reach the postseason.
Danville scored twice in the first inning and tacked on another run in the second and junior Angie Lynn made it stand up.
Lynn went the distance for the Ironmen, striking out six and scattering six hits.
Carrie Mensch doubled home a run in the first inning. To go along with her complete-game victory, Lynn also went 2-for-3.

Photos

Danville finalist Abbi Woll follows through on a throw during Saturday-s girls shot put event.