Auroraadvocate.com - AHS boys track season produced many highlights

by Ken Lahmers

Editor

Aurora -- Breaking three school records, winning the Aurora Invitational and finishing second in the Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division meet were among the Greenmen boys track team's highlights for 2009.

"Although it was frustrating for the seniors not to win the CVC or get anybody to Columbus, it was a great season," said coach Mark Dingman.

The team did manage to qualify some athletes for the regional meet in only its second year competing in Division I.

"We would've liked to get some guys to Columbus, but we're still making the transition to Division I," noted Dingman. "It's tough when you're a small Division I school."

Dingman said the team had to deal with an "inordinate amount of injuries and issues" this year. "That sometimes happens, and it's something you have to deal with," he said.

Out of 17 events which take place at regular meets, Dingman said the senior group which just graduated set school records in eight of them.

Records set this year included Dee Brizzolara in the 300 hurdles (Matt Shanholtzer set the previous mark in 1990), Adam Bellamy in the shotput (wiping out Chris Mester's 1977 mark) and the 4x200 relay crew of Dave Moore, Steve Snyder, T.J. Pegram and Brizzolara.

DINGMAN SAID the 4x200 group, which has consisted of different athletes over the years, has set new records several times since the event was added to the boys' lineup five or six years ago.

The victory in the Aurora Invitational went down to the 4x400, the last event. Although the Greenmen did not win the race, they beat Chagrin Falls to overtake the Tigers in the final standings.

"It was the third time our seniors won the Aurora Invitational; they did not win it as freshman," Dingman said.

The coach also was pleased by "solid performances" at the Avon Invitational, which the team competed in for the first time and took second place.

"Although we had only one or two individual champions there, we earned a lot of other points, even though one relay team dropped the baton," he said.

Bellamy's 52-foot-plus shot throw in the district meet was the first time an AHS athlete won a district event, according to Dingman.

The coach said AHS will lose "an outstanding group of sprinters," but will have some talented ones coming back.

The losses include Brizzolara, Andrew Krieger and Moore. Krieger battled an injury this spring and saw very limited action.

Aurora has had a tradition of fielding good distance runners, but Dingman said that area was a bit weak this season. The positive part is that most of the distance men will return.

"What I'm excited about, too, is that some former soccer players say they will run cross country in the fall and then be part of the track team next spring," Dingman said.

THE COACH said the team will have to work hard to replace Brizzolara and Frederick Frantzen in the hurdles. "Alex Kovalik is capable of stepping in and doing well," he added.

Dingman also said the team was a little weak in some field events this spring.

Shotputters/discus throwers Bellamy, Rob Kirk and Danny Myers have graduated, making it a tough task to find replacements next year.

Some prospects will be Mikael Fadoul, Matt Stepanek and J.T. Haughey, according to Dingman, who also is looking for improvement from Trent Brennan, who went over 11 feet in the pole vault.

"We'll have to grow some leadership next year from some younger guys," Dingman said. "But I'm very, very up about the prospects. I believe they can live up to their abilities."

The coach also expects a few incoming freshman to lend strength to the team. However, he said a couple of talented eighth-graders will transfer to other schools.

He also expects some of this year's freshmen, who didn't come out for the team, to do so next year.

As for Aurora's opponents, Dingman said Kenston "will be loaded" next spring and probably will be the favorite to claim the CVC Chagrin Division crown again.

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