Red Devils will go the distance this spring
SPRING VALLEY — With some top returning talent in the mid-distance and distance races, including the area’s top long-distance runner in junior Scott Janusick, Hall boys’ track coach Rob Malerk says this year’s incarnation of the Red Devils track squad’s strength will be in the middle to long distance events.
“Our strength is the 400 on up. The 400, 800, mile and two mile are probably our strongest events,” said Malerk.
Leading the way for the Devils’ distance crew is junior Scott Janusick, who qualified for state in both the mile (4:38.25) and two mile (9:56.45), finishing tops in the area and capturing NCIC Lincoln titles in both races last year.
Senior T.J. Mosbach (400, 800, mile, two mile) and junior Anthony Urbanski, who finished tops in the area in the 800 (2:00.76) last year, qualifying for state, will add some more punch to the Red Devils distance crew.
“I’m looking for a lot of things from those guys,” Malerk said. “They’re all hard workers, they all have their goals set already.”
One of Hall’s top sprinters this season will be junior Bryce Quinn, who will also pole vault and triple jump for the Red Devils. Quinn finished on the BCR Honor Roll in the 200 (24.1) last year, and will look to shave some time off this spring. Junior Wayne Merkel (100, 200, 400) will return to the Hall track team, as well, after taking his sophomore campaign off. Freshman Landon Picatto (sprints, pole vault, triple jump), who Malerk said will be the Red Devils’ “utility guy” and Michael Gray (sprints, long jump), should also figure into the sprint mix as well.
Junior Austin Helm, who was fifth in the area in the shotput (42-8 1/2) and discus (130-8) last year, will lead up a weight crew that includes fellow discus honor roll member senior Tyler Sobin (124-02), and senior Ausin Urbanski as well as new recruit junior Frankie Alfano, who Malerk said is “strong as an ox,” and learning proper form.
The high jump will be led by freshman Taylor Steele, who Malerk said has been improving drastically early in practice. Sophomore Austin Pelszynski and Gray are looking to contribute in the long jump, and sophomore Nathaniel Kingry will run both the 110 and 300 hurdles.
The Red Devils’ premiere relay should be the 4x400.
“I have five or six people I can put in at any time, and they’re all going to come out with even times,” Malerk said. Figuring into the 1600 relay mix will be Merkel, Mosbach, Picatto, Quinn, Steele and Anthony Urbanski. “Each one is running under one minute, and we’re just going to get stronger and faster,” Malerk said.
Juniors Brett Herrmann and Juan Vera will, who Malerk said have been working hard this spring, will figure into the 4x800 relay mix as well.
Also expected to contribute to this year’s Red Devils are freshmen Zach Croisant (mid-distance), Kyle Cruze (mid-distance), Kyle Elam (sprints, high jump), Joseph Parochetti (distance), juniors Matt Eilers (sprints, relays), and senior Gabe Leonard (weights, sprints).
