Gateway track teams itching to compete

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, April 6, 2018 | 11:00 PM

Cold temperatures, rain, wind and snow have messed with the early-season routines and schedules for the region's 100-plus high school track and field programs.

The Gateway boys and girls squads have had more than their fair share of practices altered because of the weather. A scrimmage with Hempfield and Connellsville was scrapped. Last week's section opener with Penn Hills was moved to April 23.

“We've all been in the same boat,” Gators coach Tom LaBuff said. “You do what you can to get a workout done. It's hard on everybody. It's frustrating. The kids have been ready to compete. That's just early-spring track in Western Pennsylvania.”

Gateway, with several athletes back who competed at WPIALs last year, was to host Plum and Woodland Hills in a section tri-meet last Thursday.

A home section meet with Central Catholic/Oakland Catholic was to be Wednesday. Both meets were to be contested after the deadline for this edition.

Gateway is slated to take part in the annual Tri-State Track Coaches Association meet Saturday at West Mifflin.

LaBuff said that meet is a good early-season benchmark for the teams as they move into the heart of their regular-season schedule.

“The boys team is pretty solid,” LaBuff said. “They have the potential to get better and better as the season goes on. They should be competitive in the section. There are some very strong girls performers.”

On the boys side, WPIAL sprint performers in sophomore Nana Adusepoku and senior Bobby Szatkowski return and hope to take their performances to the next level.

But, LaBuff said, the availability of senior sprinter Isaiah Cameron still is to be determined as he recovers from an ACL injury suffered during Gateway's football season.

“Isaiah might be able to begin training in a couple of weeks,” LaBuff said. “That's a tough injury to come back from.”

Derrick Davis had a breakout freshman football season, and LaBuff said he hopes Davis can do the same this spring in the sprints and the long jump.

“Derrick is a pretty strong and talented athlete,” LaBuff said. “It will be interesting to see how he handles the high school-level competition as he goes along this season.”

Szatkowski, Adusepoku, Davis, junior Courtney Jackson and senior Travis Thompson are expected to help power the 400-meter relay.

Jackson, a record-setter at wide receiver during the football season, also is back in the jumps. He earned a seventh-place WPIAL medal in the triple jump last year and hopes to have a successful run in the long jump this season.

Junior Elijah Lincoln and sophomore Jaquan Thomas are returning WPIAL competitors in the high jump.

Lincoln and Thompson also will be featured in the hurdles and long jump, respectively.

LaBuff said others who are expected to fill key roles in the boys lineup include senior Luke DiPalma (discus and javelin), sophomore Riley Pritchard (distance), junior Nick Grill (hurdles, high jump), junior Ali Aslam (400, 800) and freshman Matt Murphy (400, 800)

The girls team, LaBuff said, is not as deep as the boys, but he is counting on experienced leaders.

Junior Kianah Blakely-White just missed the finals of the 100 dash at WPIALs last year as she placed ninth, but she came back later in the meet and took fifth in the 200. LaBuff said she also hopes to run the 400 this year.

“With her talent, she will be competitive throughout the season,” LaBuff said.

Senior Taylor Tomman (400, 800) is a returning WPIAL performer.

LaBuff said senior Cierra Laspada is a leader and top performer in the distance events.

Sophomore Macey Crawford is at Oakland Catholic, and the 2017 WPIAL medalist left a void in the hurdles. But, LaBuff said, junior Mary Kromka, fresh off her WPIAL championship and PIAA finals appearance with the girls basketball team, is developing into a key competitor in the 100 and 300 hurdles.

Senior Maddie Cammuso is the lone girl with experience in the jumps.

“She will pick up some points in meets, and she also is a decent pole vaulter,” LaBuff said.

Freshmen Maria Subotich (distance) and Christabelle Livsey (hurdles) are expected to contribute right away.

LaBuff said the girls are strong in the throws, with juniors Shelley Jones (shot put, discus) and Sarah Corrie (javelin, discus, shot put). Both competed at WPIALs last year.

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Mlove_Trib.

Tags: Gateway