The Lake Orion High School Girls? Track and Field is off and running toward a great season.
That’s the word from Coach Sjonne Mitchell, who joins the Lake Orion Athletic community for her inaugural coaching season.
‘It’s been great,? she said. ‘I love being out there with the girls and seeing the improvements they’re making every day.?
The girls ran right past Clarkston with a score of 87-41 Wednesday, and also brought home a victory over Rochester Adams the previous week.
Tuesday, they were set to face off against Troy High School.
‘I graduated from Troy,? Mitchell said. ‘So it’ll definately be interesting. It’ll be a tough meet, but a good chance for us to go out and get some strong scores and some personal bests.?
Sprints, jumps and throws, she said, are looking good early in the season.
Team strongholds include senior Chiara Allen, all-state hurdler, and Lisa Galasso, who’s quickly coming up the ranks.
‘Lisa’s an all around great athlete,? said Mitchell. ‘She specializes in the long jump, but recently she’s been diving into sprinting and hurdles. We’re definitely excited about what she could accomplish out there with Chiara.?
Mitchell also said she’s looking to junior sprinter Alexandria Johnson to help lead the team, as well as distance runners Sydney Gutierrez, a senior, and freshman Kiana Brown.
‘I’ve also got Katie Osentoski (senior) and Linnea Berriman (junior) really stepping up on both shot-put and disc throwing,? she said.
Mitchell graduated from Troy High School in 2005 and in August 2009 completed her Bachelor’s of exercise science, with a minor in sociology, at Grand Valley State University, where she also served as captain of the women’s track and field team — and secured a school record.