Heading into the season, it was no secret that one of the Clarkston girls track team’s strengths would be its distance runners. But coach John Yorke got a pleasant surprise April 6. He found out his sprinters aren’t all that bad either.
‘We’re deeper in the sprints that I thought we were. The sprinters are really going to help us out and make us a good team this year,? he said with a smile the day after he saw his girls compete with Waterford Mott and Stoney Creek in an early season scrimmage. ‘It was a nice bonus for us to see those kids come out the way they did.?
Melissa Martinez, Sarah Jennett and Laura Kupe all got off to a good start, Yorke said. ‘They’ve all progressed sooner than I had anticipated,? he said.
Also making a positive early season impression on coach Yorke were hurdler and high jumper Jill Kouri and hurdler, sprinter and relay runner Stephanie Parkin. Parkin, Kupe, Martinez and Jennett combined on the 4×200 relay team and also drew praise from coach Yorke for their efforts.
‘It was good to see Jill start the way she did this year,? Yorke said. ‘She’s already improved her height from last year of five feet.?
In field events, Yorke said senior Megan Garett will be an asset at the shot put, which she is competing in for the first time this year.
‘She’ll be right in the mix of the league in the shot. For a senior to come in and pick up a new event, that’s a real bonus for us. That’s real nice to see,? he said.
Meanwhile, on the boys side, coach Walt Wyniemko said the scrimmage was a valuable learning tool for himself and his team.
‘We got to see how competitive we were out there,? he said. ‘We’re young and we’re learning. We know we’re going to have to have to work hard to attain some of the goals we have set for ourselves. It’s not going to happen overnight.?
Wyniemko said competing in the OAA I, arguably the toughest track league in the entire state, will force his team to progress at a rapid rate if it wants to be successful this season.
‘If you want to bark with the big dogs, you’d better be a pit bull.?
He said he was pleased overall with the performance of his shot and discuss throwers and he added his distance runners were getting better. However, he admitted his high jumpers, long jumpers and sprinters have a ways to go yet.
‘In this league, you have got to have some sprinters,? he said. ‘We’re going to have to put some time in there as well as the high jump and long jump,? he said.
The track teams will be off until they resume action at Rochester Adams in a three-way meet with Farmington Hills Harrison at 4:30 p.m. Clarkston’s next home meet isn’t until April 27, when they host Lake Orion and Troy at 4:30 p.m.