The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
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Another strong season 'afoot'
Both teams will enter their season with All-State sprinters
By Jerry Hinnen, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: April 3, 2008
Over the past several years, few — or no — high school track programs in Michigan have been as consistent — or as good — as Saline's.
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It's not likely 2008 is the year that changes. Both the Hornets' boys' and girls' teams will enter their new season with All-State sprinters, talented field athletes, and potentially the deepest corps of distance runners in the state.
"If you look at the average finish at the boys' state finals this decade, ours is the highest in the state," said Allan Leslie, who has taken over full boys' head coaching duties after serving as co-head coach alongside Brian Boze last year. "With that and what the girls are doing, there's a lot of history that tells our kids how special a program this is."
The biggest factor in Saline's consistency, Leslie said, is an "All-Star lineup" of coaches that includes, among others, the state-title-winning Boze, Saline institution Jack Crabtree and new this year longtime Ypsilanti girls' head coach Tom Micallef, who will coach hurdles.
"We're lucky to have him," Leslie said. "He's going to make what I think was already the best coaching staff in the state even better."
But success also takes talent, and for the Saline girls that starts with 2007 3,200-meter relay state champions Alex Leptich, Meagan Creutz, Kate Carter and Lindsey Cummings, all four of whom are returning to defend their title — and more — in 2008.
Saline promises to be much more than just that particular foursome, however. School 100- and 200-meter dash record holder junior Corrie Castro will look to bounce back from a recent bout of mononucleosis to again anchor as many as three Saline relays and repeat her All-State finish in the 200.
"She's one of the best sprinters in the state," Smith said. "She's a big, big part of what we do."
Although the loss of multiple senior sprinters like Kim Miller-Tolbert will force Smith to "rebuild," in his words, around Castro in the 400- and 800-meter relays. Junior Taylor Franz and sophomores Lauren Zakrasjek, Rachel Nyberg, and Karen Gallardo will give Smith several solid options.
Add in even more distance depth in the form of cross country veterans Rachel Jackson and Erin Dowling, and a greater presence in the throws thanks to freshman Emily Everett —sister of 2007 All-State shotputter Joe Everett — and Smith believes his team might have the weapons to unseat defending state champion Ann Arbor Pioneer.
"We're not conceding anything to Pioneer," said Smith, whose team finished runner-up to their rivals in Southeastern Conference and regional competition last year before taking third at state.
The Saline boys finished just outside the state top 10 in the Hornets' defense of their 2006 state championship, but Leslie thinks the Hornets can make an immediate return to state contention this season.
"Our goals are the same: to win the league, to win Regionals, and go after the highest place at state we can get. Those haven't changed," Leslie said. "We're excited about what this team can do. I think there are four teams out there that could compete for a state title, and I think we're one of those four."
The Hornets will have to improve without departed All-State hurdler Branden Post or the aforementioned Everett, but there's plenty of firepower still returning, starting with the same distance crew — seniors Blake Johnson and Brian Hernandez, and juniors Tommy Hunt, Brian Conn and Daniel Filipsson — that took Saline to a state runner-up finish in the fall cross country season.
"I think they're the strongest group in the state," Leslie said. "Coach (Carl) Spina has done a terrific job with our distance program."
But as with the Saline girls, the boys won't have problems scoring outside the distance events, either. The 2007 state discus qualifiers, juniors Quinn Dawson and Gabe Helmuth, each return to continue Saline's recent dominance in the throws. Senior Sam Burchyett will likely anchor the team's sprint relays and score in both the 100 and 200 dashes, helped by juniors like Travis Owens and Marcus Johnston.
Leslie is also confident state long jump qualifier senior Drew Jurgenson and junior high jumper Tyler Olsen can give Saline a further boost in the field events.
Leslie believes, too, that the Hornet roster is deep enough that someone not yet a star will emerge as a difference-maker for the team.
"Someone always steps up, someone always has that surprising year," he said. "It's just a matter of who's going to take on that challenge and come up big for us."
Weather permitting, Saline will open its 2008 campaign in a home dual meet against Dexter 4 p.m. Wednesday.
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