The Tyrone track and field teams take the field today at home against Southern Huntingdon. Meet time is set for 4 p.m. for the opener against the Rockets.
The Eagle boys squad returns 15 lettermen from a 7-2 mark in 2004, that should be competitive and successful. Last year, the only dual meet losses for Tyrone were to Penns Valley and Bellwood-Antis, the Mountain Athletic Conference Divisions 3 and 4 champions. The loss to the Blue Devils was by only six points.
Terry Tate and Ron Miller (throws), Billy Dean (sprints and jumps), Justin Wilson and Brad Schmidt (hurdles), Dave Miller (pole vault), Nathan Barber (middle distance), Chris Bradigan (sprints), Trey Brockett (jumps), Aaron Houck (distance), Adam Shaffer (javelin), Eric Sweet (distance), Leonard Wilson (jumps and sprints), Robert Gherrity IV (middle distance), Donnie Conrad (pole vault, 400) and T. J. Albright (distance) lettered in 2004 and give the Eagles a very solid nucleus from which to begin.
Lucas Green, Trent Smith, Robert Waite, Johnny Barlett, Russell Beck, Solomon Beck, Evan Beebe, Johnathan Bishop, Chris Closson, Jason Reese, Justin Schopp, Tyler Hoover, and Philip Kreckel also return to bolster the Tyrone teams hopes and newcomers Caleb Dillon, Chris McCaulley, Ethan Nulton, Garrett Ray, Dustin Rudasill, Jamar Stansbury and Shayne Tate will get experience and help out as well with depth.
“We have quality returning lettermen,” said Tyrone coach Tony Yaniello, who has compiled a record of 186-49-2 with the boys team in 27 years, “ including standout sprinter Billy Dean, hurdler Justin Wilson, jumper Leonard Wilson, shot putter Ron Miller, discuss thrower Terry Tate, javelin thrower Adam Shaffer, distance runners Nathan Barber, Russell Beck and Aaron Houck and pole vaulter David Miller.”
The Tyrone track and field team will greatly miss Tom Crowl, an All-Star in the 400 run and long jump and the top scorer in the Mountain Conference with 154 points. Crowl was unbeaten in the 400 by any Pennsylvania foe up to the PIAA State Meet, bagging a District VI-AA title along the way. Ron Miller (shot put), Leonard Wilson (triple jump) and Adam Shaffer (javelin) joined Crowl as Mt. Conference All-Stars. Justin Wilson (108 points) was the league’s number five scorer and Billy Dean (102) was number seven.
In addition to Crowl, Justin Clark, Dan Domenick, Evan Stover, Billy Schreckengost, Chad Barto, Adam Hoover and Matt Wheland also graduated.
“We should be competitive in both the MAC and Mountain Conferences and hope to get a few individuals to the state meet. Our distance runners need to show an improvement. They were all very young and inexperienced last year, but now have a year of experience.”
Tyrone has won nine Mt. Conference championships, including the first title in 1971 and four of five in 1979, ‘81, ‘82, and ‘83. The Eagles most recently won with a title in 1995, and two in a row in 1999 and 2000.
Yaniello also has coached the Tyrone girls team for five years. He is assisted by Steve Everhart, Mark Mitchell, Luke Rhoades, Darren Elvey, Lisa Ingle and Russ Bachman.
The biggest problem for the Lady Eagles has been a lack of warm bodies. Conference All-Stars Emily Ingle, Emily Lloyd (long jump and triple jump) and Emily Ingle (400 and 800) were both double All-Stars, but the Tyrone girls were able to provide no depth whatsoever and dropped all nine of their duals. Lloyd was the number seven scorer among girls in the Mountain Conference.
The Lady Eagles return nine letterwinners from the 2004 squad, including just one senior, so hopes are bright for this year and for the future. Katie Whitby (sprints, pole vault), who doubles as a starter on the Tyrone girls softball team is the only senior. Junior letterwinners are Paige Black (sprints), Marissa Hoover (sprints, throws), Emily Ingle (distance), Emily Lloyd (hurdles and jumps), Ashley Turnbaugh (throws), Kairann Isenberg (throws) and Samantha Friday (jumps and sprints) and Amber Davis (sprints) is the lone sophomore returning letterwinner.
Upcoming athletes for the Tyrone girls include Nicole Cartwright, Heather Snyder, Sarah Reitz, Ashley Ripka, Katie Schreckengost, and Elizabeth Tepsic, along with freshmen Kayla Corle, Sarah Cox, Felicia Fisher, Sarah Halter, Heather Hewitt, Jessica Miller, Alexis Murray and Stephanie Ditty.
“Our junior class is our main strength after lettering two years and gaining experience,” explained coach Yaniello. “Conference All-Stars include Emily Ingle, Emily Lloyd and Marissa Hoover. Numbers, especially numbers of experienced athletes are still a concern, although our numbers are much better than last year. We will be more competitive this year with the numbers that we now have to fill the events.”
