Despite having a smaller squad than in previous years, the Sacred Heart Saints track team will be sending seven athletes to the 2013 SHSAA provincials this weekend in Moose Jaw. With weather keeping the start of training season from going underway at the usual start of May, the commitment of the Saints runners to train inside during the winter paid off as the majority of Saints district success came on the track.
"The weather being on the ground into May was certainly a challenge," says Saints track coach Rachel Sterzuk. "Our runners running in the school during the winter curbed that, but in years where we see bad weather events like thros, pole vault, and high jump are where it is difficult to get in training," adds Sterzuk on the hard luck of having snow for so long this Spring.
Still with the challenge of bad weather and having a smaller team, the Saints sending of seven top two finishers to provincials this weekend will be deemed a success in any year as there will be a fair amount of green and gold represented at the event. In total the Saints racked up seven golds, nine silvers, and two bronze medals in addition to two aggregate awards for having the best female performer at the Midget girls level as well as the best Midget male.
Justine Zarowny led the way for the Saints at districts as she won gold in the 3000m and silver in the 400m, 800m and 1500m. She won the Midget Girls Aggregate Award for the top midget girl athlete at the meet, in a dominant display in the distance events and the long sprints, qualifying for provincials in all four events.
Jonah Sutter won triple gold to compliment Zarowny at the Midget level in the boys category. Sutter took gold in the Long Jump, 100m and high jump and also took a silver in the triple jump. He won the Midget Boys Aggregate Award for best athlete in his age group, sending him to Moose Jaw with confidence.
Rita Fetsch won one gold in the hurdles and took home silver in the 100m, 200m, and long jump. Rita was the runner up to the Senior Girls Aggregate Award with her performance of one gold and three silvers.
Allison Kruger won the silver medal in the senior girls' quadrathlon. The quadrathalon is a spinoff of the hept-athalon and decathalon events you would see in the Olympics. The quadrathalon is a four discipline event which consists of shot put, long jump, a 100m sprint and a 800m race.
Caleb Sutter, won gold in the Junior Boys long jump to advance to provincials and a bronze medal in javelin to round out his showing.
Christina Mentanko (junior girls) won gold in the 100m and silver in the 200m race to advance to the sprints in Moose Jaw. Evan LaJambe of midget boys won a bronze medal in the 3000m race to round out the Saints medal finishers at the two day event.
Of the athletes that she feels will have a shot to medal or finish highly in Moose Jaw, Sterzuk points to a group of three. "I have medal hopes for Jonah (Sutter), Justine (Zarowny), and Ritaq (Fetsch), as all three look strong heading into provincials," explains Sterzuk.
Sterzuk closed by mentioning that the Saints as a group performed well and that the quality of each track athlete was very strong.
