April 25, 1999

Pirates take Bill Krause Relays

By Ed Fox
Sports Writer

It was a fitting end to the 1990s for the Sandusky Perkins boys track team.

The Pirates won the Bill Krause Relays for the fourth straight year and fifth time in the decade with another impressive showing Saturday at Heidelberg College which hosted the meet for the third straight year while construction of a new track continues at Columbian Stadium. Perkins also has finished second three times during the decade.

"I guess you can say we ruled the 90s," said Pirate veteran head coach Jim Hauser. "I am really shocked at the way we competed. We competed in all areas. We were able to spread our athletes out and the way we won it is a complete surprise to me."

Perkins finished with 93.5 points which was well off the meet record of 137 scored by them in 1997. Sandusky was runner-up with 65 and Shelby was one back with 64. Columbian and Toledo St. Francis shared seventh with 42 points and Seneca East was 11th in the 16-team field with 34.

It was feast or famine for the Tornadoes, who took first in three events including a record-setting effort of 8:01.1 in the 3200 relay by Drew Hanley, Dan Moyer, Aaron Post and Jeremy Lynch.

"We knew they were capable of breaking it (the meet record)," said Columbian mentor Brian Jakupca. "All four of them had PR's (personal records) and they knocked a good six seconds off the old record. It won't be long until they get under eight minutes."

Columbian added two other firsts as Moyer, Nate Nahm, Hanley and Post teamed up for 10:53.6 in the distance medley and the trio of Wayne LeGrant, Todd Focht and Chris Brooks won the long jump relay with 61-9 1/4.

"We broke the school record in the long jump which goes back to 1980. Wayne was out there around 22 feet again which proves his 22-5 the other day was no fluke. Focht was over 20 feet and Chris really jumped well," said Japucka.

"All four kids had PRs in the distance medley and they were just two-tenths of a second off the meet record in that one," said Jakupca

The Tornadoes placed in four other events. The team of Josh Paul, Adam Powers and Craig Hill took fourth in the high jump (17-5), LeGrant was fourth in the 110 high hurdles (15.5) while the team of Dan Picciuto, Matt Martin and Logan Montz took fifth in the pole vault at 32-6 and the team of LeGrant, Brad Mesnard, Steve Lee and Focht took fifth in the shuttle hurdle relay with 1:04.3

"The showing in the pole vault and high jump were unbelievable. Picciuto led the way in the pole vault with 12-6 and Paul had a jump of 6-3 in the high jump. In the shuttle hurdles, three of the four guys had their best ever. Wayne did a nice job in the high hurdles and had his best of the year in the intermediates, but didn't place," said Jakupca.

Seneca East garnered its only first of the day in the 400 relay with a season-best 44.8 clocking by Scott Karr, Nick Cline, Mike Schoen and John Ball.

The Tigers also were second in two other events as the team of Josh Depinet, Kory Siesel and Jordan Schank combined for 35-6 in the pole vault and the team of Chris Biller, Morgan Gillett, Wayne Carrick and Scott Elmlinger had a 19:03.6 in the 6400 relay.

Seneca East was also third in the 800 relay in 1:33.3 with the team of Cline, Ball, Justin Ruffing and Jarrod Schaaf and Elmlinger was fifth in the 800 with 2:02.9.

"The kids really like this meet because it's close to home and they really had a nice effort," said Seneca East head coach Rod Schar. "We had a lot of PRs and the kids stepped it up a notch."

Although the 1600 relay didn't place, their time of 3:33.5 had Schar beaming at the end of the meet.

"That's the best time in that event in nine years and if they keep bringing that down, they will be going for a long time this year. The 4 x 200 relay tied the school record and our 400 relay really looked strong and that is their best time by two-tenths of a second.

"Depinet and Siesel never really got settled in for the pole vault and each cleared 12-6 which is below their season bests. I think the 6400 relay really got the kids excited. Elmlinger had a very good 4:35 split in that race and came back with a PR in the 800 later on. Carrick also had a PR in the 3200 with 10:19.7 and Justin Moomaw had a PR in the 1600 with 4:53," added Schar.

Ben Etchill and Rio Evans led the way for Perkins.

Etchill doubled in the 1600 (4:25.9) and 800 (1:58.1) while Evans won the high hurdles in 14.7 and was part of the shuttle hurdle relay which took first in 59.5. He was joined on the relay by Scott Roberts, Chase Owens and Swain.

"Rio and Ben had top-notch days for us," said Hauser. "Rio was the only one on the team to compete in four events and his time in the highs is a season best. Ben broke the record in the 800 and both of his times are also season bests. That was no easy double for Ben, but's he's shown he can handle it.

"We scored well in the field events and that was the key. We earned valuable points in the field events with the weight people doing well. This is always one of the most competitive meets we're in because of the number of Division I schools involved and it's very satisfying to take home the championship."