Panthers finish ’08 season
By JEFF FISHBEIN, Sentinel sports editor, jfishbein@lewistownsentinel.comArticle Photos
Not that there wasn’t some at Mansion Park — although only two Panthers were in serious contention for a trip to states, both distance runners. David Walters and Liz Fuoco finished second in their respective 1,600-meter runs. But only the winner, and other top runners who meet the state minimum in time or distance, get to continue.
“We have a small team, but they all work hard. It’s hard to see them work so hard and then come to districts and be so close to that next level,” Lepley said. “They all deserve it.”
Walters placed individually in both long runs, and was on the 4x400 relay, which scored as the seventh-place team. John Wileman and Abram Nace also placed in multiple events.
“(Walters) may not have got it here, but I know in the future he has enough dedication and enough motivation to get to the next level,” Lepley said. “He would do things outside of practice, and he came to practice prepared.”
Fuoco had the top two finishes among Lewistown girls, adding a third in the 3,200. Sarah Peters was fourth in both hurdle events, and ran on the 4x100 team, which managed a ribbon. Sawyer Welham also placed in both hurdles.
“With (Peters and Welham) it’s always a race,” Lepley said. “When (Peters) gets to the big meets, sometimes she tends to freeze up, but today she showed that she can hold it.”
Lepley, who said she knew change would not come quickly just because she was at the helm, sees the positive in the season that ended early for her team, and looks forward to the change in the future.
“I think we had a good season,” she said. “I think it’s always hard for kids to get a new coach. I think we’ve done well. I’ve learned a lot of things, things I want to work on, ways I can improve the program.
“I think that the group of kids that I had this year really helped me with that.”
