The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 69

www.delawareonline.com FRIDAY, DEC. 7, 2001 THE NEWS JOURNAL HS7 Winter High School Preview HCTA meets Attacldni the track At Tower Hill Jan. 12 Jan. 19 Feb. 2 Feb.

16 State Meet At UD Field House Feb. 23 (tentative) iite Top 10 1. Dover i 2. Salesianum 3. William Penn 4.

Glasgow 5. Newark 6. Christiana 7. St. Mark's 8.

Hodgson 9. McKean 10. Brandywine State champions 2001 William Penn 2000 Glasgow 1999 Salesianum 1998 Dover 1997 Hodgson 1996 Salesianum 1995 Dover 1994 Glasgow 1993 Cape Henlopen 1992 Salesianum 1991 Seaford 1990 Detcastle 1989 Howard 1988 Howard 1987 Delcastle 1986 Delcastle 1985 Cape Henlopen 1984 Cape Henlopen 1983 Salesianum 1982 Howard Returning state champions (Individual events only) (I it ft jl 11 1 I and field McKean's Stifle always looking for another way to compete By JENNIFER JAVIER Staff reporter i Mandy Stille never met a track event she could not do Hurdles? Loves 'em. Long jump? Triple jump? Bring them on, High jump? Fine. Sprints? Sure.

Shot put? Hand her a weight The 800-meter run? Maybe, if you ask nicely. Winter track meets can be hectic for the junior from McKean, who always competes in the maximum four events. And while it seems she can do almost everything, Stille sticks to what she excels in: jumping. Stille scored the most points of any athlete at last year's indoor state meet at Tower Hill. She placed second in the 55 high hurdles and long-jump, third in the high jump and won the triple jump to ear a spot on the All-State team.

But her success is something of an accident. In the eighth grade, Stille's uncle introduced her to the track coach at Holy Angels. Track seemed to fit her she was long-legged and able to outrun most of her classmates during gym class. It turned out she was good at it. She won the long jump at CYO meets and even set a CYO record in the shot put "When I started running, I had no idea about anything in track," she said.

"I would just do whatever they wanted me to do. Coaches said to try the long jump and the shot put, and I thought 'This is kind of At McKean, Stille joined the track team and told coaches she was a shot putter. She worked on that for a month before coaches realized otherwise. "She wasn't great, but she did have that CYO record," McKean track coach David Byers said. "You look at her and don't think she's a shot putter.

So we moved her into jumping." Though Stille enjoys all the jumping events, hurdles are her favorite. A caricature drawing of her doing hurdles, done before she even thought about competing in track, may have foreshadowed that Also, hurdles were just that to her. It was the one event that she did not excel at right away "I had to work for it," Stille said. "When I did well, it meant so much to me. But I really had to sit back and think about what I was doing." Stille has found even more ways to prepare for this winter season, She joined the cross country team in the fall, mainly to build leg strength.

Though the longest event she had run before doing cross country was the 800, she managed to win some dual meets. Her newfound distance running prowess had people wondering if she would run distance events during the track season. "Ten laps for the mile and 20 for two miles? No," Stille said, laughing. "You just go around and around and around. The 800 is boring enough for me.

Let me get done as fast as I can. Let me feel the pain as fast as I can." But her versatility is key. She would like to become a heptathlete in college. Byers feels she is suited for it. 55 meters: Akeem Pierce, William Penn 55 hurdles: Odun Balogun, Dover 200: Jason Lilly, Dover 400: Jason Lilly, Dover The News JoumalGINGER WALL Jason Lilly Mandy Stille has found mastering the hurdles to be the biggest of her many challenges in track.

Long ump: Troy Dennis, Hodgson Triple jump: Troy Dennis, Hodgson Shot put Carlton Rose, William Penn Pole vault Randy Faulkner, Smyrna "She does do about anything and does about anything well," Byers said. "She's got a super amount of potential for doing the heptathlon. "She really could do any sport out there. We're just lucky she got directed into track." Competition aside, Stille also enjoys the social aspect of track. "You do run and beat people, but you can have a conversation with them afterwards," she said.

"When you're all stuck inside for 10 hours a day, you better learn to talk to other people." And while track keeps her busy, her life outside athletics is just as full. She is involved with the McKean marching band, jazz band and drama club and is a black belt in karate. "She's been a big part of this school, from all the activities she does," Byers said. "Initially, she came here as a super athlete, and now she's become a super role model and a super leader. She's a nice ambassador." fiflWBBB Top 10 Football will delay Dover's run for title New York to run at the Armory We go to George Mason.

Last year we went to Yale University, and we've been to Seton Hall." And while winning is nice, Solomon said he knows it isn't the only thing in indoor track. "A lot of times during the indoor season kids come out to get ready for other sports," he said. "I've just been fortunate that football coach Darwin Manges has worked well with me as far as allowing me to coach these guys on the track. "A lot of times, football coaches would rather have their guys hanging around the weight room to lift." Manges sent that compliment back toward Solomon. "There's no question that running track helps our speed on the football field," Manges said.

"I thank him for all the work he's done with these kids the past couple of years." The Senators, or at least some of them, get their first chance to run at George Mason on Dec. 15. But come Jan. 12 and the first Tower Hill meet, the entire squad should be suited up. Reach Mike Finney at 734-7945 or mfinneydelawareonllnecom.

"Right now, our coaches are going to give us a lot of time off," said Pierre Bowers, the Senators' workhorse running back who also runs track. "Four of our players probably won't come out until like January "So we're just going to rest until then for about a month. Then it's time to get on that track and take care of that thing." The Senators have taken care of it pretty well the past couple of seasons, scoring a pair of runner-up finishes as a team at the state indoor meet. Dover's runner to watch is senior Jason Lilly, who has won seven indoor track titles over the past two seasons. He is a wide receiver for the football team.

Lilly won several gold medals last year. At the state meet, he won in the 200-and 400-meter sprints. He also anchored the Senators' winning 4 200 relay team. Senior James Moore and soccer standout Odun Balogun add depth in sprints and relays for Dover. Besides the NC5TA battles at Tower Hill School on Saturdays throughout the winter, Solomon said his team gets many chances to show off its speed elsewhere.

"We go to the Tower Hill meet," Solomon said. "And with the help of the boosters and the administration at Dover High School, we have been able to go to By MIKE FINNEY Staff reporter DOVER The boys indoor track and field team knows where it stands when it comes to sports priorities at Dover High near the bottom of the list. So it does not bother coach Jim Solomon that many of his runners will get a late start to the season. They were out fighting for a Division I state football championship into December. "It doesn't bother me, because I know the kids love playing football and football's first, as far as the priorities are concerned for the school," Solomon said.

"That's just the way it is. "Football's No. 1, and then basketball. Track, as far as priorities, is sort of like next-to-last. Indoor winter track is pretty much last as far as priorities go." Once the bruises heal and the great run by the football team is realized, the Senators will return to the track in full force.

"Normally in the past the football season ended a little earlier," Solomon said. "They might have missed one week going into the start of the season." The football players will get a chance to rest a little between seasons. 1. Glasgow 2. Brandywine 3.

Ursuline 4. Caesar Rodney 5. McKean 6. Padua 7. Charter 8.

St. Mark's 9. Newark 10. Hodgson State champions 2001 Glasgow 2000 Dover 1999 William Penn 1998 William Penn 1997 Glasgow 1996 Delcastle, Glasgow 1995 Dover 1994 Glasgow 1993 Dover 1992 Dover 1991 Delcastle 1990 Delcastle 1989 Howard 1988 Howard 1987 Padua 1986 Padua 1985 Padua 1984 Padua 1983 Padua 1982 Howard Returning state champions (Individual events only) Special to The News JournaiDEE MARVIN Dover track coach Jim Solomon helps runner Richard Worley stretch. 55 hurdles: Kamilah Salaam, Glasgow 200: Kamilah Salaam, Glasgow Triple jump: Mandy Stille, -J Thomas (discus, Ben Taylor (distance, Outlook: Depth might hurt Eagles, but they do have some athletes among the best at their individual events.

Ursuline Top runners: Emily Cranston Stephanie Griffith Julia Janes Kathleen McLaughlin Susan Neumann Yoko 0'Donnell, Stephanie Smith Alanna Stewart Julie Taylor Maria Zamboni Outlook: Raiders are diverse, and though on the young side they'll have enough talent in all areas, from sprints to distance and field events, to be a top competitor for the state title. long jump, Colleen Reid (distance, Lauren Wallace (sprints, Christine Igo (hurdles, Beth Meany (distance, Deanna Epis-copo (mid-distance, Melissa Sabol (sprints, Meghan Plum-mer (sprints, Anne Hartnett (mid-distance, Outlook: Pandas won't have problem scoring points with skilled runners, especially in sprints and middle-distance races. Salesianum Top runners: Ryan Hamill (1,600, 3,200, Tom Lord (800, 1,600, P.J. Meany (1,600, 3,200, David Lobue (800,1,600, Gabe Gigliotti (shot put, Carl Hanson (200), Eric Brooking (400). Teams listed in alphabetical order.

Race distances in meters. Christiana Top boys runners: Matt Johnson (pole vault, Chris Cooper (shot put, Dustin Gordon (distance, Tim Bradley (mid-distance, Top girls runners: Phylicia Korzeniwsky (pole vault, Amber-lio Wheeler (pole vault, distance, Latysee McKinzie (mid-distance, Leia Harris (sprints, long jump, Outlook: Both Vikings teams will be able to grab points in the middle distance and distance running events and pole vault. The Vikings boys will rate among the better Blue Hen Conference teams. Outlook: Sals have a deep group of distance runners, and momentum from their championship in cross country should carry through to contention for a state title this winter. St.

Mark's Top boys runners: Chad Darlington, Zach Goiladay. Top girls runners: Caitlan White, Amy Meyer. Outlook: Boys team will be strongest in distance races with Darlington and Goiladay. Girls team will do well in relays. Smyrna Top boys runners: Randy Faulkner (pole vault, Shawn i Concord Top boys runners: John Carter (hurdles, Morrtell Owens (200, Top girls runners: Schachia Murphy (sprints, mid-distance, Ashley Judge (mid-distance, Katie Alexo (mid-distance, Liz Binter (mid-distance, Outlook: Girls team has several top-line runners who will earn the Raiders some big points, especially in sprints and some relays.

Boys team has plenty of returning runners to make its second year of competition a good one. Padua Top runners: Erin Lord (distance, Brittany Hackett (sprints, McKean High jump: Tara Boemmel, Kamilah Salaam Sussex Tech Shot put Lateefah Vaughn, William Penn.