On Your Mark!

Last season, the boys track team just had IT. At least that’s what Big Mac Coach Mike Koot believes.

WPIAL AAA champions in 2010, the Canon-McMillan boys had a mysterious and tough-to-define quality that led them to perform at their best when the stakes were raised. They went 15-0 on the season, but also stepped up and had better showings in dual rather than single meets.

That was never on display at a more appropriate moment than when the Canon-McMillan boys clinched their WPIAL title last year in the final event of the meet—as the Big Macs 400-meter relay team beat out

Hempfield by five seconds to take the meet.

“They were probably more motivated to do it for the team than for themselves,” Koot said. “As a result, they were undefeated and the best team in school history.”

Turning the page to 2011, the Big Macs have plenty of returning members from that historic team, and again have high goals for the season. And much like last year, Canon-McMillan can again turn to its 400-meter relay team as a major strength — a team that will settle for nothing for nothing less than the successes it experienced last season.

And the Big Macs will get to take their first steps toward matching
that level of performance when the Canon-McMillan track team opens its season today at Chartiers Valley at 3:30 p.m.

“WPIAL champs,” junior 400-relay member Justin Gibson said when asked of his team’s goals. “I’m going to be disappointed with anything less.”

Gibson is joined on this incarnation of the 400-relay by Ryan Davy, as well as by returning runners Kenyassa Brown and Luke Martin. And the relay team is already putting up big numbers — breaking the school record during the indoor season this year at the state meet by turning in a time of 3:29.44.

And as Gibson so bluntly stated, the relay team is holding itself to a high standard while they look to repeat. “We work hard, and we’ve been together for a while now,” Brown said. “We push each other. We don’t let each other slack off.”

He continued: “It’s going to be a struggle, but I think we’ve got it.”

The Big Macs’ 400-meter relay team doesn’t stand alone either. Alex Adams returns as a standout short sprinter in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, while Michael Burchesky will look to improve on an impressive freshman season in the hurdles events.

And then there’s Shawn Johnson.

A junior, Johnson broke the school’s record in the triple jump this winter at the WPIAL indoor championships. His mark of 45-8 was well beyond the previous record of 43-11, and he expects to continue improving as his technique becomes cleaner this season.

“All of us just have to go all out in every meet if we want to see the success we did last year,” Johnson said.

On the girls’ side of the equation, Koot has the numbers and, while many are young, Koot believes they are ready to contribute nonetheless.

Koot pointed to the girls’ 400-meter relay as a contender, as well as Brianna Iannarelli in the 800-meter run and mile run, and the girls' javelin crew of Taylor Slaney, Mira Carrozza and Anna Lombardo as others to watch for this season.

“We’ve just had kids that are willing to work very hard. You can’t ask much more than that,” Koot said. “But we’ve been blessed with good athletes too. They want that success, and they’re willing to work for it.”