“The only place we took a hit was in the weights,” Burrell Track Coach Bob Kariotis mentions. He’s talking about the seniors Burrell graduated last year who were a big part of the shot-put and discus field unit of the track squad. Their success played no small part in the Bucs’ capture of the 2005 AA WPIAL Team Championship. “If we go deep [into post-season play], when you get down to the Final Four, you need that,” says Kariotis. “We have a nice crew of guys this year, but they are sophomores and freshmen.” The lack of experience could hamper the Bucs’ effort to repeat as WPIAL AA champs.

“That’s something very hard to do, to be first out of 88 teams,” Bob adds. However, Burrell may have just gotten a secret weapon: Buc football player Tom Shields. After sitting out the Fall football season with an ACL tear, Shields wanted to do track, but could not get medical clearance. As this article goes to press, it looks as if he’ll be able to be a part of the squad at shot-put. “We’re hoping we may get a little lift, if we can,” the coach says. It would come at a good time. The Bucs have already amassed an 8-1 record to seal at least a share of the section title and return to the team playoffs.

“We have a pretty good team. Almost the entire sprinting corps and hurdles returned this year,” Kariotis says. Some individuals are near or at the top of the WPIAL track times—such as Ryan Walsh (ranked first in the 1600m, and second in the 3200m) and Steve Carney (first in the 400m)—as well as well as two relay teams, the 4x1 and the 4x4, who have times in the top three fastest in the WPIAL. The 4x4 in particular will be impressive as the Bucs return four runners from last year’s WPIAL AA Individuals bronze medal squad: Carney, Tyler Henderson, Jordan Pisano, and Caleb Dunn. Burrell is going to face a lot of tough competition, but may have what it takes to return to the Final Four, and possibly even repeat as WPIAL champs. We’ll see what the other teams have to say about that. Meanwhile, here are the…

Others To Watch: Henderson, high jump, javelin, 4x4; Pisano, long jump; Dunn, 100m, 200m, 4x4; Carney, 400m, 4x4; Walsh, 1600m, 3200m; Grant Walters, high hurdles; Josh Menhart, 300 hurdles, 4x1, 4x4; Chris Betza, high jump; Ty Walters, pole-vault; Mike Fazzini, 4x1, 4x4;