“It was a pleasant surprise,” responded Deer Lakes Track Coach Lou Nellas. He wasn’t talking about the school’s new track. No, he was talking about the Lancers’ boys’ track team, undefeated during regular season. “We had a real solid team last year, but lost lots of seniors,” Nellas says. “We had a good nucleus coming back, and some good freshmen coming in. Then we had some upper classmen who came out for the first time who helped out.”

The Deer Lakes Lancers clenched the section title in track for the first time in the school’s 33-year history. They are led by, among others, by members of a 1600m-relay squad who currently has the fastest WPIAL time, and just set a new school record in that event. They also help to form a 400m-relay unit who broke a school record. Nellas says, “They’re in the thick of it.” Members of both units include senior Emery Persinger (a WPIAL medalist last year), senior Nick Latronica, and Brian Becker (a sophomore who recently broke a school record.) Senior Bill Holtz is fourth man on the 400 and senior Brian Haschke and junior Steve Craven battle for the number four on the 1600. They help form a nucleus for the Lancers that likely go far in the post-season and be among the…

Others To Watch: Persinger, 300 hurdles, 400m & 1600m relays, captain; Latronica, 400m & 1600m relays, Becker, 100m dash, 400m & 1600m relays; Craven, 1600m relay; Haschke, 1600m relay, captain; Holtz, triple jump, 400m relay, captain; Von Ferber, junior, captain