Led by freshman sprinter, Shaler track team shattering records
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Thursday, January 16, 2020 | 7:28 PM
Shaler Area’s Cam Mbalo competes in the boys Class AAA triple jump during the PIAA track and field state championships Friday, May 24, 2019, at Shippensburg University.
Eloise Facher had a subdued reaction to Shaler Area track and field coach Shawn Ryan’s news.
The Titans freshman impressed during her debut in early January at a track meet at Youngstown State.
Facher ran the second-fastest time in school history in the 60-meter dash by finishing in 8.18 seconds. Then she broke a 14-year old school record in the 200-meter dash by finishing in 27.87 seconds, eclipsing the mark set by Shateeya Ford.
“After she finished the 60 meters, I went up to her and said that’s an all-time Shaler Area top-two time in the record books,” Ryan said. “She just said, ‘Wow.’ She’s impressed by that and humbled at the same time.”
Facher was one of four Titans athletes — along with Tyler Paszkowski (1,600 meter), Dalton Kalbaugh (3,200 meter) and Cam Mbalo (triple jump) — to set new school marks at Youngstown State.
Facher having success was foreshadowed by her middle school career. She won the Mars Invitational in the 100 meters.
“We looked at her stats from her middle school years and thought she had potential,” Ryan said. “We didn’t expect much right away. It’s hard until you see a kid behind the blocks, and then we saw her put up a 8.18 in the 60 and 27.87 in the 200. She’s got some speed.”
Mbalo’s leap of 46 feet, 10 inches set a new meet record and also gave him the second-best recorded jump in Pennsylvania this season and the 12th best in the country.
Ryan said this group is always pushing for such performances.
Jack Keenan (hurdles), David Kondraciuk (long jump, 200 meter), Andrew Dadowski (200 meter, 400 meter), Maddie Bartosh (long jump), Danielle Eshelman (800 meter, 1,600 meter), Claire Stevens (400 meter) and Mayah Charity (60 meter, 200 meter) also competed for the Titans.
“I think the expectation is there,” Ryan said. “The kids know what the expectations are. I’m out raking sand right now, and two of my jumpers are here. They want to put the work in. That’s the mindset we have.”
Tags: Shaler
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