Shady Side Academy track has plenty of athletes coming back

By: Marty Stewart
Friday, March 29, 2019 | 8:11 PM

Last season, the Shady Side Academy boys track team finished 5-4 but brought home WPIAL and PIAA gold.

Dino Tomlin, now a senior, led the way as he won WPIAL and PIAA championships in the 300-meter hurdles. He also finished second in the 100 and fourth in the high hurdles. The 400 relay team of Tomlin, Zeke Roberts, Skyy Moore and Brendan Gaffney finished fifth at states.

“We lost a few seniors from last year,” SSA coach Adam Janosko said, “but we have a lot of talented athletes returning.”

Chief among the returning starters are Tomlin (a Maryland football recruit), Gaffney, Moore (a Western Michigan football recruit), Ryan Jochims, Adam Lauer, Nick Lauer, Joey Tomson and Connor Caputo.

Janosko is looking for contributions from Eddie Faulkner and Mason Tomlin in the jumping events, Billy Frohlich in the hurdles and Charlie Katarincic in the throwing events.

“I think that the strengths of this year’s team will be the the sprints and the jumps,” Janosko said. “I also have high expectations for our 4-by-100 relay team. I’m expecting another strong showing from them in WPIALS and states.”

He has concerns about the pole vault.

“We lost our only pole vaulter to graduation, but I have a feeling that a couple of our younger guys will fall in love with the event.”

As for how the section will shape up, Janosko will wait and see.

“The WPIAL scrambled up our section in realignment, so I am unsure how that will pan out,” he said. “I’m really not familiar with a lot of the teams. We will focus on just doing our best every time out and improving on our performance throughout the season.”

SSA will compete in Section 4-AA along with Clairton, East Allegheny, South Allegheny, Riverview, Springdale and Trinity Christian.

“There are a lot of outstanding athletes in our section,” Janosko said. “We will have to work hard and practice hard if we are going to be successful.”

Tags: Shady Side Academy