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Lo-Ellen Knights charge to city track dominance for 11th year

Team earns nearly double the points of next closest contender, Lockerby Composite

The Lo-Ellen Park Knights once again stampeded their way to dominance at the 2016 SDSSAA Track & Field Championships, which wrapped up Thursday at the Laurentian University Track Complex.

The perennial powerhouse finished with an overall aggregate total of 986 points, almost doubling their nearest competitors. The fight for second proved interesting as the Lockerby Vikings (585) bested the College Notre-Dame Alouettes (555.50), largely on the basis of a 25.5 point advantage in the boys competition.

Neither, however, could come close to mounting a serious charge at Lo-Ellen, as the Knights captured their 11th banner in the past 12 years, a stretch that was interrupted only due to the work stoppage of 2015 that kept a large number of Rainbow Board athletes out of the meet.

Naturally, there was no lack of outstanding individual performances, with the Lo-Ellen crew leading the charge. Lucas Mrozewski not only captured gold in three separate events, he did so in record setting fashion, in all three, no less.

The midget talent shaved 1.31 seconds off the previous 400m mark, posting a time of 54.95 seconds, all while running from lane eight, and setting off on a blistering opening 200-metre pace.

"I wanted to go out quick, because I didn't think I would have the legs on me for the endurance, with having done two hard races already today," said Mrozewski. "I just wanted to get out there, try and settle in and slow a little, and hold on through the end."

Despite the record, Mrozewski is confident the best is yet to come. 

"I was in lane eight, so I ran blind the whole race," he said. "I've run 53 already this year, so I know I can go faster. But after a long day like this, I'm not too upset with it."

Mrozewski took top spot in the 300m hurdles earlier in the day after breaking Ross Proudfoot's record in winning the 800m race on day one. Though he wasn't setting records left and right, Lo-Ellen senior Brendan Costello did manage to sweep all three of his races again this year, claiming gold in the 800m, 1500m and 3000m.

"For the most part, I'm very happy," said Costello, who is joining the cross-country and indoor track and field team with the Western University Mustangs in the fall. "The three kilometer went to plan, I sort of ran away with it."

In fact, while Caleb Beland of Bishop Carter remained within shouting distance in both the 1500m and the 3000m, the one real push that Costello received was in the 800m event, as Anthony Thomas of CND challenged with his first ever sub-2:00 run.

"It's very nice to have competition," said Costello. "It's a lot harder to run by yourself." 

While the well-spoken teen expects to compete in all three distances at NOSSA, there will be a primary focus by the time OFSAA rolls around early next month.

"The 800m has always been my race, and I'm getting a lot faster this year," said Costello. "All my races outdoors have been under two minutes so far, so I'm hoping for a 1:55, 1:56, hopefully a final at OFSAA. That would be nice."

Like Mrozewski and Costello, midget Colin Therrien, also of Lo-Ellen, will have some tough decisions ahead. Therrien capped off his personal three-peat on Thursday, finishing first in the 100m dash (11.82 seconds), after winning both the 200m and the long jump on Wednesday.

"The one that I prefer the most is definitely the 100m, but with my skill set, the long jump is definitely in there for the long term," said Therrien. 

Thankfully, there is a certain amount of complimentary synergy that develops between the three events where Therrien has excelled.

"Certainly, the speed coming down the runway helps with the long jump," he said. "And the way you take off too, is really key, because you have to get high up there, and really be able to work the speed into the jump to get that distance."

Seldom has there been an influx of talent, in one age grouping, as the one currently adding another incredible chapter to the Lo-Ellen track legacy. Therrien acknowledges that the individual excellence does tend to spill over into some pretty interesting team dynamics.

"We really push each other, tease each other, just to get us that much better, that much faster," he said. "We all care about each other." 

Following is a listing of all day two event winners:

Midget Girls
100m dash - Christina Robert (LCS) - 12.70
400m - Kaitlyn Walker (CFD) - 1:05.16
1500m - Natalie Marks de Chabris (LOE) - 5:33.19
300m hurdles - Jayme Anderson (LOE) - 50.25
Long Jump - Arianne Saumure (ESMC) - 4.54m
Triple Jump - Meaghan McMahon (LCS) - 9.06m
Shot Put - Adriana Duncan (CFD) - 10.41m
4 X 100m relay - St Benedict - 54.38

Midget Boys
100m dash - Colin Therrien (LOE) - 11.82
400m - Lucas Mrozewski (LOE) - 54.95
1500m - Augustin Marks de Chabris (LOE) - 4:32.79
300m hurdles - Lucas Mrozewski (LOE) - 44.47
Triple Jump - Emmett Taillefer (LOE) - 11.30m
Discus - Kyle Giroux (Sacre Coeur) - 30.35m
Shot Put - Danny Neelands (CFD) - 10.99m
4 X 100m relay - Lo-Ellen Park - 48.47

Junior Girls
100m dash - Leika Sutcliffe (CND) - 13.19
400m - Carlie Parker (MMT) - 1:01.61
1500m - Sydney Tarini (LOE) - 5:21.90
300m hurdles - Morgan Smith (LOE) - 50.05
Triple Jump - Rebecca Jacob (Lasalle) - 10.21m
Discus - Kaylee Trepannier (CND) - 22.38m
4 X 100m relay - Lockerby - 53.28

Junior Boys
100m dash - Erik Michaud (LCS) - 11.78
400m - Matthew Savoie (LCS) - 57.24
1500m - Josh Tillson (LOE) - 4:35.09
300m hurdles - Mathieu Dokis-Dupuis (ESMC) - 46.11
High Jump - Nicholas Brown (LOE) - 1.69m
Discus - Isaac Callaghan (STC) - 37.01m
Javelin - Jack Derrenbacker (LOE) - 42.80m
4 X 100m relay - St Charles - 48.13

Senior Girls
100m dash - Michelle Corallo (LOE) - 13.04
400m - Karly Hellstrom (Lasalle) - 1:02.30
1500m - Allison Caswell (LOE) - 5:29.28
400m hurdles - Madi Kellestine (LOE) - 1:09.57
High Jump - Helena Havlovic (LOE) - 1.48m
Long Jump - Meagan McGaughey (CND) - 4.79m
Triple Jump - Nicole Conlin (LOE) - 10.24m
Shot Put - Danika Falvo (CND) - 8.79m
Javelin - Danika Falvo (CND) - 30.93m
4 X 100m relay - Marymount - 53.39
1500m steeplechase - Allison Caswell (LOE) - 6:06.02

Senior Boys
100m dash - Noah Skuce (LOE) - 11.53
400m - Anthony Thomas (CND) - 52.42
1500m - Brendan Costello (LOE) - 4:19.16
400m hurdles - Oliver Ecclestone (LCS) - 1:05.63
Long Jump - Tyger Louis (STC) - 5.62m
Shot Put - Chris Moutsatsos (LOE) - 12.52m
Javelin - Chris Moutsatsos (LOE) - 44.41m
4 X 100m - St Charles College - 46.68
2000m steeplechase - Caleb Beland (BAC) - 6:50.74


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