Feeling the sting

By Derek Pyda Eagle Staff Writer

May 05, 2011 Last Updated: May 05, 2011 03:25 PM High School

Freeport's Chelsea Chaffman wins the 200 meters during the WPIAL Class AA team track and field semifinals Wednesday at Freeport High School.

Yellowjacket girls chasing first WPIAL track championship in 26 seasons

BUFFALO TWP — The Freeport girls track and field team's performance on Wednesday can be summed up by three letters — T.C.B.

“It stands for taking care of business,” said Yellowjackets' coach Bill Dillen. “All year, the girls have done what they're supposed to do and they did again today.”

Host Freeport captured first place overall in 11 of 18 events in defeating Shenango (99-51) and Quaker Valley (112-38) in the WPIAL Class AA team semifinals.

The Yellowjackets advance to the team championships, to be held next Thursday at West Mifflin High School.

In the boys' meet, Freeport beat Quaker Valley (86-64), but lost to Riverside (86-64).

The Yellowjackets girls' win was highlighted by double winners Bronte Soul (long and triple jump) and Taylor Bombalski (400 dash and 800 run).

Soul, a junior, is in her third season as a member of the track and field squad.

“I really didn't take it seriously as a freshman,” she admitted. “I look at it differently now, mostly because of (senior) Harley Westerman.

“I broke her school record in the triple jump last year and then she broke my record,” added Soul.

Despite cold and windy conditions Wednesday, Soul almost took back the triple jump school record for herself, jumping 36 feet. She missed tying Westerman's mark by one-fourth of an inch.

“I love going back and forth with her and I want to be on par with what she does,” said Soul.

Freeport swept the relays, with Bombalski running a leg of the 4x800 event, which the Yellowjackets won by a minute and 17 seconds over Quaker Valley.

Freeport's girls enter the WPIAL team finals in search of the program's first title since 1985.

Dillen was an assistant coach to Don Earley on that team.

The Yellowjackets finished runner-up in the WPIAL last season.

“We wanted to get back to the finals this year and we did,” said Dillen. “We'll see what happens next week.”

Freeport, the defending Class AA champion, had another trip to the finals in its sights.The Yellowjackets led Riverside 60-58 with four events remaining — the 4x400 relay, triple jump, high jump and pole vault.But the Panthers outscored Freeport 28-4 down the stretch and the former will move on to West Mifflin next week.“I am so proud of these kids,” said Dillen. “Our program has lost two meets in the last three years and they've both come in the playoffs.“A lot of people didn't expect us to do much this year, but the guys won the section,” he added. “They did a great job.”Freeport was not without bright spots.Senior Derek Durand won both hurdle events as well as the long jump in which he demolished his previous school record.His latest leap is 22 feet, eight inches, breaking the old standard of 22-Z\x.“I'm always trying to go for a personal record,” said Durand. “But to get it by seven and a half inches, that's just unheard of. This came out of nowhere today.”Other double winners for Freeport included Marcel Ittner (100 and 200 dash) and Cody McClelland (shot put and discus).The Yellowjackets' other overall winner was Curtis Hughes in the javelin.BoysRiverside 86, Freeport 64Riverside 87, Quaker Valley 63Freeport 86, Quaker Valley 64Track Events3,200-meter relay: Quaker Valley 8:33.57; 110 hurdles: Derek Durand (F) 15.6; 100 dash: Marcel Ittner (F) 11.2; 1,600 run: Fox (QV) 4:57; 400 dash: Westwood (QV) 51.4; 400 relay: Riverside 45.6; 300-meter hurdles: Derek Durand (F) 40.9; 800-meter run: Westwood (QV) 2:06.5; 200-meter dash: Marcel Ittner (F) 23.3; 3,200-meter run: Fox (QV) 10:42.4; 1,600-meter relay: Riverside 3:38.32;Field EventsHigh jump: Evans (R) 6-0; Long jump: Derek Durand (F) 22-8; Triple jump: Evans (R) 39-5.5; Shot put: Cody McClelland (F) 45-5.5; Discus: Cody McClelland (F) 130-7; Javelin: Curtis Hughes (F) 143-7; Pole vault: Rakowski (QV) 13-0GirlsFreeport 99, Shenango 51Freeport 112, Quaker Valley 38Quaker Valley 82, Shenango 68Track Events3,200-meter relay: Freeport (Taylor Bombalski, Becca Dudek, Brittany Bianco, Kristie Teorsky) 11:37; 100 hurdles: Deporzio (S) 15.81; 100 dash: Deporzio (S) 13.3; 1,600 run: Kayla Zboran (F) 5:37; 400 dash: Taylor Bombalski (F) 1:06.5; 400 relay: Freeport (Kamri Brestensky, Aly Moore, Nicolette Blake, Chelsea Chaffman) 52.6; 300 hurdles: Deporzio (S) 48.2; 800 run: Taylor Bombalski (F) 2:43.6; 200 dash: Chelsea Chaffman (F) 28.3; 3,200 run: McKendry (QV) 12:22; 1,600 relay: Freeport (Kamri Brestensky, Aly Moore, Chelsea Chaffman, Lynsey Gugino) 4:29.8Field EventsHigh jump: Aly Moore (F) 5-0; Long jump: Bronte Soul (F) 16-6.75; Triple jump: Bronte Soul (F) 36-0; Shot put: Watson (S) 35-0; Discus: Watson (S) 101-6.5; Javelin: Taylor Hochbein (F) 90-11; Pole vault: Pruchia (S) 8-6