Sophomore Myah Kamprides was a league all-star. / Photo by: Sue Moss
The girls’ indoor track team finished the year 2-3.
The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ indoor track team did not disappoint its sixth-year head coach Steve George this winter.
“The team certainly met my expectations,” said George, whose team finished with a 2-3 record after going 0-5 the previous season. “I looked for effort and improvement against Hingham and Plymouth North, both much bigger teams than ours. They can beat you with the sheer numbers of athletes it enters in its meets. We saw that improvement.
“Duxbury and Silver Lake are both very well coached and very competitive teams that present problems for our kids every season throughout the year. The ladies stepped up and beat each of those teams convincingly. Individually, I saw remarkable improvement each time out from our kids which is really the most important factor in how I judge the success of the team.”
George said his assistant coaches played a major part in the club’s success, going as far as coining them the team’s strength.
“Kim Coletti’s children went through the program and she understands the dynamic as well as anybody,” George said. “She communicates extraordinarily well with our girls. She understands and counsels them and is supportive and more importantly honest with them. Samantha Richner was an incredible multi-event athlete both here and at Bridgewater State and she brings knowledge in field events that is admired and respected by the athletes. And Rob Bunszell is a very enthusiastic, young coach who is intent on learning and passing it along.”
As far as the athletes, both junior Izzy Amado and sophomore Myah Kamperides earned league all-star status this winter.
A Patriot League all-star in cross country as well, Kamperides was the league’s top 2-miler and Panthers’ team MVP.
“[She] loves to double in the mile and 2 mile, from which we try to refrain to keep her fresh,” George said. “An incredibly hard worker, who logs high miles at impressive paces and loves every step of it.”
Amado posted a 3:15.32 in the 1,000-meter run during the Panthers’, 57-43, win over Silver Lake on Jan. 22.
“When I first met Izzy, I had every reason to believe she would become the next great mid-distance/distance athlete here at W-H,” George said. “And despite a love for and commitment to soccer throughout the year, she became a very good runner and this year. I’m very happy she gives us all she has in track and I hope she continues that next year.”
A two-year captain, senior Samantha Perkins was W-H’s second leading scorer and a multi-event athlete, competing in the pentathlon.
“She is an outstanding sprinter, hurdler, jumper and thrower,” George said. “She was an easy choice for this year’s Coaches Award on the basis of her contributions to the program, her effort in every practice and meet, and her leadership, all while being our second leading point scorer this season.”
Senior Ryley Hurley and sophomore April Keyes were W-H’s third and fifth leading scorers, respectively. Hurley was a top performer in the 300- and 600-meter runs, long jump and anchored the 4×200 relay team, while Keyes was the team’s top hurdler and chipped in as a sprinter, mid-distance runner and jumper.
George said while there is a plan in place to establish a local youth running league to meet several evenings per week during the summer, the biggest draw to his program is the quality of athletes.
“Not only in their athleticism, but their character and work ethic which should get parents motivated to get their kids out running,” he said. “I’m blessed to have zero discipline problems, intelligent student-athletes and young people who want to work hard – all traits which will make them healthy, happy and successful adults.”