With the Summit Relays coming up this weekend, the VHS Girl’s Track Team is excited to get its season underway. Practicing together with the boys behind H.B. Whitehorne Middle School, the Hillbillies are fine tuning their skills for the start of the season.
The Verona Girl’s Track Team will be led by seniors Ashlee Petroski, Rebecca Conaway, and Rebecca Slotkin. These three seniors will have their work cut out for them, each competing in multiple events. Petroski will be featured in the 400m, the 100m hurdles, and the triple jump. Conaway will be a member of the 4×4 relay, the 100m, 400m, and 200m. Rebecca Slotkin will be pole vaulting, running the high hurdles, and throwing the javelin.
“These three girls pretty much do it all and will be the backbone of our team” says head coach Gene Leporati. Coach Leporati went on to mention the emergence of senior Tara Meade in just her first year on the team. “Tara has made great progress in just her first year and will be running the 800m for us.”
Competing in the newly formed Super Essex Conference, the girls will be facing much larger schools but will have significantly reduced travel time for road meets.
“This team has great chemistry. They work well together; they have fun, and are fierce competitors. We have a large number of girls in the freshman class and they are finding themselves nicely. They have a lot of talent and are starting to come into their own. The upper class girls have done a great job in teaching and supporting them. We are very excited about this year and the future.”
The girls’ first official meet is on Saturday, April 3 at the Summit Relays.
