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No shortage of high school track, rugby athletes Bigger can be better. In a sport like track and field. the Stoufiville District Secondary School Spartans feel possessing a large contingent of participants is encouraging. While fielding a squad of 53 students indicates the sport has an enthusiastic following at the school. it also enhances the Spar‘ tans' opportunity to make their presence felt in individual and relay events leading up to this year's York Region Athletic Association out- door championships. And with somé good fortune. the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations champion- Coming off a successful YRAA indoor 'championship meet in which they finished fifth out of 19 schools at York University last month. the Spartans hope to sus» tain that momentum when they make their outdoor debut at the Sacred Heart Track and Field Clas- sic at Etobicoke Centennial 'Sta- dlum tomorrow and Saturday. Spartans' head coach Steve limmo hopes it will serve as a build- ing block for their participants with ALTA GRQUP BY MICHAEL HAYAKAWA yithuyakawaé‘yrmgxom Alta Nissan Richmond Hill, Stouffville Nissan, Woodbridge Nissan and Maple Nissan a goal of peaking in time for the YRAA championships. iimmo remained cautiously optimistic that several team mem- bers will be contenders when the YRAA championships arrive â€" including the boys' throwing team led by Jackson Savery in shotput Moving into the junior ranks this year after winning the OFSAA midget gold medal in both events last year. Savery continued his strong campaign by winning the YRM indoor shotput title. Following Savery was teammate Braden Amin. who limmo feels has the potential to give Stouffville a big one-two punch. With Greg Barker concentrat- ing on throwing. he recorded a second-place efion in the senior shotput field at the YRAA indoor championships As a midget in 2011. he won OFSAA bmnze in the discus and was fourth in shotput. The follow- ing year as a junior. he was fourth in the OPSAA shmput and discus. In the senior iavelin. limmo feels En'c Reid could be a contender in the YRAA championships. On the tracli. limmr) feels their strength lies in hurdles as Eric Tammisto was third in the YRAA indoor senior 60 metre low hurdles after setting a school mark of 9.62 seconds. 1n the YRAA junior 60m indoor hurdles. Ray Alibux was second after completing it in a school record time of 9.78. The Spanans' long distance team will be anchored by junior Emmanuel Lipari and lamb deRoo in the midget field. Among hopefuls on the Spar- tans girls‘ team include senior run- ners Emily Goodwin. who was third in theYRAA senior indoor 60m and Iflizabeth von Zuben. fourth at the YRAA indoor 60m low hurdles. Placing third in the junior 800m at the YRAA indoor champion- ships. Alycia llolt could vie for high honours in longer distance events while Laura (Iurrie could do the same in [he midget field after fin~ ishing third in the YRAA induor First-year students‘ lulian» na Hutton and Laura (Zurriv are expected to carry the hopes in long distance cvems. v in field events. i‘hianna ‘l‘aylor could vie for honours in the junior high jump after placing second at the YRM junior indoor Champion- ships with a school mark of 1.6] m. iunior Vanessa Zak and senior - ADVERTISEMENT - On Saturday May 3, 2014 the Alta Nissan Group should stand tall - the Group has donated a 2014 Nissan Versa Note to the York Region'Abuse Program Hand in Hand Gala being held at Angus Glen this weekend. The car will be raffled of! with other great prizes to benefit the York Region Abuse Program. YRAP’s Mission: “Ending child sexual abuse... Together". Bob Brown, General Manager of Alta Nissan Richmond Hill. said: “Being a part of the community is a great honour to the Alta Nissan Group! We look forward to seeing many members of our community coming out to support such an important, although heartbreaking cause." To learn more please visit www.HandlnHandGala.com TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS: Newmarket Era oIIIce - 5808 Steven Court, Newmarket York Ramon Abuse Program oIflce - 17705 Leslie St. Newmarket Matkham Economlst 8. Sun - 50 McIntosh Dr. Unit 115. Markham AnIsts Sann 8. Spa - Marla Racco - 16655 Yonge St #22. Newmarket or by caIIIng Janet Hall 905-853-3040 ext 313 or emaII J.Hall0yrap.ca. Amanda Romano will head the Spanans' medal hopes in discus. javelin and shotput. Adding to limmo's optimism is the addition of coaches Melixsa Quinn. Scott Artindale and (‘ath- erine (Zhanrand. “We're looking pretty good so far and we've had stmng attendance at practices." limmo said. After the Sacmd Heart meet. the Spartans will take pan in a two-day event hosted by Bill (Imlhers ondary School May 9 and 16. I‘hét will be a precursor to the YRAA championships that will also be held an (Imthers Maw 22 and 23. Spartan may gins fleldlng two teams this spring When the Spartans varsity girls hogan tryouts for their spring ntghy team earlier this year they faced d hit of a quandary. Intending to field just one varsi- ty team. the Spartans had 46 play- ers show up for their first pmclicg. Adding to that dilemma was the varsity team lost just a couple of players from last year's entry that tackled the YRAA tier two title. 1‘0 remedy this situation. the Spartans did something they have not done before by creating a sec- ond team. Janice Monk. a Spartans' to- coach along with her husband lim. Ken lorgenson. Emily Aprile and Tan: LaBar. cited the new entry will compete in the YRAA tier two circuit. “We have a lot of younger and experienced players. mostly in (irade 9 and 10. but we also have some Grade 1 ls and lZS playing for the first time." she said. “For those players we felt it would be good to play at the tier two level." Although the two teams mm- pote in separate tiers. Monk nutod they conduct practices as a collec- tive group. It's even reached the point whom practices and a proseason tourna- ment they took pan in last week in Burlingwn am used to dctvrminv who will comprise the tier one and two rosters. "The girls‘am really committed and thafs great." she said. "'l‘hcy'ro fast learners." The Spartans tier Iwu girls were scheduled to open their season at St. Brother Andre in Markham yes~ tenday. The Spanans tier one loam is slated to play at (Irmhers today at 3:30 pm.