Su Valley and Houston field young track squads

Though their teams are not large, the Susitna Valley Rams and the Houston Hawks are eager and competitive as they enter the 2003 prep track and field season.

The Rams and Hawks could probably combine their boys' and girls' team and come up with a number less than that of Colony or Palmer, but there is no disappointment on the part of either school.

"We have good numbers," Su Valley coach Jane Buskirk said. "You always want to have better numbers."

The Rams have 15 members on the girls' squad and nine members on the boys' squad.

"We're small, but tight-knit group," Houston coach Norm Bouchard said.

Houston has 13 athletes on their roster.

According to Buskirk the Ram girls should field a well-rounded team.

Among the leaders on the squad will be distance runner Melissa Ostermick and Anna Farina in the throwing events.

Buskirk said Ostermick will be going for the Su Valley school record in the 3,200-meter run. Ostermick was 20 seconds shy of the mark last season and is about a minute short of the pace currently. Ostermick finished sixth in the 3,200 at the Wasilla Invitational last week.

Farina will lead the Rams in the throwing events. The senior finished fourth in the discus of the Wasilla Invitational with a throw of just less than 80 feet.

Buskirk also expects good things from a group of Su Valley cross-country runners who are new to track. Kristal Moore, Deserae Besgrove and Jenny Thompson ran races for the first time in the Wasilla Invitational.

Moore finished fourth in her first run in the 400-meter race at the Wasilla Invitational.

Buskirk noted that Moore will be strong in the 800-meter relay, Thompson will contribute in the short distance runs and Besgrove will be a part of each of the Ram relay teams.

"She is tiny thing who can fly," Buskirk said of Besgrove. "She will be real fast in the relays."

Other notables for the Rams include senior sprinter Tami Runyon and mid-distance runner Ayla Dolecker.

The Ram boys have just one senior on the squad. Peter Olsen will compete in both the hurdles and discus for Su Valley.

Fernando McKelvey-Paige will be among the Ram leaders in the distance events, while Boone Howard will help lead Su Valley in the sprints.

The Hawks will be led by Emily Bullock.

Bullock won the 200 and the long jump in the Mat-Su Borough Championships last season.

On the boys' side, Houston will be led by sprinters Jed Martinson and Matt Bertling and Andrew Kapler in the throwing events.