Fort Lee is on to something special by Kevin T. Czerwinski special to The Record
It’s not that Dan Cirone didn’t expect much from the Fort Lee boys track team when it came time to forecast the 2017 spring season. Quite the contrary.
The Bridgemen’s head coach was counting on his team having success at the Big North Conference, American Division level but was planning on using the invitational circuit as a way to hone some skills and fine tune for dual meets and the league championships.
Well, Cirone was wrong about the latter and he couldn’t be happier. The Bridgemen head into Saturday’s Lyndhurst Relays following victories at the Season Opener meet at River Dell and in The Aviator Relays last Friday in Hasbrouck Heights.
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“When we got to the Season Opener we realized we were on to something special with our depth,” Cirone said. “It wasn’t until midway through the meet that we thought we had a good shot to win the trophy. Then at the Aviator we went in to win. It wasn’t our intention but it started to happen and I think it sprung from a successful winter season.
“Our schedule isn’t going to change and we’re not going to do anything differently, though. We’re not looking for things to win. We’re just sticking to our guns and run the same way we have been running. But, whatever meet we go to now, the kids have a different outlook. When they realized they won the Season Opener and Aviator, they are going to Lyndhurst Saturday with a different goal.”
Fort Lee won the Big North American Division title this winter and came within six points of winning its first Indoor Bergen County Relays crown.
The Bridgemen won the 4-x-100 (:44.3), 4-x-200 (1:32.6) and 4-x-400 (3:36.5) relays while finishing second in the 4-x-800 (9:09.1) and long-jump relays (61-3.5 feet) at Hasbrouck Heights.
The team of seniors Mike Huertas, Tahj Martin, Wes Weingord and juniors Manny Montoya and Jacob Im comprise the three winning relay teams. They have been running together for years and have grown since Cirone took over the program their freshman year.
“It [their familiarity] certainly helps,” Cirone said. “They have rhythm and they have confidence in one another. The baton pass is so smooth and fluid and when you have the same kids running, there is a bond and confidence there. They are battle-tested. These kids are warriors and will run in anything you ask them to.
“If you ask them to do less than four events, they think something is wrong. It’s special to see them [the seniors] start to peak and be a foundation for this team. I’ve been with them since they were freshmen, and that 4-x-100 team didn’t look so good when they were freshmen.”
Cirone also points to senior hurdler Eric Cho, senior jumper DeLoye Miller and senior distance runner Kelvin Francisco, along with the triple-jump squad of Montoya, Huertas and senior Armaan Mehta, as other reasons for the team’s early-season success. Cho will fill in when necessary in the relays, while Francisco runs a sub-2:10 as the anchor in the 800-meter relay.
“Success translates into motivation for the kids,” Cirone said. “A couple of years ago when they were freshmen and sophomores, they were satisfied with coming home with a medal. Now it’s more than just personal medals they want. They want to bring home a trophy. Their outlook has changed and it has translated to good things on the track.”