|
Portville Central School 1979 Track + Field Team
The
1979 Track and Field teams from PCS, girls and boys, were among the most dominating high school squads in local sports history,
setting many school records and setting the stage for undefeated seasons over the next 2 decades. They beat many larger schools
along the way including Olean, Wellsville, Pioneer, Syracuse, Corning, Allegany, Salamanca, and others.
Most
of '79 tracksters were close friends (jocks, brains, hunters, and artists), hanging out since Kindergarten...so they were
tight, they were motivated, and they pushed each other toward excellence. They had some classic varsity battles with local
opponents during this era.
Many of these Panther tracksters were part of the Obi Cabin and Pan-Con
Filming Crews, and from 1976 to 1979, they excelled in sports, and particularly, on the PCS cinder track.
79er
track girls included Eva Taggerty, Mel Pollock, Sue Wormer, Becky Shepard, Kim Coast, Kathy Sullivan, Cathy Rasey, Margaret
Baldwin, Lena Lowen, Cindy Harrison, Kim Jobe, Amy Hildebrand, and a few others over the years.
The
PCS Class of 79 boys trackmen included John Sprague, Mike Sherwin, Gary Swetland, Jimmy Reynolds, Mike Warner, Boomer Connell,
Arnie Pytcher, Joe Snyder, Randy Bretzin, Bino Warner, Mark Childs, Mike Milne, Greg Waldrip, Mark Campbell, Joe Caya, John
Depp, Shane Stone, Mark Jaekle, Jon Giberson, and even Scott Nix.
These Panther boys were accompanied
by younger dudes like Judd Wright, Tom Sprague, Rob Pockalny, Roger DeAngelo, Max Kayes, Joel Warner, Duane Shrauger, Ronnie
North, Bob Bretzin, George Blurton, Don DeAngelo, Ron Pollock, Pat Dunn, Lance Reynolds, and many more juniors, sophomores
and freshman. Many of these guys set records as well.
Some of the younger ladies in the Crew included
Melissa Burgess, Sandy Nothem, Mary Frair, Sheryl Milne, Fran Shepard, Jacquie Reynolds, Julie Abrams, Michelle Van Sickle,
Juba Wormer, Kathy Harding, Cathy Dusenbury, and Melissa Gundlah (who still owns the 100 and 200 records).
In
those days, Bob "The Bear" Connell was the head track coach as well as the head football coach. Bear was one of the most powerful
sports figures in the Big 30 region. He "encouraged" all of his football players to be on the track team, and most of us obliged.
The
Panther males and females dated, partied, and created a huge cliche of "in-crowd" student-athletes that set the tone for the
whole school from 1977 to 1982...and beyond.
In 1988, PCS '79 grad, Gary Swetland, became the PCS
boys track head coach, leading the squad to 124 consecutive league victories during that time...and carrying on the 1979 track
and field legend.
These webpages document some of the history that we have saved from those glory
days of yore.
|
| 1981 PCS Track |
|
| Jimmy Reynolds |
Here are some of the 79er Exploits:
John Sprague 330y IH 40.4 sec School Record PCS #1 all-time Catt Co Champ 110y HH 15.65 sec PCS #7 all-time
Catt Co Runner-Up 880 Relay 1:35.5 PCS #2 County Best T Sprague, J Reynolds, J Wright 400 Relay 45.82
School Record PCS #5 G Swetland, J Reynolds, J Wright Long Jump
20' 11" PCS #3 all-time 100 m dash 11.04 sec PCS #5 all-time 200 m dash 23.9 sec PCS #13 all-time
Mike Sherwin High Jump 6'5.5" School Record PCS #2 all-time County Champ 110 HH 15.6 sec School Record PCS
#6 all-time County Champ Triple
Jump 39'3" PCS #8 all-time
Gary Swetland Pole Vault 13'2" School Record PCS #2 all-time County Champ 400 Relay 45.82 School
Record PCS #5 J Sprague, J Reynolds, J Wright 330y IH 43.5 PCS #4 all-time
Jimmy Reynolds Triple Jump 43'11.75" School Record PCS #1 all-time
Cty Champ States Long Jump
21'2" PCS #2 all-time County Champ 400 Relay 45.82 School Record PCS #5 G Swetland,
J Sprague, J Wright 880 Relay
1:35.5 PCS #2 all-time County Champs J + T Sprague, J Wright 200m dash 24.5 sec PCS #17 all-time
Mike Warner Mile Walk 8:20 School Record 2-Mile Run 11:57 Mile Relay 3:48 with B Warner, G Blurton, B Bretzin 2-Mile Relay 8:37.8 with S Joseph, M Campbell,
A Pytcher
Boomer Connell Shot Put 41-3.75 PCS #15 all-time
Randy Bretzin 1600m 4:45 PCS #7 all-time 3200m 11:17.4 PCS #18 all-time 2-Mile Relay 8:29.4 School Record with M Brown, R Auman, C Pytcher
Mark Childs 120 HH 17.0 PCS #18 all-time 330 IH 45.0 PCS #7 all-time 440 Relay 48.1 with T Sprague, J Sprague, J Reynolds PCS #13
Arnie Pytcher 2-Mile Relay 8:48 with S Joseph, M Campbell, M
Warner
Bob Warner Mile Relay 3:48 with G Blurton, M Warner, B Bretzin 2-Mile Relay 9:06.3 with R Bretzin, M Brown, C
Pytcher
Joe Snyder Discus 104-9
Greg Waldrip 440y 54.0 Mile Relay 3:39.5 with B Milligan, C Pytcher, R Auman 2-Mile Relay 8:37.8 with M Warner, R Pockalny, R Bretzin
Mike Milne Mile Relay 3:59 with S Nix, B Bretzin, T Sprague
Mark Campbell 2-Mile Relay 9:07 with M Milne, A Pytcher, M Warner
Scott Nix Mile Relay 3:59 with B Bretzin, M Milne, T Sprague
|
| 1979 Melissa Gundlah at MS All-Star Banquet |
|
