To Lori Poe's pleasant surprise, the girls on the Chartiers Valley track team did not do this with her syllabus. Rather, they eagerly posted the plan in their locker room.

"It's pretty cool to see," Poe said. "I know they are paying attention."

Having already achieved three of the team's five objectives this season, the Lady Colts turn their focus to this week's aims--the WPIAL playoffs.

While the Lady Colts take that first step today, Wednesday, April 30, in one of the district qualifiers, they can still revel in the accomplishments they have met this season.

"Our first goal was to beat Peters Township. The second was to win the section title. The third was to qualify for the playoffs," Poe said.

Indeed, already, the Lady Colts are 3-for-3.

First, they avenged last year's 77-71 loss to Peters Township. A 102-48 win in the first meet of the season set the tone for season and paved the way for CV to net its second goal.

"The difference was one second place last year. It was real close," said Poe. "Since our loss to Peters Township last year, these girls have practiced hard and they were determined. They've been hungry.

"Beating PT was key to the season," Poe added. "It gave us all the confidence we needed."

Indeed, after the win over the Indians, CV ran the table to finish 6-0 in Section 6-AAA. In beating, PT West Mifflin, Thomas Jefferson, Keystone Oaks, McGuffey and Ringgold, CV captured a section title for the first time in 32 years.

"We thought we had a shot at the section (title) so we took the team to the gym at the beginning of the season and we sat down and looked at all the banners on the wall," said Poe. "There are a lot of them around here but what they noticed, what they saw, was that there hadn't been one for girls' track in a long time.

"I think that motivated them. That was the big, driving force. These girls decided that they were going to work hard and put track and field on the map at school."

The Lady Colts made a name for themselves in West Virginia this spring when they secured second-place honors as a team in the Morgantown Invitational. They also distinguished themselves by capturing the championships in the Big 7 Conference meet held last week at Peters Township.

CV also plans to continue gaining notoriety with a solid showing at the Baldwin Invitational set for this Friday, May 2.

However, CV would make its biggest splash in the scholastic track world should it reach the WPIAL team championships.

Last year, Norwin won the district title. CV along with three other clubs lost to the Knights in the first round of the qualifiers.

"This year, we want to do well in the first round. Be strong," said Poe. "We want to reach our fourth goal and make it to the championship meet."

CV's fifth mission comes after that. The Colts hope to qualify all of their relays, not mention as many individuals it can, for the WPIAL track and field championships set for May 15.

Tough & talented

This spring, the Lady Colts certain have showcased the talents of many versatile, yet young, athletes, who compete no matter what. Take freshman Angie Hartz or sophomore Taylor Breen.

While hurdling, Hartz broke her arm. Yet she finished the race and ran another event before seeking medical attention. Despite outfitted in a cast, she continues to compete, in running races.

"She's a gutsy girl," said Poe. "She has a lot of heart."

Meanwhile, Breen hurdled for the Colts until she fell and cut her shin, requiring as many as seven stitches to seal the wound. She runs the 200 and 400 dashes now for CV.

Sophomore Chelsey Shepos is the squad's No. 1 hurdler. The sophomore is ranked in the Top 12 in the WPIAL. She has gone a 17.1 in the high hurdles and 49 flat in the intermediates.

Freshman Erika Rich is another hurdler.

Amanda Mazur and Cara Poletti ranks as the team's top two sprinters. A sophomore, Poletti runs the 100, 200, 4-by-100 and 4-by-400 relays. Her best 100-meter time was 13.1.

A freshman soccer player, Mazur ran a 12.8 in the 100 meters. She can cover 100 to 800 meters as well as compete on all of the relays, including the 4-by-800.

In addition to Mazur and Poletti, the 4-by-100 relay utilizes the talents of Mallory Mack, Jacquay Hawkins and Kaityln Ingold. Mack is a senior, who is considering Loyola as her college choice. Hawkins and Ingold are leapers in addition to sprinters. The duo dominate the triple and long jumps. In fact, their versatility earned them Track and Field MVP honors recently at the Big 7 Conference championship meet.

Senior Kaityn Black, one of the team's top runners, moved up to the 400 this season. She can cover the distance in 61 seconds. Black, who hopes to continue her track career at Allegheny, Bethany or Thiel College, anchors CV's 4-by-400 relay team.

The foursome, which includes Mazur, Lindsey Rihtarchik, a junior, and Poletti, has posted a best time of 4:12 this season, which is second locally to Mt. Lebanon, which has clocked in at 4:07.

Rihtarchik also competes in the 4-by-800 relay as well as the 400 dash.

While sophomore Anna Carik dominates the middle distances, covering 800 meters in 2:30, the duo of Jenna Carnahan and Ashley Slifko go the extra mile for the Lady Colts indeed. A junior, Carnahan goes six minutes in the 1,600 race. A senior, who is bound for Robert Morris University, Slifko is CV's top two-miler.

A four-year letterwinner, Brittany Bagnato anchors the field events as the team's top pole vaulter. Junior Alexis Deacon is the top thrower in the shot put as well as the discus.

Juniors Amy Fiorentini and Melissa Tomikel as well as sophomore Jennell Webster give CV depth in the javelin. Junior Megan Affolter as well as sophomore Monica Effi and Nina Brewer are also throwers that score well in meets for the Colts.

With some 60 girls on the team, Poe says, the Lady Colts have enough depth that if somebody is not doing so well other "people step up for us."

"If we did not have the depth and somebody goes down that you depend upon and nobody steps up then you aren't going to do as well," added Poe, who is in her second year as the boys' and girls' track coordinator at CV

"You need depth and kids who are willing to work and pull together. Track and field is all about numbers and depth. Here at CV we have a good group, especially the seniors, they have been driven."

Among the other seniors contributing to the team have been Emily Zeszutek, distance and relays; Abby Passaro, distance; Melissa Defelice, distance; and Brittany Meyer, 200 and 400.

But, with the bulk of the team underclassmen, the Lady Colts have time to reach their ultimate goal of capturing a district crown.

"The seniors have worked hard. They are all good workers," said Poe, who was a standout in track at Upper St. Clair High School.

"It's a very young team. If we continue to develop as a team, you never know what can happen. It is so hard to predict.

"We have laid the ground work for a team title. We hope to continue to help coach a build a team. The next couple of years should be very exciting around here."

CV boys

The Char Valley boys finished 1-5 overall, having defeated Keystone Oaks.

Despite the dismal record, senior Keith Werling and freshman hurdler Austin Fladeland have done well. Werling, who runs the mile and the two-mile races, plays an integral role on the 4-by-800 relay, which also consists of Ryan Steinbock, Tyler Wertz and Nick Raker.

Other senior members on the squad are: Chris Conway, Patrick McDonough, Ben McGrady, Greg Mikus, Nate Moraca, Scott Mullen and Mychal Rutkowski.

Top juniors include: Santino Coury, Daniel LaBossiere, Justin Owens and Andrew Suchan.

Fladeland is part of a freshman class that includes: Charlie Connelly, Tom Galterio, Matt Henney, Louis Kuntz, Gary Lin, Logan Smith and Danny White.

Among the sophomores on the team are: Ryan Black, Anubhav Evatt, Stephen Hicken, Chuck Hoffman, Kyle Kessner, Connor McLaughlin, Kevin Neary, Patrick Palmer, Randy Penn, Nick Raker, Ryan Steinbock and Ben Zeszutek.