AJ Abington Heights

February 24, 2010

AHHS runners prepare for states

By Adam Roberts aroberts@theabingtonjournal.com
Reporter / Photographer

As league and district championships are decided in most winter sports, the unfunded varsity indoor track team of Abington Heights High School is preparing to send four seniors to the indoor state meet next weekend.

According to coach Frank Passetti, qualifying for indoor states presents even more of a challenge than outdoors because AA and AAA are combined, cutting the number of qualifiers. Indoor state competitors must also reach a qualifying time or mark to make states, unlike outdoors which takes the district champion and then any other athletes who surpass the mark.

Among the four seniors who will be representing Abington Heights, three, Justin Passetti, Brittney Martin and Krista Matsko, will be signing their national letters of intent to compete at the next level. Jordan Hoyt will be making her decision as the outdoor season approaches.

Justin Passetti, a high jumper, reached the qualifying mark of 6-3 on Feb. 13 at Lehigh University. He is making his first trip to indoor states since his sophomore campaign after missing last season with a torn meniscus.

Passetti said he’d like to jump a career best 6-6, beating his current record of 6-5.

He will commit to Kutztown University, which won out over fellow Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference schools East Stroudsburg University, Bloomsburg University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. At Kutztown, Passetti plans to major in special education.

Martin will head to Division II Seton Hill, located in Greensburg, to study art therapy. Martin chose Seton Hill because Millersville, Springfield and IUP do not offer the major.

Martin qualified for states in the 800, with a time of 2:21.24 and the mile with a time of 5:23. She will only be running the 800 in which she is ranked tenth in the state.

Coach Passetti believes Martin could break into medal contention.

“The top eight medal (at indoor states) so with a good performance and a good race she has an opportunity to slide in for a medal,” said her coach.

Matsko will compete in the 60 m hurdles at states. She qualified with a 9.44 at the New York City Armory. That personal best mark was enough to place her as 13th best in the state.

“I’d be happy to set a new PR,” said Matsko of her trip to indoor states.

Matsko is committing to Indiana University of Pennsylvania after looking at Division I, University of Rhode Island and Bucknell; Division II, ESU and IUP; and Division III Salisbury.

At IUP, Matsko plans to pursue kinesiology and exercise science.

With a 7.84 in the 60 m dash and a 25.84, Hoyt qualified for two different events. Those times are good enough to earn the 2009 outdoor 200 m silver medalist a seventh place ranking in the 60 and eighth in the 200.

“I’m hoping to at least medal,” said Hoyt. “It’d be a big accomplishment to hold that rank.”

Hoyt is the only indoor state qualifier who isn’t signing a letter of intent this week. She has narrowed her choices to Syracuse, Temple, Pittsburgh and Kutztown.

Tweet	Follow @TLsports

This story also appears on the following websites...