Orchard Park’s Brandon Allman runs the 600-meter dash at a Varsity Select meet at Lancaster High School on Saturday. Allman has qualified for the ECIC Championships in the 600-meter dash. Photo by John NormilePurchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com Just three meets remain on the regular season schedule for the Orchard Park indoor track team. The Quakers are preparing for a team challenge this weekend, followed by the Section VI Team Championships in two weeks and ECIC Sectionals on Thursday, Feb. 23.

The Quakers are getting by with a much smaller roster than usual. While some past track squads have featured as many as 80 competitors, this year’s indoor track team has just nine boys and 15 girls. Though lacking in numbers, the Quakers have seen success from their runners this winter.

Four boys and four girls have qualified for sectionals so far with work left to do. That makes up one-third of Orchard Park’s entire roster. Boys indoor track coach Greg Lardo says the smaller roster makes it easier to coach and teach each runner.

“It’s hard to compete and score at meets, but the kids do get a lot more out of it,” Lardo said of having a smaller roster. “They have to work hard and can’t slack off. There’s much more individual attention.”

So far, Orchard Park’s Brandon Allman, Mark Mercer, Jake Eneix and Brian Arcara have posted sectional-qualifying times on the boys side. Allman has qualified for the 300-meter dash with a time of 38.04. Mercer qualified in the 600-meter dash with a time of 1:26.84 and in the 1000-meter run with a time of 2:44.64. Eneix qualified in the 1600 with a time of 4:48.84, and in the 3200-meter run with a time of 10:15.94. Arcara has qualified in the high jump at 5-feet, 8-inches.

On the girls’ side, Orchard Park’s sectional qualifiers are Jamie Guadagno, Holly Bogdan, Cassandra Kaczmarek and Shannon

Smith.

Guadagno qualified in the 55 meter dash at 7.79. Bogdan qualified in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 9.51. Kaczmarek qualified in the 50-meter hurdles at 8.7. Smith has qualified in the 600 meter run at 1:48.2.

The Team Challenge will take place this weekend at Fredonia State. Each competitor will be pair up with someone else to form a team. Their combined times in each event will be scored. After the team challenge, Orchard Park will have its final Varsity Select meet on Feb. 11 at the Lancaster Fieldhouse. This will be their final tune-up for the Section VI Team Championships at Fredonia State one week later.

Lardo’s goal is to see Orchard Park represented with competitors at the State Championship on March 3 at Cornell University. They will get their chance to qualify at sectionals at Fredonia State on Feb. 23. Lardo has confidence in his group and likes their chances.

“It’s a great group that works hard,” Lardo said. “Their always motivated to work. They always ask in practice to do a little extra. This team has gotten closer during the year and it’s been fun.” email: mmigliore@beenews.com