GUILDERLAND — Guilderland girls’ track coach Dick Usher has a large team this season. It’s so large, it took him about four-and-a-half hours to figure out his roster for the Lady Dutch’s first meet this season.
"We have almost 100 girls," Usher said. "But we are very young. I don’t know what a lot of the girls can do. We did go to Cornwall [invitational] with a third of the team. The rest were on vacation. Individually, I don’t know what the kids are doing yet."

The Lady Dutch have had two meets postponed so far this season, and Usher is looking to the first Suburban Council meet at Shenendehowa on Thursday. Ballston Spa will also be at that meet.

The Guilderland team is loaded with ninth- and 10th-graders, Usher said. The Dutch also have three seventh- and two eighth-graders on the team.
"They have great potential," Usher said. "It’s rare to get that many, usually you might get one from the middle school."

The team has a few seniors, but is made up mostly of underclassmen.
"That shows great promise," Usher said. "I’m excited for the season."

Usher will be joined on the coaching staff by Pete Cure, Dan Penna, Lori Rafferty, and Mike Schaffer. Cure will be working with the pole vaulters. Penna, the varsity football coach, will be working with the throwers. Rafferty will be working with the distance runners, and Schaffer will be working with the sprinters.

Depth and breadth

Usher will have a lot of athletes to choose from to fill the events. Though he hasn’t seen everyone’s potential, he has some ideas about filling spots.

Mariam Booker, a senior, will throw the discus and the shot this spring. Emily Cure will run long distance and will also pole vault for the Lady Dutch.

Jackie DeLuise, a soccer player, will run sprints. Sisters Casey and Laura Doak, will run in distance races.

Ninth-grader Amanda Foggia shows great promise in the sprints, Usher said. Carly Giles, a sophomore, will compete in the jumps — high, long, and triple. So far this spring, she has jumped five feet in the high jump.

Junior Lindsay Hall has matured into a great 400-meter runner, Usher said. Cara Lizotte is a sprinter and a high jumper for the Lady Dutch.

Senior Brittany Malone is one of the team’s captains and will run sprints this spring. Sophomore Taylor Murphy will compete in the jumping events this spring.

Annie Rodwell-Lawton will compete in the throwing events and Rhea Rubin will run in the sprint events this spring. Liz Schwennker was the most valuable player of the indoor track team, Usher said. She will run the 400- and 800-meter races during the spring season. She is also trying long jumping this year.
"She just tried it," Usher said. "And she is one of the leaders of the team in that event."

Sophomore Alicia Bowman will throw the discus and Usher is expecting good things from her this season.

Brianne Delbenne, a sophomore, will compete in the throwing events as well this season. Ninth-grader Dominique Turek has had some fast times in the hurdles this season and will also compete in the long jump.

Katie Murdock is another of the team’s captains. She will run the 400- and 110-meter hurdles this spring.

Seventh-grader Anna Pickett will run middle and long distance races for the Dutch this season.
"Fun group"

Usher though, isn’t sure of all of the talent that he has this season.
"Because of the vacation," he said, "I don’t know what all the girls can do. Unless they worked out during vacation, it’s going to be tough for them in the early going."

Usher is sure of a couple of things, though.
"This is a fun group to work with," the coach said. "They work hard. They don’t just come to get in social time. They’ve got goals and they are working hard to attain those goals. We will probably struggle early, but, by the end of the year, by sectionals and qualifiers, we’ll have a strong team."

Usher said the first meet will be interesting to see.
"It’ll probably will be a chaotic sight," he said. "We have big sisters and little sisters, and that will help out. But they’ll still need some guidance. They’ll get nervous as they get ready to race. We have fantastic leadership."