Brodeur, Hahn put up good performances at Penn Relays
BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI Staff Writer
It was not the ideal result for Brick Township shot-putter DeAnne Hahn and Brick Memorial distance runner Andrew Brodeur in their final high school appearance at the Penn Relays. But it wasn't bad.

PHOTO BY TIM MORRIS Brick Memorial High School's Andrew Brodeur participates in the 3,000-meter run at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia on April 24. The senior finished in sixth place in a time of 8:39.48.

Hahn, in her fourth trip to the national showcase late last week, threw 44 feet 3 inches on her second throw of the finals, good enough for fifth place, despite struggles with her technique.

"It was mediocre, an average day for her," Brick Township girls track coach and throwing expert Bill Brunner bluntly stated. "She was 6 inches out of third place, but I was disappointed because it was her last opportunity at Penns as a prep [high school student-athlete]."

"I had a good throw the Saturday before, and I don't know if I did not prepare correctly, but it was just a privilege to go there," said Hahn, who last year was third, in her sophomore year was seventh, and did not place in her freshman year. She is headed to the University of Minnesota this fall.

Brodeur was sixth in the Championship of America 3,000 meters on Friday night in 8:39.48 against 25 entrants before more than 20,000 spectators. True to his reputed strong finishing kick, Brodeur went from 11th entering the final lap after spending most of the race in the middle of the pack and solidified his spot with a burst over the final 600 meters.

"I'm glad he got the experience of a big-time race," said Brick Memorial boys coach Brian Decker. "It was a learning experience for him. He had some tactical errors, but you can't fault him. I'll take it. There was a lot of juggling over the first few laps, which he's not used to. He moved up but ran out of room later in the race. He started getting into a groove, but it was a little too late for this caliber of meet. This [experience] sets him up for college races and running with a big pack."

Brodeur said he agreed with his coach.

"I should've been a little more toward the front so I wouldn't have to make up so much ground," he said. "I should've gone out a little harder."

He said there was a "lot of jostling and pushing around over the first mile that was pretty vicious and gave me a lot of trouble. I wound up toward the back. It didn't help the rest of the race."

The following morning, Brodeur anchored a 4x400 relay that did not place but was fifth in a heat of 15 teams from schools along the Atlantic seaboard in 3:37.33. Joe Kocher (:55,4), George Cook (:54.6), Kyle Haggerty (:55.3) and Brodeur (:52.0) ran commendable splits.

Also at Penn, Hahn's throwing teammate, Lisa Stuto, did not place in the shot put with her best throw of 39-11, which Brunner attributed to nerves at her first big-time meet. "She'll grow from this," he said.

Both throwers were back in action on Saturday at the Lions Invitational at Middletown South, where Hahn still struggled with the shot put but got off one of the best throws in the nation in the discus and won both events. Stuto was second in both as Brick Township finished second in the team standings to Southern, 86-46.

Hahn threw 42-7 and Stuto hit 40-11 in the shot put.

"They did not have a good day again. It was kind of a downer," said Brunner, who would be thrilled with that performance from most throwers but knows they fell short of the high standards they have set. "Lisa was nervous at Penns, but in this one, she was not in synch with the event and did not look like herself."

But Hahn came back in the discus with a throw of 152- 3 that set Ocean County and Shore Conference records. It was 2 inches beyond the previous Shore Conference mark set by Marlboro's Kristen Batts a year ago. It was also the farthest in the state and fourth farthest thrown in the country this spring.

"It was a big throw. I was waiting to get over 150. My next goal is to get to 160. I've hit that a few times in practice," said Hahn.

"That was the best day of her life in the discus. She had five throws in the 140s," said Brunner. "And she can pull a 150 or 160 on a great day."

Stuto threw 117-0. Brunner said she was "a bit inconsistent, but she can throw the big throw, which she couldn't do last year."

Ryisha Boyd got the other points for Brick Township in the Lion Invitational with her winning distance of 17 feet 6 inches in the long jump. Boyd, who is deciding between the University of South Florida and the University of North Carolina, passed up competing in the sprints when her hamstrings were a little sore.

As for the shot put, Brunner feels Hahn has plenty of time over the next five weeks to work her way toward the Meet of Champions.

"We will get DeAnne technically over the problems she been having," said

Brunner assuredly. "She's been in and out with her throws, with some good ones and then some struggles. She's not getting her left foot down and is slow across the circle."

"I don't know if I'm over-thinking or making too many mistakes," said Hahn. I'm not falling back into the glide at the start of the throw in the right way, and then I have problems with the drop of my foot on the release [of the shot]. I have plenty of time to work on it."

Brick Township's Will Cabalero was fourth in the javelin in 159-7 and Alyssa Brown of the Green Dragons was eight in the girls competition in 98-10.

Young Bill Brunner of Brick Memorial was third in the boys shot put in 48-7 1/4.

"It was good, but he's thrown in the 50s. He tries to overpower the shot put instead of using his quickness," said Brunner's dad, who was the spectator and not the coach for this one. "He has to let the throw come to him."

Brick Township's Megan Schenk ran a 12:37 3,200 meters but did not place. "She's a work in progress," said Brunner. Amber Hessenkemper, recovering from a back injury, is expected back in two weeks, said Brunner.

They were back in action Tuesday this week in the final dual meet of the season between both schools, and they compete on Friday night in the Ocean County Relays at Southern Regional, except for Brodeur who Decker is holding out to prepare for the upcoming bigger meets. Brodeur feels ready to go and has stayed clear of injuries that plagued him in the past.

"I just have to stay smart. I didn't run a smart race [at Penns]," Brodeur said.

Brick Township is looking to break its own county relay records in the shot put and discus, and Hahn and Stuto are ready, but the third person in each could be freshman Katie Brunner, daughter of the coach. Shot-putter Becky Elliott and discus thrower Deena Haluza both were away last week during spring break, and Brunner said he "will see how the week goes" with practices and Tuesday's dual meet.