Jonathan Dayton High School - Regionalogue Yearbook (Springfield, NJ)

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A | Outdoor Track The goal of this year ' s outdoor track team is to win the state sectionals. Coach Taglienti, who has coached the team to this victory for five of the last six years, feels that the team has a strong chance this year, despite the threat from Summit. No team has as much talent as we do, says Taglienti. However, we do lack some depth. Outstanding performances are expected by Joe Natiello and Bruce Blumenfeld in the sprints; Jeff Spolarich, Mark Pezzuto and Bruce Heide in the high hurdles; John Geiser, Dan Smith and Ben Geltzeiler in the short distances; Gary Werner, Bill Bjorstad and John Keenan in the long distances; Bruce Heide, Marc Cooper, Bart Zabelski and Brandon Gambee in the shot and discus events; Kevin Mercer and Gary Zarin in the javelin; Ed Keramas and Bruce Blumenfeld in the long jump; and Rainer Malzbender and Mark Pezzuto in the high jump. Coach Taglienti predicts state championships for Rainer Malzbender in the high jump and Bruce Heide in the shot put and discus throw. He feels that they both have the potential to go to the meet of champions in California this year. Coach T feels that the team can win the con- ference and the sectionals and sees no problem in producing a 13-2 record. Outdoor Track Schedule 1975 Dayton Vs Livingston A Dayton Vs Gov. Livingston A Dayton Vs Johnson Regional H Dayton Vs Roselle H Dayton Vs Hillside A Dayton Vs West N.Y . Mem Relays H Dayton Vs Union Catholic Relays H Dayton Vs Morris Hillside Relays A Dayton Vs Madison H Dayton Vs Caldwell H Dayton Vs Penn Relays A Dayton Vs Summit A Dayton Vs Verona A Dayton Vs N.Y. Relays A Dayton Vs New Providence H Dayton Vs Suburban Conference A Dayton Vs West Orange H Dayton Vs Union Catholic A Dayton Vs Millburn A Dayton Vs Linden H Dayton Vs State Sectionals A Dayton Vs Roselle Park A Dayton Vs State Group Meet A Meet of Champions 161

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IKiiiftTfiAGK Indoor Track The indoor track team managed to produce three individual state group three champions, a state champion, and an East Coast champion; the team also managed to break four school records, break two group three records, and win the State Group Three championship. Coach Martin Ta- glienti deemed the season, a truly remarkable one. Winning the Group Three State Championship was especially gratifying, since there were 44 teams involved, and over 100 individuals competing in each event. Excelling in the championship meet were Ben Geltzeiler, winning the 880yard run; Rainer Malz- bender, winning the high jump and setting a Group 3 state record at 6 ' 4!4 ; and Bruce Heide, winning the shot put and setting a Group 3 state record with a throw of 58 ' 7 . Heide also placed third in the high hurdles. School records broken this season included Bruce Heide ' s winning throw of 64 ' 5 ' 4 in the Eastern Championship meet including nine states while also winning the State Championships with a throw of 62 ' 9 . Rainer Malzbender broke the high jump record with a jump of 6 ' 5W. The shot put relay was broken with a combined effort of 190 ' by Marc Cooper, Bruce Heide, Bart Zabelski, and Brandon Gambee, and the high hurdle relay was broken with a combined effort of 31.6 by Jeff Spola- rich, Mark Pezzuto, Frank Ruggien, and Bruce Heide. Coach Taglienti feels that the success of the team was due to its being closely knit. The kids really enjoyed each other. If the kids are really happy, they are going to perform for you. Captains were John Keenan for the distance men, Ben Geltzeiler for the sprinters, Rainer Malz- bender for the high jump, Mark Pezzuto and Jeff Spolarich for the hurdlers and Bruce Heide, Marc Cooper and Bart Zabelski for the weight men. Bill Jones was the assistant coach. Indoor Track Schedule 1974-1975 Dayton 36 Brearley 41 Dayton 46 Pingry 25 Dayton 47 Gov. Livingston 24 Dayton 61 A. L. Johnson 16 21 Points scored in State Tournament Group 3 Co-Champions 3 Wins 1 Loss State Group 3 Champions 160

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The date is some time in February, the temperature outside is twenty degrees. It is 6:30 in the morning and so dark you can ' t see more than fifteen yards ahead of you. All of a sudden a dark blue object goes darting by. It looks like a person, but you can ' t really tell because of the sweatsuit, hat, and gloves which com- pletely cover the objects ' body. Is it some lunatic who just escaped from the insane asylum? No . . . it ' s a Dayton long dis- tance runner preparing for the start of the outdoor track season. Over the last three years track has been the most successful sport at Jona- than Dayton. However, that success has not been by accident. While the distance runners sacrifice their mornings in order to improve their endurance, the other members of the team make similar sac- rifices in order to excel in their events. For any really good track competitor the medals and trophies are insignificant. What really matters is the discipline and sense of accomplishment acquired, the confidence one builds in one ' s own abili- ty, and most importantly the people you meet as part of a team. This year ' s track team has the poten- tial to place higher in the Sectional and State meets than any previous teams. For this reason 1975 could very well be the finest track season ever for Jonathan Dayton.