It began as a winning season, but also one plagued by random injuries. With a record of 6-1 and two third-place tourney wins, the girls track team is doing well.

Sophomore relay runner Teneshia Benson was out of action because of a sprained ankle. She thinks the injuries are a threat to the team's success.

"Me being hurt is definitely hard on the team," she said. "I'm one of the runners on the 4x200. The team members have to be there and be healthy or we won't be complete, and we won't succeed."

Junior Emily Kempf thinks the team's determination makes it stronger.

"We're good because really want to be," she said. "We work harder every day and get better every day."

The season started with two wins on March 31 against North and Central-Hower. Big winners at the meet were senior Andromeda Brown, who placed first in both 100 and 200 meters, junior Keeley McGowan, who placed first the 400, and junior Amanda Pelligra, who placed first in the 800 meters.

Hoban placed third at the Dover Millennium Invitational with 93 points April 2. Next was a meet against St. Thomas Aquinas, where the Knights suffered an upset. Runners Brown and sophomore Maura Bulgrin were big winners at the meet. Junior throwers Katie Stenger and Kristen Minrovic both won in their events and helped the team score 54 points. St. Thomas Aquinas won with a score of 83.

The Knights came in third at the Bellaire Invitational April 9. The team faced 15 other schools at the meet.

Coach Joe Lutz earned his 100th win as girls track coach at Hoban when his team defeated St. Vincent-St. Mary April 12.

"I'm really proud of it [my record]," Lutz said. "It shows that we've had some tough girls over the past 12 years."

Lutz had to make strategic moves to improve the Knights.

"I took the Kempfs out of the 4x100 and 4x200 to win the 400," he said. "That backfired on me because they [the Irish] took all three spots. So I talked to [coaches] Joe Zampino and Tim LaRose and I told McGowan, Brown and Emily Kempf to win the relays to sweep the track meet. Bulgrin had to come in second [in the one mile], but she ended up coming in first. There's a trick in track meets. The first to 65 wins, and I'm glad I did it."

Hoban placed second in a meet against Green, Ellet and Springfield April 15. The team placed first in both the 4x100 and 4x200.

The Knights beat Buchtel and Kenmore at home April 19. Hoban's score was 65.5, Buchtel had 48.5, and Kenmore came out with 47. On April 27, the Knights crushed Villa Angela-St. Joseph 99-15.

Among 16 school at the Auten Invitational April 30, Hoban's girls placed sixth. Wadsworth dominated the tournament, placing first.