Column: At Iowa, leadership will show
Thursday, February 10 2011 - Iowa State ClassicBy: Dominic Renzetti/Assistant Sports Editor
Posted: 2/10/11
The Eastern track and field team will head to the Iowa State Classic this weekend, but they will be short two very important team members.Red-shirt juniors Zye Boey and Megan Gingerich will instead be heading to the University of Arkansas for the Tyson Invitational.
Boey and Gingerich are arguably the two best competitors on the Panthers' roster. Boey is nationally ranked and is almost always a sure thing to win. Gingerich is a seasoned veteran on a relatively young women's team.
Both show their leadership on and off the track. Both Boey and Gingerich broke school records last weekend. Off the track, Gingerich was named OVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2010-2011 season. Boey is without a doubt one of the most grateful people I have ever talked to when it comes to sports. He is one of the best athletes in the country, and he always gives credit to his coaches and teammates for support.
So this weekend, when the Panthers arrive at the Iowa State Classic, how will the Panthers fare without the presence of Boey and Gingerich? The Panthers always seem to feed off the success of these two athletes to build momentum.
I think the Panthers will do just fine. The Panthers are an extremely well rounded team and I think the other members of the team will step up with the absence of Boey and Gingerich.
Darren Patterson is one player I think can fill the void left by Boey's absence. Patterson is an experienced senior and his talents will shine this weekend. Patterson always seems to be overshadowed by Boey, but this week he can prove to everyone that he's on same level.
On the women's side, I think Bridget Sanchez will emerge as a key role. Sanchez is the fourth leg on the women's 4x400-meter relay team and is always one of the team's strongest members. While only a junior, I think Sanchez will be even more vital to the team next year as a senior.
Despite their absences, I'm very confident that Boey and Gingerich will represent the Panthers well at the Tyson Invitational. Boey and Gingerich will do as they have been week in and week out, making believers out of those who don't think the Panthers are for real. I think Boey will get comfortable competing at Arkansas be able to put on a similar performance in the same arena come March at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Dominic Renzetti can be reached at 581-7944 or dcrenzetti@eiu.edu.