Cheektowaga indoor track co-coach Richard Bridenbaker described the Warriors’ contingent at this past Saturday’s meet at Lancaster as “light,” but that doesn’t mean their results were any less impressive than what the team has been posting all season long.

James Hanners broke the school’s indoor record in the 50-meter hurdles with his second place time of 8.3 seconds to highlight the Warriors’ efforts, while Dave Kerling tied his personal best — and the school indoor record from the previous week — with his second place pole vault of 11 feet.

Throwers Mike Morgenstern and Jessica Calandra, competing in the “Rock and Roll Throw Off” later in the afternoon, also fared well in the shot put. Morgenstern, who broke the school’s indoor record in the first meet of the season with his toss of 45-4½, turned in his second-best throw of the year with a 45-2½ effort. Calandra, meanwhile, tossed her weight a season-best 31-6.

“The kids we had show up at the meet did really well,” Bridenbaker said.

Records being broken has been a running theme with Cheektowaga this season — no pun intended. Keyona Dandy has trimmed time off her school mark in the 55 hurdles to most recently lower it to 9.18 seconds, placing first or second in the process each time she runs the event. Tim Whelan qualified for sectionals in the two-mile (10:51) and is approaching that benchmark in the mile (4:54) as well in setting the indoor record in both events, while the boys’ 4x800 relay of Whelan, Kerling, Kobe Walenka and Javante Vasquez has also set the school’s new indoor standard this season (9:17).

Stephanie Lombardo, meanwhile, broke the girls’ indoor school record earlier this season with a 34-4 effort in the shot put.

Additionally, the boys’ 4x400 relay of Corey DeWald, Lamel and Tori Battey, and Dallas Taylor is currently the section’s top-ranked foursome in that event. Kerling has also won his last two attempts in the 600, while Taylor has done the same in the 300 and “is on the cusp of breaking the school record,” according to Bridenbaker.

Bridenbaker’s biggest sense of accomplishment for the team, though, comes from the fact that DeWald, as well as both Batteys, have all qualified for sectionals in the triple jump with leaps 39 feet or greater.

“We’ve definitely put forth a well-rounded team this year,” Bridenbaker said. “Both teams are doing well and are pushing to go to sectionals. With some luck and continued hard work, we could even qualify some kids for states. The boys’ 4x4 should be a legitimate contender there, with all of the guys except Tori competing at states outdoors in that event last spring.”

“We’ve got way more depth in the distance events this year, and just a great group of seniors in general,” Bridenbaker added. “I really think both the boys and girls programs will be really strong heading into the outdoor season.”

Cheektowaga does not return to the track until it competes at Fredonia State College on Saturday, February 4, but Bridenbaker is confident his athletes will be ready to go for that meet, which will serve as one of the final tune-ups for the postseason.

“We’re doing really well right now, getting better each week and putting ourselves in position to do well down the stretch,” Bridenbaker said. “We’re certainly looking to peak at the right time.”

email: jnadolinski@beenews.com