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Bombers get boost from mountain neighbors

Lake Placid track and field team (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

LAKE PLACID — The Lake Placid track and field team has never lacked top-tier student-athletes, but small schools can suffer in sports such as track and field, where the number of competitors relates to the final score. But this year, with the addition of more than a dozen Keene Central School students, the Blue Bombers are poised for a solid season.

“Just like skiing, it’s added like 18,” coach Bill Frazer said. “Without modified, we’re around 50 kids. For Lake Placid, that’s a lot.”

Frazer, who also coaches the Nordic ski team, said the infusion has allowed the team to add former athletic director Donna Moody as a throwing coach to assist him and his wife Mel.

“Another thing we’re psyched about is we have Donna coming to practice every day to work with our throwers,” he said. “We’ve never had a throwing coach before. It’s usually ‘You guys go over there and do whatever.’ And we usually give those points up.

“The numbers are going to help us, and the girls team will be really strong.”

Kyle Shambo, a senior in Keene, will lead the way for the throwers, and he said having a dedicated throwing coach has been a nice change. Previously, Keene kids competed with EKMW — Elizabethtown, Keene, Moriah and Westport.

“It’s really nice having an actual coach,” Shambo said. “When we were with EKMW, it was kind of relaxed and kind of self-taught. But now, getting to know the technique, I’m going to be able to compete better than I did last year. So I’m excited for that.”

Sara Rose-McCandlish, who also competed in the fall on the school’s cross country team, said the infusion of new blood has been fun.

“I think it’s really fun this year having so many Keene kids. It’s a really great opportunity and they have a lot of strong kids,” the Lake Placid senior said. “It’s really fun and really cool having a lot of new faces and making new friends. I think it’s going to be a really good year.

“This is a really big expansion. It’s a really good thing to happen.”

Several of the Keene athletes will enter their third season competing for Lake Placid after they were on the cross country running and skiing teams, so coaches Bill and Mel Frazer aren’t dealing with all new faces.

The Lake Placid track and field team is slated to open the season at home against AuSable Valley Central School on Tuesday, April 23.

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