Sports: Fantastic 4

By Melissa Yerkov

Times Sports Editor

Over the last three years, Jones Twenefor, John Landis, Matt Smalley and Raul Quinones have become much more than fellow students at Father Judge High School. They've become friends, teammates and, in a few weeks, they very well could be champions.

The four athletes have been seemingly unstoppable on the track this season. They recently qualified for states after finishing 16th in the New York Balance Games — and sixth out of all Pennsylvania teams in the 4x200-meter relay — on Jan. 22.

"I knew we had the talent to do it. All we had to do was execute," said Smalley, a junior honor student who is in his second year with the Crusaders' track squad. "We are very confident going into states. As a 4x200m relay team, I think we can go far in states. We're determined to win."

Before they can think about competing at the state level, though, the Crusaders must focus on the Philadelphia Catholic League championship, scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 13, at Lehigh University.

"Hopefully, if everything goes well and everyone performs to their expectations, we will take the Catholic League championship," said Twenefor, a senior captain for this year's squad. "Everyone has to perform well. I'm optimistic."

Currently, the Father Judge 4x200 relay runners — Twenefor, Landis, Smalley and Quinones — are ranked 14th in the state in their event.

Landis, a junior, is ranked ninth in the long jump; Smalley is ranked 14th in the triple jump and tied for 14th in the 60-meter dash.

"Because of them, and several other athletes, we got a shot at the Catholic League title in three weeks," said Father Judge head coach Mike Leonard, "and hopefully, from there, those guys can do well at states."

There are many things that can attributed to the success of Twenefor, Landis, Smalley and Quinones this season, and those variables include hard work, dedication and raw talent. But perhaps their most valuable asset is something very natural for the foursome — their friendship.

"We all hang out together, eat lunch together, play football together, run track together," explained Quinones, who rushed for 939 yards and led the Crusaders' football team in scoring with 11 touchdowns this season. "The four of us play all year round, that's why we have a good connection."

The quartet helped the Crusaders go 8-3 overall this football season, including a run deep into the playoffs.

"The football team did really good this year," said Twenefor, a four-year performer on the track and football teams who also has consistently earned honors. "We mostly spend all year together with football, spring practice, summer practice. Basically once football is over, you start track. Then after track, it's right back to football. I think it makes us better competitors because we're focused all year round."

It was friends at first sight when Landis, Smalley and Quinones made the Crusaders' football squad as freshmen. They were immediately befriended by Twenefor, a sophomore running back at the time. It wasn't until the following year, though, that they took their skills to the track.

Since then, they've pretty much been inseparable.

"We've known each other for years and we're pretty much around each other all year," said Landis, a junior captain for the Crusaders' track squad. "I think it also helps us as competitors, because playing more than one sport gives us more confidence.

"Running track definitely helps with football. It gets your stamina up and increases your speed," continued Landis, who led the Father Judge football team in receiving yards this fall with 391. "I don't think football is as hard as track is. Track, you're running day in and day out. It's grueling mentally and physically. Football is right there too, but it's a totally different thing."

The Father Judge track squad is driven by the same discipline and dedication needed to succeed. In addition to daily practices outside — yes, despite the plummeting temperatures, the team members regularly run on the track behind their school — they have weight training three times a week.

"Oh yeah, we'll be running," said Landis. "They usually shovel the track when it snows. It's a little bit of an explosive workout. Me and my teammates, our main goal is to become state champions. We have to train often and hard.

"It gets real tough sometimes, but our coach is great," he added. "He keeps pushing us and doesn't let us quit. Plus the team — we're motivation for each other."

Sports editor Melissa Yerkov can be reached  at 215-354-3035 or myerkov@bsmphilly.com