[ HIGH SCHOOL RIFLERY ]
Saint Louis decides
to keep air riflery
The Saint Louis School air riflery program will continue, athletic director Todd Los Baños said yesterday.
Air-riflery pellets contain lead, so the school -- during a check of potential environmental hazards at all campus facilities -- did sample testing for the harmful substance at its air-riflery range recently.
Lead was found, but at a safe level, according to Los Baños. The test result allows the school to keep the range open, ensuring that the defending boys state champion Crusaders can compete again next fall.
"We're always looking at how to better our facilities," Los Baños said. "We wanted to make sure the lead wasn't leeching into the ground.
"We also have a new plan on how to do a better job of capturing the pellets and how to maintain the facility better."
According to a source close to the situation, Saint Louis president Father Allen DeLong declared earlier this year that the program would be discontinued because of environmental hazards.
DeLong could not be reached for comment yesterday, but Saint Louis spokeswoman Rebecca Fernandes responded by e-mail to a message left for DeLong. Her communication stated that nothing had changed in the school's stance from a March 27 Star-Bulletin article, in which she said it was never the school's intention to cancel the program.
Los Baños didn't give an answer when asked if the program had previously been discontinued.
Los Baños did say that if lead was found to be contaminating a nearby stream, then more serious measures would have been put in place.
But he's happy the program isn't in jeopardy.
"It's good for us as a school and the league," Los Baños said. "The coach (Zig Look) is doing an excellent job, having won the last five state titles."
The Sacred Hearts girls team (a three-time state champion), which is also coached by Look, also practices at the Saint Louis facility and also would have suffered as a result of a closure.