DLN ALL-AREA: Downingtown West’s Smith goes out in grand style
The No. 13 was both lucky and significant for Downingtown West boys track and field coach James Smith.
In his 13th season as head of the Whippets, Smith guided his team to a team title at the District 1 Championships, and a second-place finish at the PIAA Championships.
And the significance is also that the season was his last in Downingtown, before he leaves for a teaching job in another school district. Smith is going to take a boatful of memories with him.
“How we started 13 years ago and slowly developed an atmosphere that kids want to be part of is something I’m proud of,” Smith said. “And to be a part of the team that gave Coatesville its first loss in the Ches-Mont League, along with the district title, are things I’m never going to forget.”
Smith can add one more accolade to his final season at Downingtown West: the 2016 Daily Local News Boys Track All-Area Coach of the Year award.
“It’s a real honor,” he said. “It’s a reflection of the team and the talent and dedication they had.”
The Whippets came into the outdoor season full of confidence after a successful indoor campaign. They put together a 4-2 mark, tied for third in the Ches-Mont National.
The postseason started on a rousing, albeit somewhat disappointing, beginning. Coatesville came into the Ches-Mont Championships having won 14 straight titles, but to get No. 15, the Red Raiders had to fight off a determined effort from the Whippets.
Led by the talents of Josh McLemore and Nate Alleyne, plus the field prowess of Darian Alston, West pushed the entire meet, before coming up just two points short of dethroning the Red Raiders.
With the districts next up on the agenda, Smith had to get over the near-miss of a league title.
“We had to put that aside and get ready to go to districts,” he said. “We were healthy coming out of Ches-Monts, and we felt good going into districts.”
The good feelings translated into a dominiant performance, as the Whippets used six gold-medal winning showings to cruise to the crown, compiling 82 points, way ahead of Pennridge’s 60.
The championship added to team titles in cross country and indoor track, and had West thinking of more.
“This is West’s first district championship so it’s very, very exciting,” said Jaxson Hoey after the meet. “Now, we want to win states this year. We’re looking for the state triple crown — cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.”
The quest for a school-year three-peat came to a head at the PIAA meet at Shippensburg.
Buoyed by the triple gold performance from McLemore, and podium placings from Alston, Jaxson Hoey and Josh Hoey, the Whippets came agonizingly close to pulling off the feat. They were edged by State College, 54-53.
“Jaxson Hoey did a tremendous did a tremendous job for us along with Nate and Josh,” Smith said. “We had a whole team with good balance.
“Nothing is more exciting than a close meet. I tell them to work hard and take care of what we need to do.”
Smith also shows his appreciation to those who helped him along the way with the Whippets.
“Thank you to the West community and parents and the great spirit of the Ches-Mont,” he said. “Special thanks to Rohan Grant for all his help and support with the West track and field community. I am blessed to have had the chance to coach at West for 13 great years.”
