Reporter/Times Herald Area Boys Track and Field Preview
Maybe no other spring has been so highly anticipated for area track and field athletes.
After their 2020 season was wiped out due to the pandemic, area runners, throwers and jumpers are back at it.
“We are looking forward to getting back into competition after being out for over a year on the track,” Central Bucks West coach John Mahoney said. “There are many question marks with a team this big and inexperienced. However, it will be exciting to see what this team can become over the season.”
Dock is again going for the title in the Bicentennial Athletic League.
“The BAL does not have the same depth it once did, but it will be a significant challenge to capture a title,” coach Tim Eger said. “We are thrilled just to have a season and looking forward to the chance to compete. Look for a few top-end individuals to qualify for the state meet.”
Lansdale Catholic is building up a young squad as it contends in the Philadelphia Catholic League.
“Strengths and question marks are one in the same for us this year, and that is youth,” coach Matt Connelly said. “We are a fairly young team, which is exciting because we were concerned with numbers as a result of the pandemic. Our freshmen coming in haven’t run since they were in seventh grade. Our outlook for the season is one of excitement, that we have an opportunity to train and compete.”
Said La Salle coach Greg Bielecki: “The Explorers are just excited to compete. Having lost last spring to the pandemic, this team certainly is grateful for the opportunity to train hard and work tirelessly to improve. As long as the team controls what it can control, it should be a great season for the Explorers.”
The Suburban One League Colonial Division should be stacked with tough competition, including that of CB West, Pennridge, Souderton Area and North Penn.
“As most other teams, we have a lot of new boys on the team and it will take some time to get them in the proper events to help our team,” Rams coach Bob Hosier said. “Our goals are always the same as in past years: be very competitive in our league, to show continual improvement, show sportsmanship, have a winning record in dual meets, advance many athletes to the District One Championships and be represented at the State Championships in Shippensburg and bring home some medals.”
Following is a team-by-team look at the area.
Central Bucks West
Coach: John Mahoney (first season).
Key performers lost: Kevin Guevara, Roman Katona, Alan Zlotin, Matt Schwartz.
Key returners: Carter Fitzgerald, Jr., middle distance; J.J. McCaslin, Sr., sprints; Klaus Mangeot, Jr., distance; Brennan Wellock, Jr., distance; Conor Gross, Sr., distance; Keagan Kratze, Sr., middle distance; Pat Lafferty, Sr., throws/high jump; Jack Foster, Sr., jumps; Doug Barnett, Sr., sprints.
Others to watch: Eric Mass, Jr., distance; Trevor Burge, Jr., sprints; John Fileppo, Sr., sprints; Noah Gartenberg, So., sprints; Kian Mehler, So., high jump; Owen Donaher, So., sprints.
Strengths: “We have a large team with 96 members. We have a strong core of distance runners coming off of a great cross country season that are ready for action on the track.”
Question marks: “Losing Kevin Guevara in the throws will be a big loss. We have a solid group of returners in the throws along with a nice group of new members looking to step up.”
Dock
Coach: Tim Eger (19th Season).
Key performers lost: Jonathan Anderson, distance; Adam Berry, throws; Evan Mong, pole vault/sprints; Jesse Mong, pole vault/middle distance; Sean Robinson, distance; Thomas Schreiber, hurdles.
Key returners: Josh Bauman (Captain, 12th, distance), Ben German (11th, javelin, mid-distance), Aidan Jurin (Captain, 11th, sprints), Roman Kuhn (11th, sprints and jumps), Stanley Saint-Fleur (Captain, 12th, mid-distance), Cole Smeland (11th, pole vault).
Others to Watch: Omar Al-Laty (11th, throws), (Drew Bauman (10th, javelin), Matthias Brockington (10th, sprints), Jonah Chavez (11th, sprints), Ian Hunsberger (11th, throws).
Strengths: “Expect some strong performances from Stanley Saint-Fleur on the track. Like everyone, this newcomer missed a chance to compete last year and will try to make the most of 2021. Cole Smeland has similar potential in the pole vault after showing big improvements early before the season shutdown. Roman Kuhn will be the one to watch in the long jump, and he and Aidan Jurin will anchor the sprints. Josh Bauman has worked hard to be the top distance runner and Ben German will strengthen the mid-distance corps.”
Question Marks: “With the graduation of Schreiber, the hurdles lost a major contributor, and the pole vault does not have quite the depth without the Mong brothers. Which throwers and jumpers emerge to help the team will go a long way toward team success. Dock needs to make up for a lot of lost points in the field and is relying on new contributors in the sprints and distance. Overall, it’s a smaller team than some years and the depth will be tested in the new-look BAL and a district that will be stiff competition.”
Lansdale Catholic
Coach: Matt Connelly (8th season).
Key performers lost: Peter McHugh, Michael Niemann.
Key returners: Anthony Gargani, John Murphy.
La Salle
Coach: Gregory Bielecki (11th season).
Key performers lost: Eric Ford, Matt Zoglio, Ethan Maher, Vince Twomey, Brady Koors, Dan Gervino, Griffin Pumilia.
Key returners: Tommy Christie, senior, jumps; Mason Branch, senior, jumps; Michael Brown, senior, jumps; Brian Scotto, senior, hurdles; Jalen Hanton, senior, sprints, Liam Kennedy, senior, sprints; Patrick Coyle, senior, distance; Max Manganiello, senior, distance; Zach Brill, junior, distance; Drew Brill, sophomore, distance; Ryan McGinley, sophomore, distance.
Others to watch: Connor McFadden, freshman, sprints; Sean McFadden, sophomore, sprints; Amir Anderson, junior, sprints; Max Muller, sophomore, jumps; Brendan Ngyuen, junior, jumps/hurdles; Michael Lombardi, senior, distance; Fran Dougherty, junior, distance, Will Rau, junior, distance; Matt Dyer, junior, distance; Ryan Carr, junior, throws; Luke Shissler, junior, throws.
Strengths: “The Explorers lost a great senior class to graduation but return a relatively well-rounded team with considerable upside. This team will have some growing and maturing to do, but should be able to score some points in many events.”
Question marks: “How will the Explorers respond after going nearly a year with any regular competition? There are some great prospects on the team, it will remain to be seen how they progress and develop over the course of the spring. There is lots of hard work to be done for this team to achieve its potential.”
North Penn
Coach: Jay Jones (15th season).
Key performers lost: Eric Kull, Samir Razi, Starrett Vesper, Kevon White, Sufyan Davis-Arrington, Ryan Greene.
Key returners: Jayden Cartwright, Karl Shafstellar, Gavin Zanck, Joe Larkins, Aaron Malamed.
Others to watch: Sean Fisher, Ian Kelly- Distance Jabrie Gaymon, Kiala Nsikidi.
Strengths: “Hard-working, and dedicated group.”
Question marks: “Missing an entire season due to the pandemic makes everyone inexperienced. The impact training without a track has on our preperation.”
Coach Jones says: “We should be competitive in our league and have several district qualifiers in multiple events.”
Pennridge
Coach: Bob Hosier (38th season).
Key performers lost: Bobby Brashear; Liam McCool; Jack Wasserman; Josiah Landis, Tyler Myers.
Key returners: Spencer Lane, Sr., hurdles; Diego Lera-Lozano, Sr., distance; Andrew Reice, Sr., middle distance; Rich Loughran, Sr., middle distance; James Estep, Sr., jumps; Andrew Long, Sr., javelin; Joey Gant, Jr., sprints; Braydon Landherr, Jr., hurdles; Roberto Wallace, Jr., throws.
Others to watch: Landon McIntyre, Sr., sprints; Mike Muiruri, Fr., sprints; Tom McGann, Fr., distance; T.J. Grenda, Sr., distance; Carter Arnaiz, Jr., jumps; Ryan Martin, Jr., distance; Mason Nyce, Jr., distance; Jared Hess, Jr., jumps; Aiden Jacoby, Jr., hurdles; Luke Bailey, Jr., distance.
Strengths: Sprints, hurdles, distance.
Question marks: Jumps, throws, pole vault.
Souderton Area
Coach: John Donahue (13th season).
Key performers lost: Peter Ernst, DeAndre Wakefield, Will Handwerk.
Key returners: Dekai Averett, Jr., hurdles: Ayden Stankus, Sr., pole vault/sprints: Nic Morales, Sr., distance.
Others to watch: Manny Rota-Talarico, Jr., distance; Aonghas Evanick, Sr., throws; Tommy Alexander, So., sprints.
Strengths: Solid in distance, hurdles, and throws.
Question marks: Inexperience in sprints and jumps.
Coach Donahue says: “Happy to have a season and looking forward to seeing how much each of our 70-plus athletes can improve as we progress through the season.”
Wissahickon
Coach: Bruce Fleming (first season).
Key performers lost: State medalist jumper and all-around utility man Carmen Ostrosky, Jumper/Hurdler Christian McCarry, Sprinter Robert Wilson; Distance guys Hanson Leung, Bryce Miles and Justin Ryan; vaulter Adam Pieroni, thrower Virgil Johnson.
Key returners: Sprinters Isaiah Marc, Jr., and Shawn Carr, Sr.; distance guys Alex Schultz, Jr., and Zac Dallal, Sr., hurdler twins Josh and Jake Tillman, Sr., vaulters Suyoung Lee, Jr., and Elias Kilshaw, Sr.
Others to watch: Sprinter/Middle Distance Brett Lehman, Sr., sprinters Braheen Thomas, Jr., Chase Bethea, Jr. and Rowan Aten, Jr. and Jaylen Foster, Fr.; Grayson Ruffner, Fr., Matt Winkowski, So., and Martin Vandegrift, Fr. in the distances.
Said Don Betterly, who guided the program for 24 years as head coach and is now an assistant: “The missed season hurt us with the loss of continuity. There was no transition for the seniors to lead by example, and the younger guys missed the year of growth and experience. I think a lot of teams are in the same boat.”
