All-Delco Boys Track and Field: Chichester’s Bruton made jump from diamond to Del Val gold
In addition to Daily Times boys track and field Athlete of the Year Eric Albright of Garnet Valley, the All-Delco team includes:
Chris Belz, Radnor: The senior was one of the premier middle distance runners in Delaware County and the anchor of Radnor’s 4 x 800-meter relay team that placed second at the District 1 Class 3A championships and seventh at the state meet. Colin Chesire, Gaven Williams and Max Dooley were the other members of that relay team. Belz finished the season ranked second in the county in the 800 and third in the 400. He was second at the Delco Championships with a personal-best time of 1:55.58 and placed eighth at the District 1 Class 3A championships in the 800.
Zaquan Bruton of Chichester clears 6-3 to take second place in the high jump at the District 1 Class 3A championships. He would finish fifth in the event a week later at the PIAA Class 3A championships.
Josiah Bronkema, Delco Christian: The senior did it all for the Knights. He qualified for the District 1 Class 2A championships in the 100, high jump and long jump, and as part of the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relay teams. The jumps, though, were his specialty. Bronkema won district titles in the high and long jumps, and placed fifth at the PIAA championships in the high jump. He leaped a personal-best 22 feet, 4¼ inches to win the district title in the long jump and went a career-best 6-4 to medal in the high jump at the PIAA Class 2A championships.
Zaquan Bruton, Chichester: Bruton started the spring season on the baseball field before returning to the track and did not miss a beat. He won the high jump at the Del Val qualifier (6-3) and the Haverford Last Chance Invitational (personal best 6-5), before taking second at the District 1 Class 3A championships (6-3) and fifth at the state meet (6-2). Bruton also won the triple jump at the Del Val Qualifier and the Haverford Last Chance meets. He will play football and run track at Kutztown.
Bryce Cooper, Episcopal Academy: Cooper was limited mostly to relay events due to a lingering groin injury from the football season that required surgery after the spring track campaign. But the Churchmen could not have won their first Inter-Ac League title since 1979 without him. The junior won the 400-meter dash at the league championship meet in a personal-best time of 49.56 seconds. He then anchored the 4 x 400 relay team of Na’rome Rayborn, Miguel Peña and Mekhi Rodgers to first place, the points that secured the team title for the Churchmen.
Patrick Donaher, Haverford School: Donaher was just one of two shot putters in the county to top the 50-foot mark this season and he did so four times, saving his best for last. The junior unleashed a personal best put of 52-1½ to take second at the Inter-Ac League title. He also claimed the Delco championship with a heave of 52-0. In seven meets he finished first three times, second three times and third once.
Max Dooley, Radnor: Like Belz, Dooley was a multiple threat for Radnor. He ranked second in the county in the 1,600 and third in the 800. He ran a PR of 4:20.47 to take fourth in the 1,600 at the District 1 Class 3A championships and finished 17th at the state meet. He also ran a PR of 1:56.85 to place third in the 800 at the Unionville Invitational. The senior teamed with Belz, Chesire and Williams to take second in the 4 x 400 at the district championships and seventh at the PIAA Class 3A championships.
Enrico Faccio, Strath Haven: The junior is the latest in a line of strong Haven hurdlers. He qualified for the PIAA Class 3A championships in both hurdles events and came away with a fifth-place medal in the 300 intermediate hurdles at states with a personal-best time of 39.36 seconds. Faccio won the 110 hurdles at the Unionville Invitational, Delco Championships and Central League championships and took second in the event at the District 1 Class 3A championships.
Walton Garnett, Chester: The 2021 season was a breakout year for the talented sophomore. Garnett set personal-bests in the 400 (50.24), 800 (2:03.14) and 300 hurdles (43.14) and also competed in relay events for the Clippers. The personal-best in the 400 earned him a seventh-place medal at the District 1 championships. He was third in the event at the Delco championships and won the 400 at the Marple Newtown Invitational.
Daniel Munro, Penncrest: Versatility was Munro’s strength. He competed in the pole vault, both hurdles events, the 800 and long jump. The pole vault and hurdles, though, were the junior’s strongest events. He ranked first in the county in the pole vault (14-7), winning the Delcos title and finishing fourth at the District 1 Class 3A championships in the event to qualify for the state meet. He also won the pole vault at the Rustin Invitational, Coatesville Invitational, Firebird Invitational, Father Judge Relays and Central League championships. Munro also qualified for the PIAA championships in both hurdles. He was fourth at districts in the 300 hurdles and fifth in the 110s.
Nathan Nguyen, Marple Newtown: Nguyen teamed with fellow junior Justin Quinn to form a solid 1-2 throwing punch for the Tigers. He threw all three implements (discus, javelin and shot put), but the discus was his best event. He ranked first in the county and captured the discus title at the Delco Championships. He set a personal-best with a throw of 135-6 to take first at the Upper Darby Throwers Invitational and placed eighth at the District 1 Class 3A championships.
George Okyne, Upper Darby: Okyne had quite a senior season before heading off for recruit training with the United State Marine Corps. He was among the county’s best sprinters, running everything from the 100 to the 400. The 200, though, was his best event. He won the Delco title with a personal-best time of 22.15 and took fourth at the district meet to qualify for the PIAA Class 3A championships. Okyne placed second in the 400 at the Delco championships and led off the 4 x 100 relay squad that finished sixth at the District 1 championships.
Chris Sims, Haverford School: Bucknell is getting the best triple jumper in Delco and one of the best in Pennsylvania. The senior, who will compete in track and play football for the Bison, ranked first in the county in the triple jump and 11th in the state. He set a personal best with a leap of 45-6½ in a dual meet on May 1 and won the county championship a week later. Sims closed out his season with a victory in the triple jump at the Inter-Ac League championships.
Joe Talone, Penncrest: He was the lone javelin thrower from the county to qualify for the PIAA Class 3A championships, where he finished 19th. The senior qualified for the state meet with a personal-best throw of 165-9 to place fourth at the District 1 Class 3A championships. He won the javelin at the Upper Darby Throwers Invitational and the Haverford Last Chance Invitational.
Eric Willis, Academy Park: Willis came out for track for the first time this season and despite a late start because of winter/spring football, quickly proved to be a natural. He won the 100 in his first two Del Val League meets and parlayed that into a county title with a victory at the Delco Championships. Willis turned in his best effort of the season a week later when he ran a personal-best 10.81 seconds to win the 100 at the Haverford Last Chance Invitational.
Michael Woolery, Episcopal Academy: Not many freshmen make an impact in the distance events. Woolery did. He took second in the 1,600 and third in the 3,200 in his first scholastic meet and kept on going. Woolery won the 3,200-meter run at the Delco Championships with a personal-best time of 9:38.26. He also finished second in the 1,600 at the county championships and then took second in both events at the Inter-Ac League championships to help the Churchmen secure their first league crown in 42 years.
