It was nothing short of a historical season for the Smithsburg boys cross country team.
Sporting their best squad in decades, the Leopards cruised to the MPSSAA Class 1A state title for the first time since 1977. While there’s been plenty of time for celebration, there’s been just as much time for speculation: Can Smithsburg now win an indoor track and field state championship?
Track squads aren’t solely built on distance runners, of course, but luckily for the Leopards there is much more depth to their talent than just the cross country holdovers. Smithsburg is projected to bring back state medalists in the sprints, jumps, and pole vault this winter, making the Leopards a potential state title contender.
For our indoor track and field field previews, we will take a closer look at the inner workings of Smithsburg, while also shining the spotlight on the other teams from the Local.News1 coverage area. Those squads include North Hagerstown and Chambersburg, two teams that return some big-time talent and will be aiming for some postseason glory of their own.
Stay with Local.News1 in the days to come as we continue to preview the winter sports season.
Below are team-by-team previews for the six indoor track teams in the Local.News1 coverage area:
Waynesboro Tribe
Coach: Jennifer Atkinson
Top projected returners: Devin Barger (Sr., Mid-Distance/Distance), Nathaniel Snyder (So., Distance), Marshal Massey (Jr., Throws), Noah Hoxie (Jr., Distance)
Meet the Tribe: Waynesboro has a small group of athletes, but the team should be able to compete in the distance events with the return of Devin Barger and Nathaniel Snyder, and addition of Noah Hoxie … Barger is coming off a cross country season that concluded with an 88th-place finish in 17:15 at the District 3-3A Championships … Hoxie also qualified for the district cross country meet, taking 108th in 17:24 … Snyder also showcased his running talents in the cross country postseason by placing 68th in 17:58 at the Mid-Penn Championships … Marshal Massey is projected to once again compete in the shot put this winter.
Opener: Friday, Dec. 12, at Ray Shriver Invitational
Greencastle-Antrim Blue Devils
Coach: Rich Secrest
Top projected returners: Spencer Long (So., Sprints), Nolan Sullivan (Jr., Sprints), Jeremiah Amstutz (Jr., Sprints/Jumps), Billy Bender (Jr., Mid-Distance/Distance), Logan Bohrer (Sr., Distance), Abric Coy (Sr., Distance), Ryan Gearhart (Jr., Distance), Brayden Shaffer (Sr., Throws), Nicholas Burke (Jr., Throws), Noah Parks (Sr., Distance)
Meet the Blue Devils: Even with the graduation of Joel Amstutz, now competing for Roberts Wesleyan University, Greencastle-Antrim should be just fine in the distance events … Logan Bohrer, coming off a District 3-3A cross country meet that saw him run a 17:18 for 95th place, is projected to return for the Blue Devils’ indoor squad … Four other district cross country qualifiers — Noah Parks, Ryan Gearhart, Billy Bender, and Abric Coy — are also expected to compete indoors this winter … Spencer Long and Nolan Sullivan give Greencastle some pop in the sprints, while Brayden Shaffer and Nicholas Burke have quality experience in the shot put … The Blue Devils will be looking to Jeremiah Amstutz to compete in the sprints and jumps.
Opener: Friday, Dec. 12, at Ray Shriver Invitational
Chambersburg Trojans
Coach: Jim Boyer
Top projected returners: Kason Besecker (Sr., Sprints), Jayden Stokes (Jr., Sprints), Harper Lintner (Sr., Sprints), Vuriel Theophile (So., Sprints), Jackson Dawe (Sr., Sprints), Ayden Pfistener (Jr., Sprints), Luke Mertz (Sr., Pole Vault/Sprints), Micah Gunkelman (Jr., Jumps/Sprints), Andrew Bankert (So., Sprints/Mid-Distance), Nick Putt (So., Sprints), Daniel Casagrandi (Sr., Sprints/Mid-Distance), Noah Jacobs (So., Mid-Distance/Distance), Hayden Pereschuk (So., Mid-Distance/Distance), Brock Chlebowski (So., Mid-Distance), Cobe Penick (Sr., Mid-Distance), Cole Lehman (So., Mid-Distance/Distance), Boston Vincenti (Jr., Distance), Aiden Alleman (Sr., Distance), Julian Clark (Sr., Distance), Jonathan Dawe (Sr., Hurdles/Sprints), Alexis Garcia-Hernandez (Sr., Throws), Spencer Kessler (Sr., Throws), Jaden Eger (Jr., Throws).
Meet the Trojans: Chambersburg’s track program never seems to run short on talent, and this winter is no exception … The Trojans’ indoor squad is expected to receive an influx of talent from the PIAA-qualifying cross country team, including the Top 4 runners: Julian Clark, Boston Vincenti, Aiden Alleman, and Cole Lehman … Having these four runners on the roster should soften the blow from the graduation of Kaden Rife, Liam Kirkpatrick, and Dominick Onomastico, three distance studs now competing at the college level … Chambersburg should be strong in the sprints with a strong stable of expected returners, including Kason Besecker and Jayden Stokes … Luke Mertz provides some power in the pole vault, while Micah Gunkelman is Chambersburg’s top returner in both the high jump and long jump … Jonathan Dawe, a district outdoor qualifier in the hurdles, will be looking to hone his craft this winter.
Opener: TBA
North Hagerstown Hubs
Coach: Jon Witmer
Region: Class 3A West
Top projected returners: David Clifford (Sr., Sprints), Isaiah Seering (So., Sprints), Mordecai Ackah (Jr., Sprints), Evan Thomas (So., Sprints), Antonio Tolliver (Sr., Sprints/Mid-Distance), Thomas Owusu (Jr., Hurdles/Sprints/Mid-Distance), William Mazoe (Jr., Sprints), Mikel Smith (So., Mid-Distance), Allen Anderson (Sr., Mid-Distance), Cooper Byard (Jr., Mid-Distance/Jumps), Gabriel Cassesa (Sr., Mid-Distance), Walker Mason (Sr., Mid-Distance/Distance), Landon Kelly (Sr., Mid-Distance, Distance), Felipe Albuquerque (Sr., Mid-Distance), Landon Call (Sr., Distance), Carson Wilt (Sr., Distance), Nolan Kocher (Jr., Distance), Michael Feight (Jr., Throws), Owen Schuit (Jr., Throws), Gideon Williams (Jr., Jumps), Elias House (Jr., Pole Vault), Bennett Moleskie (So., Pole Vault).
Meet the Hubs: Projected to return four indoor state qualifiers, North Hagerstown has the potential to put on some special performances this winner … Landon Call was North Hagerstown’s top cross country runner this fall and will be looking to make a splash in the 1,600, an event that saw him fifth in the region (4:37.17) to qualify for states … The Hubs bring back two other state qualifiers in Cooper Byard, who took third in the region high jump with a leap of 5-6, and Elias House, who finished fifth in the region in the pole vault with a height of 10-6 … North Hagerstown’s lone returning state medalist, Walker Mason, missed cross country season due to injury and his status for indoor season is unclear … The Hubs bring back three region medalists in David Clifford (sprints), Donavan Baldwin (mid-distance), and Thomas Owusu (hurdles), and another region qualifier in sprinter Isaiah Seering … North Hagerstown graduated a state medalist in Gabriel Ohaegbu and other distance state qualifiers in Rishi Bhat and Bradley Helman … With that team, the Hubs took second in the Washington County Meet, fifth in the CMC, third in the region, and 30th in the state.
Opener: Friday, Dec. 5, at HCC Terry Baker Invitational
South Hagerstown Rebels
Coach: Nissa Freeman
Region: Class 4A West
Top projected returners: Jameir Simms (Sr., Sprints), Morgan Caldwell (Sr., Sprints/Jumps), Clinton Otinkorang (Jr., Mid-Distance), Jackson Ramsburg (Sr., Mid-Distance), Vincent Yang (Jr., Mid-Distance), Braden Sirbaugh (Jr., Mid-Distance), Jack Burns (Sr., Mid-Distance/Distance), Caleb Mitchell (Jr., Mid-Distance/Distance), AJ Bolalin (Jr., Mid-Distance), Daniel Vega (Sr., Distance), Michael Timmons (Sr., Hurdles/Jumps), Micah Rivera (Sr., Hurdles), Dustin Campion Jr. (Jr., Throws)
Meet the Rebels: The biggest offseason news for South Hagerstown has been its bump up from Class 3A to 4A … The Rebels will brave this new world without the services of graduated state-qualifying sprinters Felix Annan, Cassius Freeman, and Cahauri Alford, as well as thrower Nathaniel Tosten, a regional qualifier in the shot put … Annan individually qualified for indoor states last season, and also as a relay member alongside Freeman and Alford … The fourth member of that relay, Jameir Simms, is expected to return for his senior season this winter … Clinton Otinkorang is projected to compete again after serving as South’s top mid-distance runner last season … Morgan Caldwell is a versatile returning athlete who led the Rebels in both the long jump and triple jump, while also providing depth as a sprinter … Michael Timmons will be looking to shine this season as South Hagerstown’s top returning competitor in both the hurdles and the high jump … The Rebels will be angling to improve upon their team finishes at the Washington County meet (5th), CMCs (8th), regions (15th), and states (DNP).
Opener: Friday, Dec. 5, at HCC Terry Baker Invitational
Smithsburg Leopards
Coach: Stacey Crawford
Region: Class 1A West
Top projected returners: Levi Miller (Jr., Sprints), Cadyn Nesbitt (Jr., Pole Vault/Sprints), David Craig (Sr., Sprints/Pole Vault), Donald Boone (So., Sprints), Dalton Donnelly (So., Sprints), Dakota Sowers (Jr., Sprints), Dylan Lowe (So., Sprints/Mid-Distance), Preston Coffman (So., Sprints), Luke Gentzel (Jr., Mid-Distance/Distance), Landon Vitale (Jr., Mid-Distance), Camilo Mellott (Sr., Mid-Distance/Distance), Charles Higgins (Sr., Mid-Distance/Distance), Ricky Harp Jr. (So., Mid-Distance), Dylan Herbst (Jr., Distance), Michael Wynkoop (Sr., Distance), Michael Jackson (Sr., Hurdles/Jumps), Demari Whitaker (Sr., Hurdles), Anthony Guitierrez (Sr., Hurdles), Matt Smith (Jr., Throws), Nick Taylor (Jr., Throws), Aiden Hoover (So., Throws), Jayden Flores-Yale (Jr., Jumps), Jaxon Dodson (Jr., Jumps), Luke Scott (Jr., Pole Vault)
Meet the Leopards: Smithsburg enters the indoor season with a big boost after the Leopards’ cross country squad captured the 1A state title for the first time since 1977 … Leading the charge from the cross country squad are a couple of distance aces in Dylan Herbst and Michael Wynkoop … Herbst, who capped off his cross country season with a runner-up finish in the state meet, is a stud runner in the 1,600 who took third in the state last winter … Wynkoop took fifth at cross country states and has the bar set high for indoors after landing dual state medals in the 1,600 and the 3,200 … Luke Gentzel, a mid-distance standout who also competes for the cross country squad, will be aiming to improve upon a 2024 indoor season that saw him land state medals in both the 800 (5th) and 500 (7th) … Cadyn Nesbitt took fifth in the state in the pole vault last winter, and is expected to return for his junior season … Smithsburg brings back two other state medalists in sprinter Levi Miller (300) and Michael Jackson (high jump), both of whom took eighth in their respective events … Camilo Mellott was an individual state qualifier in the 800 last season, and was a medalist as part of the Leopards’ 4×800 squad, which took second in the state and won a region championship … Luke Scott, a state-qualifying pole vaulter, is expected to return, as is regional medalist Dylan Lowe (500) and qualifier Matt Smith (shot put) … Smithsburg will be operating without the services of graduated state medalists Elijah Bowman (pole vault) and Tyler Younker (4×800), as well as state qualifiers Connor Jessup (shot put) and Mythius Smith (throws) … If all goes according to plan for Smithsburg, the Leopards will improve upon their 2024 team placements at the Washington County meet (1st), CMCs (2nd), region meet (1st), and states (5th).
Opener: Friday, Dec. 5, at HCC Terry Baker Invitational
