Cross country state title? Check.
Indoor track and field state championship? Check.
Outdoor state crown? To be determined.
You don’t ever want to put pressure on a high school team to win a state title, especially in the preseason, but it’s hard to expect anything less from the Smithsburg Leopards, whose boys have set the bar remarkably high with their performances up to this point.
All eyes will be on Smithsburg this spring as the Leopards build up for another big run at the Class 1A postseason, but there are plenty of other storylines going into the outdoor season.
North Hagerstown distance star Walker Mason just won an indoor state championship in the 3,200 and will be eager to defend in the outdoor season, while Greencastle-Antrim’s Noah Parks has a Mid-Penn Conference title to defend in the 800. Parks’ Blue Devils should be strong in the duals, and the same can be said for a Chambersburg squad that is projected to return plenty of talent.
We’ll take a closer look at these teams, as well as Waynesboro and Fairfield, in today’s boys track and field previews. This is our final preview for the spring season. Please stay with Local.News1 this spring for high school scores, standings, and stats.
Below is a team-by-team preview for each of our area’s boys track and field squads:
Waynesboro Tribe
Coach: Jim Rickett
Division: Mid-Penn Colonial
Last season: The Tribe competed to a 4-2 record last spring
Top projected returners: Alex Williams (Sr., Sprints), Cole Peyton (Jr., Sprints/Mid-Distance), Ayden Strausbaugh (Sr., Sprints), Blake Jones (Sr., Sprints), Samuel Rea (Sr., Mid-Distance/Distance), Gavin Miller (Sr., Mid-Distance), Devin Barger (Sr., Mid-Distance/Distance), Noah Hoxie (Jr., Distance), Mick Torbica (Sr., Throws/Jumps), Bryan Hall-Carr (Sr., Jumps), Gilberto Cruz-Romero (Sr., Sprints), Nathaniel Snyder (So., Distance), Christian Munday (Sr., Hurdles/Jumps), Sage Henson (Sr., Hurdles), Mick Torbica (Sr., Throws), Marshal Massey (Jr., Throws), Ethan McDonald (Sr., Pole Vault), Omari Hicks (Jr., Throws)
Meet the Tribe: Waynesboro has some work to do after graduating a talented group of athletes, including Ben Williams, the team’s only postseason medalist last spring … Williams was a force in the throws, as he took fourth in the javelin at districts and earned two medals from the Mid-Penn Conference meet … The Tribe will also have to cope with the loss of their Top 3 hurdlers in Gabriel Blake, Owen Shockey and Riley Morgan, a key jumper in Alex Torbica, and their 1-2 pole vaulters in Joshua Lynch and Hayden Nolan … With that said, Waynesboro does bring back some promising who helped the team finish 21st at the Mid-Penn Conference Championships and 35th at the District 3-3A meet … Back to run the sprints are Alex Williams and Rayshawn Frazier-Hewitt, who doubles as the team’s top returner in the high jump (5-4) … Look for Devin Barger, Waynesboro’s top returner in the 800 (2:13.49), 1,600 (4:46.0), and 3,200 (10:27.31), to set the tone for a deep distance corps that also includes Gavin Miller, Noah Hoxie, and Nathaniel Snyder … Christian Munday, the Tribe’s top returner in the 100 hurdles (17.24), will also be counted for points in the jumps … Expect senior Mick Torbica to help fill the void left by Williams in the throws. Torbica is Waynesboro’s top returning athlete in both the shot put (38-1) and discus (121-10), while junior Marshal Massey is the Tribe’s top projected returner in the discus (93-5) … Omari Hicks, a sophomore, could be in for a big season in the jumps after popping a 37-11 in the triple jump as a ninth-grader last year … With an experienced senior class that includes Ayden Strausbaugh (sprints), Gilberto Cruz-Romero (sprints/mid-distance), Sage Henson (hurdles), Ethan McDonald (pole vault), and Bryan Hall-Carr (jumps), Waynesboro could very well be on its way to a prolific season.
Opener: Tuesday, March 24, at Boiling Springs
Greencastle-Antrim Blue Devils
Coach: Rich Secrest
Division: Mid-Penn Colonial
Last season: Greencastle-Antrim went 4-2.
Top projected returners: Jeremiah Amstutz (Jr., Sprints/Jumps), Noah Parks (Sr., Distance/Jumps), Logan Bohrer (Sr., Distance), Abric Coy (Sr., Distance), Ryan Gearhart (Jr., Distance), Mason Gelsinger (Sr., Hurdles), Adam Elliott (Sr., Throws), Reece Plum (Sr., Throws), Brady Pappa (Jr., Throws), Brayden Shaffer (Jr., Throws), Joe Lofton (Sr., Pole vault), Adam Seylar (Sr., Jumps), Spencer Long (So., Sprints), Cort Bradley (Sr., Sprints/Jumps), Logan Andou (So., Hurdles/Sprints), Billy Bender (Jr., Mid-Distance/Distance), Ryan Marquiss (Jr., Hurdles), Marcus Dominguez (Sr., Hurdles), Tyler Myers (So., Throws), Nicholas Burke (Jr., Throws), Nate Emery (So., Throws), Eli Ankerbrand (So., Throws), Brayden Shaffer (Sr., Throws), Ethan Horst (So., Jumps), Jex McDowell (So., Jumps), Joe Lofton (Sr., Pole Vault), Jack Harper (Sr., Pole Vault), Jaxson Sobol (Jr., Pole Vault), Adam Seylar (Sr., Jumps), Zachary Russell (So., Jumps)
Meet the Blue Devils: With as much talent as Greencastle-Antrim has coming back, the Blue Devils have to believe that they have a chance to post their second perfect dual season in three years … Coach Rich Secrest’s squad is projected to return all of its throwers, pole vaulters, hurdlers, and nearly all of its sprinters from last year’s winning team … The Blue Devils will be looking to mid-distance ace Noah Parks to headline the squad on the invitational scene. A competitor in the 800, Parks captured the Mid-Penn title in 1:56.48 last season and went on to finish sixth in 1:57.53 at the District 3-3A meet … Parks is Greencastle’s only returning postseason medalist, but the Blue Devils bring back a number of other athletes who can make some noise on the big stage later this spring … Spencer Long is back after a big freshman season that saw him lead Greencastle in both the 100 (11.27) and 200 (22.78) … Long will set the tone for an experienced group of sprinters that includes Cort Bradley, Kaiden Ankerbrand, Ben Burcker, and the multi-talented Logan Andou … With Andou, a sophomore, on the roster, Greencastle has a solid option in the 100 (12.07), 400 (56.91), 110 hurdles (16.90), and 300 hurdles (43.35) … The Blue Devils will be without the services of graduated distance star Joel Amstutz, but Greencastle should be able to cover the loss with the return of a corps of runners that includes Logan Bohrer, Billy Bender, Abric Coy, and Ryan Gearhart … Bohrer is the Blue Devils top returner in the 1,600 (4:47.03) and 3,200 (10:30.77), and should also be a point-scorer in the 800 (2:12.36) … The throws should be a strength for Greencastle, as the Blue Devils are expected to return their top performers in the shot put (Tyler Myers), discus (Reece Plum), and javelin (Brady Pappa). Those throwers will lead the way for an experienced and capable group that also includes Nicholas Burke, Nate Emery, Eli Ankerbrand, Brady Pappa, and Brayden Shaffer … Bradley is Greencastle’s top returner in the long jump (16-11.75) and Adam Seylar is projected to return after leading the team in the triple jump (37-11.5) … The Blue Devils jumping crew will be rounded out by sophomore Ethan Horst, the team’s top returner in the high jump (5-8), as well as Jex McDowell and Zachary Russell … Greencastle’s Top 3 pole vaulters from last season — Joe Lofton (12-6), Jack Harper (11-0), and Jaxson Sobol (9-6) — are all projected to come back this spring … The Blue Devils also bring back two hurdlers in junior Ryan Marquiss, the team’s top returner in the 110 hurdles (16.27), and senior Marcus Dominguez … In addition to Amstutz, Greencastle will have to deal with the graduation of sprinter Nolan Carr and jumper Caleb Fritz.
Opener: Tuesday, March 24, at home vs. Gettysburg.
Chambersburg Trojans
Coach: Jim Boyer
Division: Mid-Penn Commonwealth
Last season: The Trojans posted a 5-3 record.
Top projected returners: Jonathan Dawe (Sr., Hurdles/Sprints), Hewan Hennes (Sr., Sprints), Aiden Alleman (Sr., Mid-Distance), Sam Kinton (Sr., Distance), Alexis Garcia-Hernandez (Sr., Throws), Mason Mowen (Jr., Throws), Spencer Kessler (Sr., Throws), Micah Gunkelman (Jr., Jumps), Alex Davila Cross (Jr., Jumps), Kason Besecker (Sr., Sprints), Harper Lintner (Sr., Sprints), Cole Lehman (So., Sprints/Mid-Distance), Daniel Casagrandi (Sr., Sprints), Julian Clark (Sr., Distance), Brycen Purvis (So., Jumps), Jayden Stokes (Jr., Sprints), Cobe Penick (Sr., Mid-Distance), Boston Vincenti (Jr., Distance), Isaiah Clark (So., Hurdles), Derek Adams (So., Throws), Colin Wenger (So., Pole Vault).
Meet the Trojans: Even with the graduation of four postseason medalists, Chambersburg seems primed to reload for another winning dual season … Gone is sprinter Blake Mallast, who placed sixth at 3A states in the 200, and so is Liam Kirkpatrick, the Mid-Penn champion in the 3,200 who went on to take fifth at districts … District medalists Luke Mertz (pole vault) and Trever Luther (long jump) have also graduated, along with a long list of top peformers that includes Antonio Harrison II (sprints), Kaden Rife (distance), Jude Grillo (throws), Pierce Schoenhofen (throws), and Tamoroin Daniels (jumps) … With these athletes leading the way, Chambersburg finished fifth at the Mid-Penn Conference Championships and sixth at the District 3-3A meet … Graduation losses were heavy, but don’t count out the Trojans, who bring back two postseason medalists in Jonathan Dawe and Brycen Purvis … Dawe is back for his senior season after racing to an eighth-place district finish in the 300 hurdles (40.30). He will guide an experienced group of hurdlers that include Alex Davila Cross and Isaiah Ferguson … Purvis, a sophomore, claimed fourth in the long jump at the Mid-Penn meet last season and will be looking for more this spring. He will also be looking to make an impact in the sprints, where he is one of Chambersburg’s top returners in the 100 (11.91) and 200 (24.78) … Purvis will be backed in the jumps by Davila Cross, who is solid in both the long jump (20-3.5) and triple jump (38-9) … Look for mid-distance and distance to be a strength for the Trojans this season, with that group of runners being led by senior Julian Clark, the team’s top returner in both the 1,600 (4:31.47) and 3,200 (9:49.25) … Sophomore Cole Lehman is Chambersburg’s top returner in the 800 (2:02.53), while Daniel Casagrandi is the Trojans’ top man in the 400 (50.87) … Clark and Co. will be joined in the distance ranks by Cobe Penick, Boston Vincenti, and Aiden Alleman … Mason Mowen (145-1) and Spencer Kessler (143-10) will lead Chambersburg in the javelin, while the discus will feature a couple of key returners in Alexis Garcia-Hernandez (104-2) and Derek Adams (93-1) … Kason Besecker is Chambersburg’s top returner in the 100 (11.38), while Jayden Stokes is the Trojans’ top-returning sprinter in the 200 (23.49) … With this group of talent, Chambersburg has a great opportunity to continue its success, which has included an 11-5 record over the past two seasons.
Opener: Tuesday, March 24, at Mifflin County
Fairfield Knights
Coach: Scott Motter
Division: YAIAA III
Last season: Fairfield finished 2-4.
Top projected returners: Nathan Davis (Sr., Sprints), Noah Davis (Sr., Sprints), Chris Brown (Sr., Sprints/Jumps), Michael Fisher (Sr., Hurdles/Sprints), Austin Snyder (Sr., Throws), Elijah Shay (Jr., Sprints), Jonathan Wastler (Sr., Mid-Distance/Distance), Kylen Rhoads (So., Mid-Distance/Throws), Abram Orndorff (Sr., Jumps)
Meet the Knights: Fairfield returns all but one of the key athletes that led the team to two wins in the dual season and a 12th-place finish at the District 3-2A Championships … Headlining the group of returners for the Knights are two district medalists in seniors Austin Snyder and Michael Fisher … Snyder was one of the top shot putters in the Local.News1 coverage area last season. His talent was put on full display when he unleashed a throw of 48-5 for a third-place finish at districts. Snyder is also Fairfield’s top returner in the discus (111-11) … Fisher, who claimed eighth at districts in the 110 hurdles (20.04), will also be counted in the sprints, as he returns some of the team’s best times in the 100 (12.58) and 200 (24.78) … Seniors Nathan Davis (11.55) and Noah Davis (11.59) are Fairfield’s top returners in the 100, while Chris Brown owns the team’s top returning time in the 400 (53.32) … Brown doubles as Fairfield’s top returner in the long jump (19-4.5), and will be counted on to score points alongside Abram Orndorff, a proven point-scorer in both the triple jump (38-6.5) and long jump (18-6.25) … Kylen Rhoads, a sophomore, is the Knights’ top returner in the javelin (79-9) and will look to provide depth in the 800 (2:34.67) … Senior distance specialist Jonathan Wastler is back after leading his team in both the 800 (2:33.10) and 1,600 (5:25.50) last spring … Fairfield will be without the services of graduated sprinter Brock Herb, who finished as the district runner-up in the 200 last season.
Opener: Tuesday, March 24, at home vs. York Tech
N. Hagerstown Hubs
Coach: Lacie Johnson
Division: Washington County Public Schools
Top projected returners: Walker Mason (Sr., Distance), Brady Bruette (Jr., Pole Vault), David Clifford (Sr., Sprints), Antonio Tolliver (Sr., Sprints/Jumps), Landon Call (Sr., Distance), Landon Kelly (Sr., Distance), Thomas Owusu (Jr., Hurdles), Garett Forrest (Sr., Throws), Elias House (Jr., Pole Vault), Cooper Byard (Sr., Jumps), Mordecai Ackah (Jr., Sprints), Mikel Smith (So., Sprints), Allen Anderson (Sr., Mid-Distance), Carson Wilt (Sr., Mid-Distance), Felipe Albuquerque (Sr., Mid-Distance/Distance), Nolan Kocher (Jr., Distance), Sydney Smith (Jr., Throws), Jonathan Morris (So., Hurdles), Markis McCall (Sr., Jumps), Marcello Falconio (Jr., Pole Vault), Carter Naylor (Jr., Sprints), James Jackson (Sr., Jumps), Damean Thomas (Sr., Throws)
Meet the Hubs: North Hagerstown will rally behind senior distance star Walker Mason — who recently captured gold in the 3,200 in 9:38.10 at the MPSSAA Class 3A Indoor State Championships — as the squad hopes to improve upon its success from a 2025 outdoor campaign that saw the team win the county championship and place fourth in the region … Mason would love to keep his momentum going during the outdoor season, where he will attempt to defend county and region titles in the 3,200 and improve upon his eighth-place state finish in the same event … Mason will lead a brilliant class of senior distance runners in Landon Call, Carson Wilt, Allen Anderson, and Landon Kelly, all of whom captured medals at the Washington County meet last spring … The Hubs are projected to bring back seven other region medalists in James Jackson, Elias House, Thomas Owusu, Damean Thomas, Garett Forrest, Brady Bruette, and Sydney Smith … Jackson, a competitor in the long jump, will be looking to build off a junior season that saw him win a county title (19-7.5) and take fourth in the region (20-5.75) … Thomas is the defending county champion in the shot put (48-0.25), while Forrest is coming off a fifth-place region finish in the discus (131-1). Smith also captured a region sixth-place medal in the shot put (42-10) … House and Bruette both made the region pole vault awards stand as sophomores, while the same can be said for Owusu in the 110 hurdles (16.05) … North Hagerstown is slated to return six other county medalists in Antonio Tolliver (200, long jump), Jonathan Morris (110 hurdles), Cooper Byard (triple jump, high jump), Markis McCall (high jump), Marcello Falconio (pole vault), and Carter Naylor (400) … With this group, the Hubs are hoping they have enough to patch the holes left by the graduation of region medalists Donovan Baldwin (800), Bradley Helman (1,600, 3,200), Rishi Bhat (3,200), and Gabriel Ohaegbu (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles), and two other county medalists in Amauri Murray (200) and Liam Warrick (200, 400).
Opener: Friday, March 20, at Charas Heurich Invitational
S. Hagerstown Rebels
Coach: Nissa Freeman
Division: Washington County Public Schools
Top projected returners: Clinton Otinkorang (Jr., Sprints), Torin Sitter (Jr., Sprints/Mid-Distance), Braden Sirbaugh (Jr., Mid-Distance), Morgan Caldwell (Sr., Jumps), Michah Evans (Sr., Jumps), Jameir Simms (Sr., Sprints), Daniel Vega (Sr., Distance), Michael Timmons (Sr., Hurdles/Jumps), AJ Bolalin (Jr., Mid-Distance), Pawan Rodrigo (So., Throws), George Ford (Sr., Throws), Jaxson Rayhel (So., Throws), Jayson Contreras (So., Jumps), Morgan Caldwell (Sr., Jumps), Myles Clottey (Sr., Jumps).
Meet the Rebels: South Hagerstown will be looking to score points in other ways this season after graduating one of the speediest senior classes in program history … Felix Annan, Washington County’s champion in the 100 and 200 and a region sixth-place finisher in the 200, has moved on from the Rebels, as has his classmates and fellow county medalists Cahauri Alford and Cassius Freeman … Compound those losses in the sprints with that of two graduated county medalists in the hurdles, Dylan Mitchell and Jason Romero, and it’s clear that South Hagerstown will have a challenge in improving upon its team finishes at the county (4th), region (10th), and state (33rd) levels … That’s not to say the cupboard is bare for the Rebels, who bump up to Class 4A this spring … South brings back two region medalists in juniors Torin Sitter and Clinton Otinkorang … Sitter, clocked a 50.99 in the 400 for seventh place at the region meet last spring, is also the Rebels’ top returner in the 300 hurdles (46.02) and 100 (11.74) … Otinkorang, a region eighth-place finisher in the 400 (51.23), is a versatile runner who can excel in every role from sprints to mid-distance. He is also South Hagerstown’s top returning performer in the 200 (23.14) and 800 (2:14.49) … Jamier Simms will be looking to help fill the void in the sprints, as will fellow senior Josiah “JoJo” Davis, who also brings back experience in the shot put and high jump … Michael Timmons, South’s top returner in the 110 hurdles (20.24), also competes in the 300 hurdles (51.44), high jump (5-0), and long jump … Morgan Caldwell is projected to return for his senior season after leading the Rebels in the long jump (17-0.75) and triple jump (37-7.25) last spring … Another standout in the jumps, Jayson Contreras, is expected to come back after leading South in the high jump (5-2) as a ninth-grader last season … Sophomore Pawan Rodrigo is South’s top returner in the shot put (28-2) and discus (72-8), and he leads a small throwing corps that includes George Ford and Jaxson Rayhel … Look for juniors Braden Sirbaugh and AJ Bolalin to guide the Rebels in the mid-distance and distance events.
Opener: Saturday, March 28, at Paul Arbogast Memorial Invitational
Smithsburg Leopards
Coach: Adam Rudy
Division: Washington County Public Schools
Top projected returners: Levi Miller (Jr., Sprints), Michael Wynkoop (Sr., Distance), Camilo Mellott (Sr., Distance), Dylan Herbst (Jr., Distance), Jacob Tyler (Sr., Jumps), Caleb Geissinger (Jr., Sprints/Jumps), Kaleb Ritter (Sr., Sprints), David Craig (Sr., Sprints/Pole Vault), Lucas Greenleaf (Sr., Throws), Anthony Villalobos (Sr., Throws), Rittenhouse Shuster (Sr., Jumps), Michael Jackson (Sr., Jumps), Gavin Gross (Jr., Distance), Charles Higgins (Sr., Distance), Trevor Jessup (Jr., Throws), Luke Gentzel (Jr., Mid-Distance), Dylan Lowe (So., Mid-Distance), Matt Smith (Jr., Throws), Luke Scott (Jr., Pole Vault), Cadyn Nesbitt (Jr., Pole Vault), Amaray Summars (Sr., Throws)
Meet the Leopards: After winning MPSSAA Class 1A State Championships in both cross country and indoor track and field, Smithsburg’s outdoor squad has a chance to do something special when it launches into competition this spring … The Leopards should already be in midseason form, as they’re fresh off an indoor season that saw six athletes — Dylan Herbst, Dylan Lowe, Michael Wynkoop, Cadyn Nesbitt, Levi Miller, and Luke Scott — nail down state medals … Herbst led the group with a state title in the 800 (2:05.22) and runner-up finishes in the 1,600 (4:29.58) and 3,200 (10:02.36) … Herbst will be joined in the distance corps by Lowe, Wynkoop, Camilo Mellott, Luke Gentzel, and Gavin Gross, all capable runners who know how to win races … Nesbitt, a junior pole vaulter, is projected to return after taking fourth at indoor states and fifth at the outdoor state meet last spring. He will be backed in the pole vault by Scott, who took sixth at indoor states … Miller should be brimming with confidence in the sprints this season after winnning two indoor state medals in the 300 (6th in 36.97) and 55 (7th in 6.78) … Two region medalists from 2025, seniors Rittenhouse Shuster and Michael Jackson, should be back in action for the Leopards this season … Shuster was the region runner-up in the triple jump (42-8.75), while Jackson was sixth in the region in the high jump (5-9) … Smithsburg is expected to bring back three other county medalists in David Craig (pole vault), Anthony Villalobos (discus), and Amaray Summars (discus) … As loaded as the Leopards seem to be, they did have significant graduation losses … State medalist Tyler Younker, who took sixth in the 1,600, is gone, and the same can be said for region medalists Walker Hughes (shot put), Carter Nesbitt (long jump), and Benjamin Jones (300 hurdles) … If all goes according to plan, Smithsburg should be able to outperform its 2025 team finishes at the county (2nd), region (3rd), and state (13th) meets.
Opener: Friday, March 20, at Charas Heurich Invitational
