Boys' Cross Country Preview: Conference 21 West Race To Look Much Different

Posted: August 25, 2016
By ROBERT STOCKS
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — With 11 of the top 20 runners at last year’s Conference 21 West meet graduating, the race for the conference championship is going to be much different.

Seniors placed in seven of the top 10 spots at last year’s conference meet at Woodgrove High School where Sherando won its first postseason meet title since 2000.

The Warriors edged Millbrook 56-59, but Sherando graduated five seniors from last year’s conference championship team.

"We definitely have a lot of people to replace," said Sherando coach Jamie McCarty. "It’s going to be a learning year for us and a teaching year for me. But it wasn’t just us that lost a lot — it was everybody."

Senior Hayden Williams (11th, 17 minutes, 20 seconds) is the lone returning runner among the Warriors’ top five.

Although the Warriors lost the most runners from last year, many area teams need to fill multiple holes in their top five.

Millbrook lost defending conference champ and William & Mary freshman Tyler Cox-Philyaw to graduation, but the Pioneers return senior and conference runner-up Alec Schrank (16:30).

Handley junior John Delaney (10th, 17:12), James Wood senior Max Lindquist (14th, 17:34), Williams and Schrank are the only returning all-conference runners.

"All of us have one really good runner back from each squad," McCarty said. "Each [team] has one really good runner to build around."

While each team possesses a clear No. 1, the key will be developing the rest of its scoring five (the top five runners factor into the team’s score).

Millbrook coach Kevin Shirk said his team lost Cox-Philyaw and Tom Carty from the top seven, but the five returning runners look strong so far.

"All of our returners came back and almost everyone put in very nice training over the summer," Shirk said. "We look to have a fairly tight pack as we appear to be strong through at least seven or eight guys. We haven’t discussed goals yet as a team, but I have at least four seniors in my top seven who won conference team titles as freshmen and sophomores, but took second last year. I think they’re all pushing to take that title again in their senior years."

That’s the goal the Pioneers are setting, but Shirk knows it’s going to be a tough conference race (only the top three teams at the conference meet advance).

"I think this year’s boys’ race will have a couple of front runners, but after that it may be a tight pack and a fight between a few teams for the team title," Shirk said. "On paper, James Wood’s boys come in as a favorite, but we know that we can contend for the win, as well as Handley and Woodgrove."

James Wood, led by Lindquist, returns five of its top seven.

Colonels coach Mike Onda said he doubts any of the conference teams will have a 1-2 punch like Millbrook did with Cox-Philyaw and Schrank last season, so he’s expecting a tight race for the conference crown.

"We’ve got a tough conference," Onda said. "With Handley, [coach Mark] Stickley is always able to put together a good team. All the teams in our conference are a challenge. With such depth, it’s hard to get in top three team-wise."

Stickley said the conference was probably one of the toughest in the state a season ago, but that’s not the case after so many runners graduating.

"The conference is not as crazy as it was last year," Stickley said. "Last year there was so much talent on the boys’ side. This year, there’s not the same depth."

Here’s a glance at the area teams:

Millbrook

Coach: Kevin Shirk, seventh year

Last year: Conference 21 West runner-up, sixth in 4A West Region, fifth at Group 4A state meet.

Key losses: Tyler Cox-Philyaw and Tom Carty

Top returnees: Alec Schrank, Sr.; Justin Wiseman, Sr.; Kevin Kleinegger, Sr.; Tod Hart, Sr.; Brad Hambrick, Soph.; John Pullen, Soph.

Key newcomers: Silas Schroer, Fr.; Brennen Klee, Soph.

Shirk’s outlook: "We lose a strong front runner [in Tyler], but return many of a group of dedicated guys who appear ready to put in the work. We’re looking to build throughout the season and be ready to take home a conference title in October. We have been to the state meet each of the last three years, and hope to continue that streak."

First meet: Saturday, Great Meadow Invitational, 9:30 a.m.

Sherando

Coach: Jamie McCarty, fourth year

Last year: Conference 21 West champion, 4A West Region runner-up, third at Group 4A state meet.

Key losses: Trevor Whiteside, Thomas Shea, Tom Powars, James Kelly, Jacob Duncan and Garrett Allegra.

Top returnees: Hayden Williams, Sr.; Jacob Carr, Soph.

Key newcomers: Isaac Chapman, Fr.

McCarty’s outlook: "We’d like to see [Williams] be a guy who can compete and be in that top five area. Alec [Schrank] looks to be the best returner on paper but after that No. 2 through [No.] 5 could be anyone’s race. [Hayden] was around a lot of really good guys [last year], so we’re looking forward to see what he can do once we get going. So far he’s done a good job of continuing what we’ve been building on, what’s expected and passing that down to younger guys."

First meet: Sept. 3, at Chancellor Invite, 8:45 a.m.

Handley

Coach: Mark Stickley, 14th year

Last year: Fifth in Conference 21 West.

Key losses: Aaron Arslan and Noah Johnstone

Top returnees: Casey Marchant, Sr.; Brian Tufts, Soph.; Pedro Silverio, Soph.; John Delaney, Jr.; Bennett Crow, Sr.

Key newcomers: Grayson Westfall, Fr.; Bennett Cupp, Fr.; Michael Lee, Fr.; Kevin Heredia, Sr.; Brinn Enders, Jr.

Stickley’s outlook: "Hopefully we’re better from a depth [standpoint]. I felt like last year was rough. We were too thin to compete at the end of the year. We have to be better even though we’re losing Aaron [Arslan].

"We’re very inexperienced racers right now. We don’t have a whole lot of race experience, but I’m encouraged. We have more potential than we have had in a while, but it remains to be seen how well we can race."

First meet: Today, at the PR Kickoff Invitational in Manassas, 4 p.m.

James Wood

Coach: Mike Onda, 13th year

Last year: Sixth in Conference 21 West.

Key losses: Jace Chipman, Josh Dansie and Will Pugh.

Top returnees: Max Lindquist, Sr.; Joey Costello, Sr.; Jacksen Costa, Jr; Aaron Curd, Jr.; Kevin Konyar, Jr; Bryce Ratlief, Jr.; Joshua Arce, Soph.; Mason Costa, Soph.; David Dorsey, Soph.; Ethan Pierce, Soph.

Key newcomers: Nathan Shade, Fr.

Onda’s outlook: "I feel pretty good about [the team]. Max is running pretty well and the pack behind him is doing well. The work they’ve done in the summer is showing. I think we’ve got a lot of depth. If we can continue working and move up some, I think we’ve got a good shot at contending for one of top three spots in the conference."

First meet: Saturday, at Great Meadow Invitational, 9 a.m.

Clarke County

Coach: Jeff Webster, second year

Last year: Runner-up in Conference 35, fourth in 2A East Region, sixth in Group 2A state meet

Key losses: Ian Dors, Michael Dietz, Graham Smith, Isaac Weintz and Jack Dale.

Top returnees: Sean Hubbard, Sr.; Chase Irvin, Jr.; Kyle Erickson, Soph.; Cameron Shipman, Jr.; Ian Smith, Jr; Robbie Moore, Jr.

Key newcomers: Henry Simmons, Fr.; Derek Sprincis, Fr.

Webster’s outlook: "I hope we can step up and have a couple people run like Michael [Dietz] did last year. Chase is going to be in the low-17 [minute] range. But it’s a rebuilding year. We only have one senior on the team. I hope they can develop through the course of the season."

First meet: Saturday, at Central Invitational, 9:30 a.m.

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