2016 Boys' Track and Field Preview

Posted: March 18, 2016
By ROBERT NIEDZWIECKI
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — It’s hard for area boys’ track and field coaches to tell who might wind up having the best team in Conference 21 West this year, but one thing that’s obvious to everyone is that the area boasts plenty of distance talent.

The recently concluded indoor season saw Millbrook senior Tyler Cox-Philyaw win Group 4A state titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, while Sherando senior Trevor Whiteside won the 1,000. In addition, Millbrook junior Alec Schrank took second in the 3,200.

Cox-Philyaw — who will run for William & Mary next year — was also invited to participate in the high school boys’ mile at the prestigious Millrose Games at the Armory in New York City based on Cox-Philyaw’s performance at the AT&T Hall of Fame Invitational in December, also held at the Armory. Cox-Philyaw ran a personal-best 4:12.30 this winter in the 1,600.

It was yet another impressive season in a career full of them for those runners, who each placed in the top four in at least one event at last year’s Group 4A outdoor state meet.

Cox-Philyaw (state champion in the 1,600 as a sophomore) placed fourth in the 800 and 1,600 and posted the area’s best 800 (1:54.57), 1,600 (4:13.06) and 3,200 (9:13.86) times last spring.

Schrank placed third in the 3,200 and ranked second in the area in that event (9:26.42) and was third in the 1,600 (4:21.92).

Whiteside — who will run for Air Force next year — took second at states in the 800 and ranked second in the area in the 400 (52.01), 800 (1:54.60) and 1,600 (4:20.47).

All three runners could have to deal with Loudoun Valley senior Drew Hunter, the Foot Locker cross country national champion who won the Group 3A 1,600 state title last year and took second in the 800.

Millbrook coach Kevin Shirk said he wouldn’t be surprised if Hunter’s coaches are selective though and limit him to relays and one individual event at states this year.

“I’d like to see Tyler challenge for two more state titles outdoors in either the 800, 1,600, or 3,200,” Shirk said. “I realistically see him running under 4:10 if we can get him in with some fast competition, and I think he can challenge the nine-minute mark in the 3,200 as well. I’d also like to see him run 1:52-1:53 in the 800.

“I know [Schrank] has his sights set on 9:16 [in the 3,200], which is where Tyler was as a junior. In the 1,600, I think Alec has the ability to run under 4:20 and again challenge for a top-three spot at states.”

Two other returning area runners each earned all-state status last year. Handley senior Aaron Arslan placed fifth in the 3,200 and ranked third in the area with a time of 9:48.47 (Arlsan also ran the 1,600 at the state meet and qualified for states in the 800) and Sherando senior Thomas Shea placed eighth in the 3,200.

The area distance scene could have been even more formidable this year. Group 2A 800 runner-up Ian Dors of Clarke County, a senior, will miss the season after tearing ligaments in his knee while wrestling in December, and Group 4A 3,200 state qualifier Jonah Pearson of Sherando, a junior, elected to play soccer this year.

But when you throw in other runners like Max Lindquist of James Wood and Tom Powars of Sherando, area runners will likely push each other to some great times in advance of the state meet.

“There’s so much distance talent in the area,” Handley coach Mike McKiernan said. “Aaron might actually focus more on the shorter distances this year. He’s intrigued with the challenge of doing the 400 and the 800.”

There’s plenty of talented athletes outside of the distance runners, though.

Sherando loses the only state champion in the area in Trent McCarty (discus), but in addition to its distance runners the Warriors also feature Jacquari Hayes, who was fifth in the state in the triple jump last year with a mark of 44-101/2. Hayes also won the long jump at the conference meet.

Handley (Conference 23 champions last year and fifth in Group 4A) loses several athletes who consistently scored points in big meets, none bigger than Winchester Star Athlete of the Year Dontae Mauck, who was all-state in five events last year and is now competing in football and track for Virginia Military Institute.

But the Judges have added some football and basketball players, and sophomore Trey Causey is coming off an indoor season in which he placed fifth in the high jump in Group 4A with a mark of 6-0.

At Millbrook, the Pioneers boast two of the best hurdlers in the area in junior Cameron Faint and senior Austin Devart. Faint, an indoor state qualifier in the 55 hurdles, ranked third in the area in the 110 and 300 hurdles last spring (qualifying for states in the latter event and winning the conference title). Devart ranked second in the area in the 110 hurdles and won the conference title. Shirk is also high on junior sprinter Josh Davis, a state qualifier in the 55 meters during the indoor season.

James Wood lost two all-state performers in Andrew Shade and Landon Rutherford, but Colonels coach Matt Stegmaier believes a team led by all-around athlete Chris Vitagliano (third in the conference long jump last year) is much stronger than at this time last year.

In addition to Dors, Clarke County lost several other key performers from last year’s Conference 35 champs, including Justin Dulaney, who Kidrick believes scored more points in a single season than anyone else in school history last year.

Clarke County hopes its depth (more than 50 people on the boys’ side) will help make up for its youth. Senior Chris Keim (third in the area in the 100 and fourth in Conference 35 last year) is among this year’s headliners.

The four Winchester and Frederick County schools will open their seasons at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Arrowhead Invitational at Sherando. Clarke County will not open its season until April 2 at the Strasburg Invitational.

The following is a glance at each area team:

Handley

Coach: Mike McKiernan, 5th year.

Last year: Conference 23 champions; 8th in 4A North Region; 5th in Group 4A.

Key losses: Dontae Mauck, Jarett Cestaro, Mike Felder, Noah Climer, Dominique Glover, Zach Foote.

Top returnees: Aaron Arslan, Sr., distance; Landrum Beard, Sr., sprints/jumps; Chris Bockey, Jr., sprints/jumps; Ian Ganey, So., throws; John Delaney, So., distance; Marcus Tactikos, Sr., jumps/sprints, David Bui, Sr., hurdles.

Top newcomers: Tyler Mudd, Jr., sprints/jumps; Arthur Ashe, Jr., sprints/jumps; Trey Causey, So., sprints/jumps; Marcus Pannell Jr., sprints/jumps; Quentin Davenport, Jr., sprints/jumps.

McKiernan’s outlook: “I think we’re going to be more competitive as a dual meet team, because we lost a lot of individuals who could score in big meets. We’ve got about 50 people out, and we should be able to score points in the sprints and jumps. It will be interesting to see how the young sprinters who show promise develop.”

Millbrook

Coach: Kevin Shirk, 5th year.

Last year: Second in Conference 21; 10th in 4A North Region; tied for 12th in Group 4A.

Key loss: Gabe Quecedo.

Top returnees: Tyler Cox-Philyaw, Sr. distance, Alec Schrank, Jr., distance; Tyler Russell, Sr., throws; Josh Davis, Jr., sprints; Cameron Faint, Jr., hurdles, Austin Devart, Sr., hurdles.

Top newcomers: None mentioned.

Shirk’s outlook: “We plan to challenge for the Conference 21 West team title. That's our goal. Last year we finished second in a slightly bigger conference, so we would like to step up this year and take that title. We have some incredibly strong areas — particularly distance and hurdles — but we're having guys, like Josh Davis for example, step up and take leadership roles in other events. In the throws, I think Tyler Russell can fight for a conference title. So, we're strong in a lot of places with single guys.

“What we still need are what I always call the minor points. Who will step up and steal some fifth and sixth places for just a couple points and push us over the top? Luckily, we have a strong roster with a lot of good kids, and I think many of them are wanting to fight for those roles as contributors.”

Sherando

Coach: Tom Grim, 17th year.

Last year: Third in Conference 21; 3rd in 4A North Region; 6th in Group 4A.

Key losses: Trent McCarty, Jahlil Northover, Jonah Pearson.

Top returnees: Trevor Whiteside, Sr., distance; Jacquari Hayes, Jr., jumps/sprints; Tom Powars, Sr., distance; Thomas Shea, Sr., distance; David Restrepo., Jr., hurdles; Alex Martinez, Sr., throws; Kyle Holliday, So., hurdles; Sam Brown, So. throws.

Top newcomers: Joe Doleman, Fr., sprints/jumps; Jake Adams, Sr., jumps.

Grim’s outlook: “We have some good distance runners, but we’re not as deep as we’d like to be because James Kelly and Hayden Williams are hurt right now. We’re usually able to put together some strong 4x800 and 4x400 teams but we might have to focus more on individual events for Powars, Shea and Whiteside. Jacquari had a great year jumping last year. We’re going to have to put him on the track some more, and he knows that. We’ve seen him working hard. I think Kyle Holliday can make some noise in the hurdles this year.”

James Wood

Coach: Matt Stegmaier, 11th year.

Last year: Fifth in Conference 21; tied for 20th in 4A North Region; tied for 19th in Group 4A.

Key losses: Landon Rutherford, Andrew Shade.

Top returnees: Cody Dahlinger, Jr., sprints/jumps/hurdles; Donte Henry, Sr., sprints/jumps; Max Lindquist, Jr., distance; Tyler Ostinato, So., middle distance; Chris Vitagliano, Jr., sprints, jumps, throws.

Top newcomers: Dade Carroll, Jr., multiple events; Sam Costin, Jr., multiple events; Ryan Rupp, Jr., multiple events; Isaac Schrantz, Jr., throws.

Stegmaier’s outlook: “We’ve started off strong. We’re more prepared at the beginning of the season than we were last year. Chris Vitagliano leads the pack. He does so many things well. If we had the decathlon he’d definitely do that. We’ve got a lot of young guys on the distance squad, but Max Lindquist is an excellent all-around student-athlete who’s leading those guys by example. We’ve added some football and basketball players. Isaac Schrantz is showing a lot of potential, Dade Caroll is working hard in the hurdles, and they’ve all been coachable.”

Clarke County

Coach: Andre Kidrick, 10th year.

Last year: Conference 35 champions; 17th in 2A East Region; 9th in Group 2A state meet.

Key losses: Ian Dors, Justin Dulaney, Vincent Nappi, Matt Cleary, Chris Davis, Jarrett Wagner.

Top returnees: Chris Keim, Sr., sprints; Isaiah Waters, Jr., sprints/jumps; Michael Dietz, Sr., distance; Jack Dale, Sr., sprints; Evan Whirley, Sr., throws; Bryan Wallace, So., throws; Andy Bonett, So., sprints/jumps/throws.

Top newcomers: Tim Stokes, So., sprints/jumps; Daniel Braithwaite, Jr., sprints; Cameron Shipman, So., distance; Patrick Cleary, Jr., multiple events.

Kidrick’s outlook: “We lost a lot, but I almost want to say we’re retooling. We’re going to need a lot of guys to step their game up. We’ve got good depth, so we should be able to spread people around and score points in a lot of areas. I think Evan Whirley and Bryan Wallace are capable of improving a lot this year in the throws, and Daniel Braithwaite is a football player who has the potential to help us in the sprints from the 400 down.”

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