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HARPERSFIELD TOWNSHIP — Area track and field teams have experienced a wide variety of weather since official practice started in March.
Some area coaches said they were happy to get good weather for several early-season meets, while others said practice sessions were sent indoors due to inclement weather.
“To start the season, we have had two beautiful weather days, which I think helps tremendously,” Jefferson boys coach T.J. Furman said.
He said his athletes have been able to go out and compete at a solid level.
The Falcons started the season with the Red Raider Relays at Harvey March 28, and attended Saturday’s SPIRE Invitational.
“I’m excited to see what the rest of the season brings,” Furman said.
Jefferson girls coach Andy Preston said he also pleased with the weather for the opening meets.
The Falcons took home the trophy from the Red Raider Relays.
“We’ve good returnees,” Preston said, highlighting his sprint teams which have performed well in the 4x100 and 4x 200-meter relays.
He said the relay times are near what they were at the end of last season.
Preston said there is also excitement about the throws crew, led by Abby Feick in the shot and discus.
The Edgewood boys team is under the direction of new head coach Anthony Cardaman, who was formerly head coach at Grand Valley.
“This is our first meet of the season,” he said while watching the action Saturday at SPIRE Academy.
He said the team is trying athletes in a variety of events to start the season.
Cardaman said the distance runners are doing well coming off their state cross country meet appearance last fall under coach Steve Hill.
Cardaman also said he is excited about sprinter/long jumper Jasiah Pope.
Hill, coach of the Edgewood girls team, said the SPIRE Invitational started with temperatures around 45 degrees and ended at 75.
“Not great for running,” Hill said.
He said the girls team has a lot of young participants.
“Edgewood girls will have to work themselves into shape as the season goes on with hopes of being competitive come the postseason,” Hill said.
Geneva girls coach Anna Haeseler returns state qualifier Ella Haeseler, who also happens to be her daughter.
Coach Haeseler said the SPIRE invitational was the team’s first meet of the year.
“We are excited to get some times and throws in,” she said.
Geneva boys coach Emily Long said SPIRE was also the first meet for them.
“I feel we are off to a really good start,” she said.
Saint John boys and girls coach Josh Forsythe said the program is working out the details during the program’s first year back on the track after a lengthy break from the sport.
“We are about where we expected,” he said. “There are a lot of growing pains.”
The team has been practicing at Lakeside.
Lakeside boys and girls coach Moses Smith said the season is off to a good start, but bad weather forced the squad inside at the junior high school.
He said coaches are still trying to determine the best fit for athletes as track meets begin.
The Dragons had a strong growth-spurt last year, and are working to build on that momentum, Smith said.
“This year’s team is continuing the same energy of last year’s team,” he said. “They developed into one of the best team’s last year so a culture of track and field at Lakeside is back where it needs to be.”
Pymatuning Valley boys track coach Ricky Walters said the team had half a meet at Maplewood.
“Boys track team, though smaller in numbers could have a pretty impressive year from William Baugher as he looks to improve from qualifying for regionals in hurdles,” he said. “Also hoping senior Stuart Jenick can make a post season run in the field throwing events.”
Pymatuning Valley girls coach Annie Siembor said her squad is young.
“We are looking forward to some exciting, competitive moments,” she said. “This team has been working hard to build strength and camaraderie.”
Grand Valley girls coach Kurtis Fisher said the team started well in the opener in the William E. Fisher Track and Field Invitational at Cardinal.
“The kids are really dedicated to have a great year, competing well with the end goal in mind,” he said. “It was great to see the kids come out and have some PRs last night. They set themselves up for some great things this year.”
The meet was named in honor of Fisher’s father, who was a long-time coach and athletic director at the school and died in 2025.
Fisher said highlights included Rylee Rogers posting a 4’10” and Reese Nims 4’8” in the high jump, Brooke Tola 15’1” long jump and Jocelyn Cozad 8’ in the pole vault.
The Mustangs boys team also competed at Cardinal.
“We are off to a good start to the season,” GV coach Clint Nims said.”We have a lot of guys that are new to high school track and we have a lot to learn.
“Our guys are working hard and getting better each day. We are starting to find our best lineups.”
Nicolas Johnson finished second in the pole vault at 9’6”.
Madison boys head coach Jeremy Verdi said his team is off to a good start with a very young squad.
“We had a huge amount of guys that had never been in a varsity track meet before, and for us to finish third, with that great competition, was a big accomplishment,” he said of his team’s performance at the Fisher Invitational.
Owen Bottar and Bryce Brock each won two events.
Bottar ran a 4:49.52 1600 and 10:31.49 3200. Brock notched first in the discus at 139’2” and shot put 49’6”.50.
For the Blue Streaks girls team, Sienna Sidoti won the high jump at 5’, while Addison Wesley claimed first in the shot put at 39’1”.50.
Conneaut’s girls coach Jason Dalton said he is optimistic about this year’s squad.
“We have some well-seasoned veteran returning athletes this year and are blessed with an influx of first time track athletes from all grades, along with a healthy dose of freshmen,” he said.
“As a group, they are very focused on our early season training. I am looking forward to seeing that payoff for them in the next couple months.”
Spartans boys coach Tyler Pew is excited to see how things play out.
“We are looking forward to standout performances from Carrick Dobran in pole vault, Aleister Castellano and Deondre Weatherspoon in sprinting and Ethan VanNorman in distance events,” Pew said.
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Some area coaches said they were happy to get good weather for several early-season meets, while others said practice sessions were sent indoors due to inclement weather.
“To start the season, we have had two beautiful weather days, which I think helps tremendously,” Jefferson boys coach T.J. Furman said.
He said his athletes have been able to go out and compete at a solid level.
The Falcons started the season with the Red Raider Relays at Harvey March 28, and attended Saturday’s SPIRE Invitational.
“I’m excited to see what the rest of the season brings,” Furman said.
Jefferson girls coach Andy Preston said he also pleased with the weather for the opening meets.
The Falcons took home the trophy from the Red Raider Relays.
“We’ve good returnees,” Preston said, highlighting his sprint teams which have performed well in the 4x100 and 4x 200-meter relays.
He said the relay times are near what they were at the end of last season.
Preston said there is also excitement about the throws crew, led by Abby Feick in the shot and discus.
The Edgewood boys team is under the direction of new head coach Anthony Cardaman, who was formerly head coach at Grand Valley.
“This is our first meet of the season,” he said while watching the action Saturday at SPIRE Academy.
He said the team is trying athletes in a variety of events to start the season.
Cardaman said the distance runners are doing well coming off their state cross country meet appearance last fall under coach Steve Hill.
Cardaman also said he is excited about sprinter/long jumper Jasiah Pope.
Hill, coach of the Edgewood girls team, said the SPIRE Invitational started with temperatures around 45 degrees and ended at 75.
“Not great for running,” Hill said.
He said the girls team has a lot of young participants.
“Edgewood girls will have to work themselves into shape as the season goes on with hopes of being competitive come the postseason,” Hill said.
Geneva girls coach Anna Haeseler returns state qualifier Ella Haeseler, who also happens to be her daughter.
Coach Haeseler said the SPIRE invitational was the team’s first meet of the year.
“We are excited to get some times and throws in,” she said.
Geneva boys coach Emily Long said SPIRE was also the first meet for them.
“I feel we are off to a really good start,” she said.
Saint John boys and girls coach Josh Forsythe said the program is working out the details during the program’s first year back on the track after a lengthy break from the sport.
“We are about where we expected,” he said. “There are a lot of growing pains.”
The team has been practicing at Lakeside.
Lakeside boys and girls coach Moses Smith said the season is off to a good start, but bad weather forced the squad inside at the junior high school.
He said coaches are still trying to determine the best fit for athletes as track meets begin.
The Dragons had a strong growth-spurt last year, and are working to build on that momentum, Smith said.
“This year’s team is continuing the same energy of last year’s team,” he said. “They developed into one of the best team’s last year so a culture of track and field at Lakeside is back where it needs to be.”
Pymatuning Valley boys track coach Ricky Walters said the team had half a meet at Maplewood.
“Boys track team, though smaller in numbers could have a pretty impressive year from William Baugher as he looks to improve from qualifying for regionals in hurdles,” he said. “Also hoping senior Stuart Jenick can make a post season run in the field throwing events.”
Pymatuning Valley girls coach Annie Siembor said her squad is young.
“We are looking forward to some exciting, competitive moments,” she said. “This team has been working hard to build strength and camaraderie.”
Grand Valley girls coach Kurtis Fisher said the team started well in the opener in the William E. Fisher Track and Field Invitational at Cardinal.
“The kids are really dedicated to have a great year, competing well with the end goal in mind,” he said. “It was great to see the kids come out and have some PRs last night. They set themselves up for some great things this year.”
The meet was named in honor of Fisher’s father, who was a long-time coach and athletic director at the school and died in 2025.
Fisher said highlights included Rylee Rogers posting a 4’10” and Reese Nims 4’8” in the high jump, Brooke Tola 15’1” long jump and Jocelyn Cozad 8’ in the pole vault.
The Mustangs boys team also competed at Cardinal.
“We are off to a good start to the season,” GV coach Clint Nims said.”We have a lot of guys that are new to high school track and we have a lot to learn.
“Our guys are working hard and getting better each day. We are starting to find our best lineups.”
Nicolas Johnson finished second in the pole vault at 9’6”.
Madison boys head coach Jeremy Verdi said his team is off to a good start with a very young squad.
“We had a huge amount of guys that had never been in a varsity track meet before, and for us to finish third, with that great competition, was a big accomplishment,” he said of his team’s performance at the Fisher Invitational.
Owen Bottar and Bryce Brock each won two events.
Bottar ran a 4:49.52 1600 and 10:31.49 3200. Brock notched first in the discus at 139’2” and shot put 49’6”.50.
For the Blue Streaks girls team, Sienna Sidoti won the high jump at 5’, while Addison Wesley claimed first in the shot put at 39’1”.50.
Conneaut’s girls coach Jason Dalton said he is optimistic about this year’s squad.
“We have some well-seasoned veteran returning athletes this year and are blessed with an influx of first time track athletes from all grades, along with a healthy dose of freshmen,” he said.
“As a group, they are very focused on our early season training. I am looking forward to seeing that payoff for them in the next couple months.”
Spartans boys coach Tyler Pew is excited to see how things play out.
“We are looking forward to standout performances from Carrick Dobran in pole vault, Aleister Castellano and Deondre Weatherspoon in sprinting and Ethan VanNorman in distance events,” Pew said.
Continue reading...
