3 minute read
Trojans want to pick up where they left off
BY DENNY SROKA Sports correspondent sports@lewistownsentinel.com
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The Mount Union track and field team hit the practice area for the upcoming 2023 season and went right to work picking up where they left off last spring. The team has gained experience with seven letter winners on the boy’s squad and seven girls return that lettered from 2022.
The boy’s roster has 28 athletes on board and the girls still struggle with numbers with 13, that again this spring scoring will be a challenge. The boys’ rosters consist of six seniors eight juniors, eight sophomores and six freshmen. The girls have just one senior, three juniors, five sophomores and four freshmen working hard to prepare for opening day.
The boys posted a strong 7-4 record last spring losing a couple meets by a slim margin. The girls lack of depth by event cost them finishing the season at 3-8.
Casey Hanlon will be in his second season as head coach of the program after working under head coach Bob Wydock for 20 plus years in the track and field program. Assisting Hanlon will be Luke Strawser working with the pole vaulters and Brooke Emery-Kurtz will lead the runners. Analise Handerhan will head up the throwers. Bob Wydock is still on board as a volunteer coach.
“The team came in with the same work ethic and positive attitude breaking up into their event workouts and just went to work as if yesterday was the end of last season,” stated Hanlon. “The big difference for me is that I have to spread myself around when up until last season I had one group and focused on that. Now as head coach I must move around. The extra paperwork that goes on in the background is different aspect as well.”
Boys
The Trojans lost outstanding athletes like Alex Kyle a state thrower along with Ashton Spennati a pole vaulter that scored regularly to graduation. They have seven letter winners on this year’s squad with senior Skylar Reck a sprinter/ jumper finishing in the district finals last season. Senior Mason Beatty a distance runner that scored consistently and junior A. J. Chilcote another runner that put points on the board last season. Sophomore Ethan Fisher scored for the Trojans running in different events. Junior Josh Sechrist is thrower that is expected to continue to score this season. Junior Gaven Rose is a pole vaulter that will improve this season and score. Junior Logan Yakymac lettered last spring and expected to score in the throwing events as well as being a sprinter.
“We want to put together another winning season and move athletes to the district level,” added Hanlon. “The boys have some young distance runners coming up from the freshmen class that are expected to help in scoring this spring.”
Girls
The Trojans lost Abby Aurand a scorer in the running events and throwing event and Carmen Loner a runner that scored last spring. The Trojans have seven letter winners returning. Sophomore Cailyn Skopic returning to continue to score in the hurdling events. Skopic place at districts last spring in the high hurdles. Senior Emma Smith a thrower that scored and is the Trojans lone senior on the girl’s roster. Junior Erin Foster an athlete that worked the jumping events. Junior Taira Claycomb a runner that will score again this season. Sophomore Cadince States also a runner and will enter the continue to improve and score. Sophomore Briley Benson will work the jumping events this season and run some distance events. Junior Kiersten Myers will enter the pole-vaulting event this spring as well as the throwing events. “The girls few numbers make
See Track / Page 14 it hard for them to put together enough points to win until we meet a school like ours with a matching roster. Then the girls compete
Continued from Page 13 April 4 at evenly by event. It is hard to pick up place finish points with a lack of depth,” added Hanlon.
“The Inter County Conference will be challenging as always,” said Hanlon. “You will have Bellwood, Northern Bedford and Southern Huntingdon to compete against and they are always teams that compete well. We want to improve over last season and be competitive in the ICC. The team wants to work hard and send athletes to the district level. Stay healthy and avoid injury when possible.”
The Trojans open the season on April 4 on the road at Northern Bedford along with Bellwood-Antis and return for their home opener April 11 against Tussey Mountain along with West Branch and Southern Fulton.
