2023 boys track and field area watch list

Mar. 27—ATHLETES TO WATCH

(in alphabetical order)

Christian Anderson, Hawken: A key cog on the Hawks' Division II state champion 4×100-meter relay last spring, this senior will be seeking better fortune in open 100 and 200, and he has the sub-10.80/low-22 skill set to make that happen, especially coming off his D-II/III state indoor crown earlier this month in 60.

Brian Bates, NDCL: The reigning Division II 800 state champion had a masterful ramp-up to Columbus and capturing gold there despite a limited invitational schedule as a junior, and there's no reason to believe with his 1:53 ability he won't push for a repeat in 2023.

Caleb Berns, Beachwood: Whether it's in open 800 or on the Bison's vaunted 4×4 and 4×8, this senior and 2022 first-team News-Herald all-star is a gamer with his backstretch moxie and smart approach to race execution.

Nick Biega, Mayfield: With one more spring to go, the Ohio State recruit has a shot to exit in June as the fastest sprinter in News-Herald coverage area lore and one of its most accomplished performers in that realm. Lowering his 100 all-time area record (10.49) and going for Robert Smith's 200 standard of 21.10 after his pair of D-I runner-ups a year ago is attainable.

Connor Boland, Geneva: Last spring, this senior became the Eagles' first state champion in a running event since 1926 when he prevailed in D-I 400. It will be a talented D-I field coming back in 2023, but Boland finding that extra gear to hit needed sub-48s that will have him in the hunt for a repeat was exciting to watch a year ago. Getting that D-I state indoor crown with a 48.27 is a great sign of what's to come.

Tyrell Cloud, Brush: One of The News-Herald coverage area brightest young hurdlers, this Arcs' junior was only scratching the surface in 2022, getting D-I state experience in 110s and showing deep sub-40 potential in 3s.

Karl Dietz, Chardon: After taking third at the D-I outdoor state meet this past June in 400 and the same placement at the D-I indoor meet earlier this month at SPIRE, the sky is the limit for the back half of this Hilltopper junior's career given the 48 ability he has already displayed.

Braylen Eaton, Beachwood: A jack-of-all-trades with his propensity in long jump and on relays, this senior is a key component to the Bison's aspirations of a sizeable impact in the team race at state. With another offseason of refinement and off a good indoor campaign, it wouldn't be a surprise to see his long jumping deeper and more consistently in the 21s outdoors.

Brian Kellon, University: Several News-Herald coverage area stalwarts are likely pining for the spring campaign to begin, but maybe none more than this US senior, coming off his D-I state indoor sweep of long jump and triple jump. He was not at optimal health for stretches as a junior, but what has been displayed — including mid-23s in long jump already — is plenty to know this could be a special season.

Andrew Merritt, University: Between Kellon, Andrei Radjenovic and this junior standout, coming off a third with a 22-5 1/4 in long jump at D-I state indoor, at minimum you'd be hard-pressed to find a better jumps corps in any division in Ohio. Good luck vying with this crew at an all-relay invitational this spring.

Brayden Richards, Perry: Whether it's pole vault, hurdles, 4×2 or more, you can pencil in this Pirates' junior anywhere in the facility, and he will undoubtedly be one of The News-Herald coverage area's premier performers.

David Steckner, Beachwood: One of the lasting images from Columbus a year ago, and by extension in Bison lineage, was this senior raising his baton in the air as Beachwood captured the D-II 4×4 state crown and broke the all-time area record in the event that had stood since 1980. He is a talented 400 runner who stretches nicely to 4×8.

MEETS TO WATCH

Harvey Red Raider Relays (April 1), Cardinal Invitational (April 1), Nordonia Knight Relays (April 8), Ned Weingart Relays (Cleveland Heights; April 8), Perry Relays (April 15), Ranger Invitational (North; April 21), Kurt Frankel Memorial Invitational (West Geauga; April 22), Hilltopper Invitational (Chardon; April 22), Amherst Steele Comet Relays (April 22), Dick Beeler Booster Invitational (Harvey; April 28), Mayfield Invitational (April 28), Mentor Cardinal Relays (April 29), Miele Invitational (Gilmour; April 29), Euclid Relays (May 5), CVC Chagrin meet (Perry; May 9 and 11), CVC Valley meet (Beachwood; May 9 and 11), GCC meet (Mentor; May 10 and 12), WRC meet (Mayfield; May 11), All-Catholic Invitational (Gilmour; May 13)

AT THE LINE

—Per the Northeast District Athletic Board assignments, all the "main" News-Herald coverage area district sites will remain the same: Riverside in Division I, Perry in D-II and Cuyahoga Heights in D-III, with the usual smattering of squads at other sites. On the boys side, that will mean Geneva and Kenston at Austintown-Fitch in D-I, along with Berkshire and Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin at Cortland Lakeview in D-II. As was the case in D-III for stretches in the 2000s, Cuyahoga Heights will essentially host a "northern" and a "southern" district in 2023.

—There was some movement of invitationals and league meets. With the former, the Mayfield Invitational has shifted to one Friday earlier, April 28, and Kenston's Greg Lusk Coed Relays are not taking place this spring due to the timing with Easter. However, Bombers coach Chris Ickes said that event will return next year. With league meets, the Greater Cleveland Conference meet will be staged locally at Mentor on May 10 and 12, the CVC Valley meet will also be local at Beachwood on May 9 and 11 and the Crown Conference meet will be at Walsh Jesuit on May 3.

—One of the more notable breakthroughs at state indoor came from Wickliffe senior Colby Humbert. A year ago, Humbert didn't get out of the D-II Perry District in 400, sixth with a 51.94. But at SPIRE, Humbert was runner-up in D-II/III with a 49.27. That would have Humbert deep in the conversation for the Blue Devils' first boys 400 state berth since 2013 and third all-time.

—This feels like a year West Geauga can be a real factor in 4×8 and distance in general, especially now that the Wolverines have returned to their traditional D-II home. Senior Daniel Kearns is coming off an outstanding cross country campaign, taking sixth at the D-II state meet, and in turn should be much deeper in the 9s in 3,200. On 4×8, Kearns , Grant Congdon, Christopher Whiting and Matthew Dienes did well to take eighth at the D-I Fitch Regional. Seeing that quartet around 8 before it's all said and done in 2023 in D-II wouldn't be a surprise.

—Speaking of relays, there will be several across The News-Herald coverage area that will be fun to watch. You know Mentor's 4×8 will be heard from and likely sub-8 when it matters, with Michael Petrovic and Timmy Hordinski returning and Billy Dennison's development. Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin showed a lot getting its 4×2 and 4×4 in runner-up spots at state indoor despite turnover. Mayfield, with Biega as the hammer on the anchor, will assuredly be state-caliber and hungry in 4×2 and 4×4.

—If you want a breakout candidate in hurdles, it could be Mayfield's Ty Jackson. He was seventh in 110 hurdles at the D-I Austintown-Fitch Regional as a sophomore and was fourth in 60 hurdles at state indoor. Jackson has that deep sub-15 quality needed to contend and is seemingly only scratching the surface. A breakthough candidate in distance could be Hawken's Nick Garcia-Whitko, who is already hitting 4:25s in 1,600 indoor and was fifth in the event at Fitch last spring for an at-large state berth.

—Gilmour's Brayden Green is coming off a triple jump crown at state indoor in the D-II/III portion of the meet. With triple jump not being an outdoor sport in Ohio, of course, it's always interesting to see how triple-jump momentum from the winter shifts into long jump in the spring. If Green can get into the 21s there by regional, he should be in the mix for state.

—In throws, University's Fanon Miller garnered D-I state experience a year ago in discus, pushing for 150-plus ability, and has already hit for a 153 outdoor in the weather-shortened Austintown-Fitch Early Bird Invitational. Riverside should be very good in throws again, led by Carter Rudler and Brett Stephens. Rudler is a skilled shot putter with room to develop more into the 50s, and Stephens will be motivated and seeking 150s in discus after taking ninth at the D-I Fitch Regional a year ago.