Boys Track & Field: Watterson Eagles continue to build middle-distance depth
Watterson senior Alex Spiers finally got a taste during the indoor season of what it’s like to compete with one of the state’s best groups of middle-distance runners in boys track and field.
A contributor as a freshman, Spiers didn’t get a chance to compete as a sophomore in 2020 when the season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Then in November 2020 while competing in soccer, Spiers suffered an injury that forced him to miss the 2021 track season.
At the Division II state indoor meet this winter, Spiers joined seniors Max Hall, Cris Kubatko and Max Latshaw on the 3,200-meter relay that placed seventh and Hall, junior Mason Bermudez and sophomore Jake McCann on the eighth-place 1,600 relay.
Led by many of those same runners last spring, Watterson won CCL and district titles and was a regional runner-up.
“It’s been since my freshman year that I ran (outdoor) track, so this is truly my second season,” Spiers said. “It’s quite special because these kids are all great runners. They put their heart into it. They’re so dedicated and work their butts off. We had a really successful indoor season and we’re just looking really promising.”
While Spiers will play soccer at Capital and also might compete in track collegiately, he provides an extra dose of depth to an already strong group of returnees.
At last year’s state outdoor meet, Latshaw was fifth (9 minutes, 40.69 seconds) and Kubatko was 10th (9:55.8) in the 3,200, and that duo joined Hall and 2021 graduate Will Garey to place 11th in the 3,200 relay (8:13.46).
Kubatko and Latshaw then finished 10th and 11th, respectively, at the state cross country meet last fall.
While Hall is confident that the 3,200 relay will remain one of the state’s best despite losing Garey, who is now competing for Xavier, he’s optimistic that the 1,600 relay also will emerge as a state-caliber relay.
Bermudez was a regional qualifier in the 400 and placed at district in the long jump a year ago, while McCann gained experience last spring and throughout the winter.
Hall also qualified for the state indoor meet in the 800 but did not compete.
“Our (3,200 relay) is certainly going to be very strong,” Hall said. “Our time at indoor state (in the 1,600 relay) was a little bit ahead of what we did last year midway through the season, so it’s definitely nice coming in.
“It’s such a blessing running with these guys because growing up and running in the feeder schools, they were my competitors. And now I’m able to run next to them, so it’s such a great experience. We’ve been able to help each other get to the next level. I don’t think anybody in the state has the same chemistry we have.”
In addition to running on the 1,600 relay, Bermudez also will lead a group of sprinters that should include juniors Owen Samenuk and Seven Scott.
Junior Finn Kephart should be another distance contributor, and Scott also will compete in the high jump.
Sophomore Dominic Rubino is the top hurdler after the Eagles lost Carson Blank to graduation.
Bermudez competed at the indoor state meet in the long jump and should be joined in that event by Samenuk.
Sophomore Pierre Geoffrion is a candidate to run in sprinting events, where the Eagles lost Spencer Mandzak, Cam Nickleson, Nick Youell and Tyler Young to graduation.
“If our boys distance runners stay healthy, they’ll be pretty good,” coach Adam Kessler said. “Our boys are going to be very solid. Not that I ever go into invitationals trying to win meets, but our boys will be battle-tested for the Division II (postseason). We go to a lot of Division I meets, so they run against a lot of good competition every week and when it comes time for Division II, they’ll be ready.”
julrey@thisweeknews.com
@UlreyThisWeek
BEECHCROFT
•Coach: Tremayne Peppers, first season
•Top athletes: Jayden Douglas, Dylon Feagin, Alhaji Jalloh, Davion Moore and Joel Owusu
•Key losses: Kevin Damoah, Devin French, Daniel Hernandez, Andrew Johnson and Muhammad Ali-Kobo
•2021 postseason: 14th at district, tied for 24th at regional, tied for 32nd at state
•Outlook: The Cougars have a new coach in Tremayne Peppers, who has experience at the club level and has taken over after Duane Gosa led the program for seven years.
He is assisted by Christine Douglas, whose son, junior Jayden Douglas, won City League championships in the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles and went on to earn a Division I state runner-up finish in the 300 hurdles (38.24). Jayden Douglas also was a regional qualifier in the 110 hurdles.
Sophomore Kevin Brogdon returns in hurdles, senior Alhaji Jalloh returns in sprints and long jump and sophomore Dylon Feagin could make an impact in the discus.
Juniors Adeboye Adeagbo, Michael Adomako, Ivan Korir, Joel Owusu and Malaki Tarver, sophomores David Abalaka, Amir Allen and Davon Mackey and freshman Davion Moore are looking to contribute in sprints.
Freshman James Habimama is running middle distance, with junior Jaylen Radford doing the long jump and junior Mohamed Conde running distance and competing in high jump.
Junior Ian Walker and sophomore Maurell Cox are competing in the shot put.
—Jarrod Ulrey
DeSALES
•Coach: Tim Jewett, third season
•Top athletes: William Djedje, Owen Eckstein, Neal Godfrey, Emmanuel Hood and Gabriel Offei
•Key losses: Jack Laugherty, Isaiah Rush, Nick Schetter and Aidan Williams
•2021 CCL standings: Watterson (172), St. Charles (137), Hartley (94), DeSales (70), Ready (15)
•2021 postseason: 15th at district, did not score at regional
•Outlook: The Stallions graduated their only Division I regional qualifier in CCL discus champion Jack Laugherty, but return a core of mostly juniors that includes Pierson Bryan (distance), Owen Eckstein (distance), Neal Godfrey (long jump) and Owen Weikert (middle distance) as well as sophomore Gabriel Offei (throws).
Seniors William Djedje, Emmanuel Hood and Gregory Jones lead the sprinters, helping give the team balance that coach Tim Jewett hopes is enough to bring the Stallions their first CCL championship since 2018 and 27th overall.
Godfrey was eighth at district last year in the long jump, and Offei was league champion in the high jump.
•Quotable: “We have five or six guys in the shorter relays and we’ll keep plugging different kids in and see how they compete with each other and how they challenge each other. It gets competitive and we want that. It’s a healthy thing for them and the program.” — Jewett
—Dave Purpura
NORTHLAND
•Coach: Mahamoud Samantar, first season
•Top athletes: Jordan Blankson, Rayvon Ivery, Mekhi Kilburn, Vincent Sackeyfio and Kwabena Yeboah
•Key losses: Shyolin Jefferson, Victor Jeter, Kion Lewis, Darrien Mahan, Mekolle Sume and Shemar Watson
•2021 postseason: 18th at district
•Outlook: After serving as an assistant at Eastmoor Acacemy with the boys team from 2009-15 and with the girls from 2017-21, Mahamoud Samantar is leading the boys at Northland. Samantar also is the boys soccer coach and has taken over for Gerald Baker, who is now an assistant with the Northland girls team after leading the boys program for five years.
The only athlete to score at last year’s Division I, district 1 meet for the Vikings was 2021 graduate Victor Jeter, who placed eighth in the discus (117-8).
Returnees include senior Vincent Sackeyfio (sprints) and juniors Mekhi Kilburn (sprints) and Jeffrey Baker (hurdles), but most of its other runners have limited experience.
Sprinters include sophomores Elijah Nelson, Emerson Ofori and A’dauntae Woods and freshmen Aaron Afful, Dayman Busby and Joseph Hair, with freshmen Deamon’te Branford and Kevin Osafi competing in the 400 and junior Kwabena Yeboah also running hurdles.
Sophomore Khalid Karshe is the top distance runner, while junior Jesean Lathon and sophomore Zubair Yusuf are competing in middle distance.
In the field events, the Vikings feature senior Rayvon Ivery (shot put), juniors Jordan Blankson (discus) and Samuel Out-Danqua (long jump) and freshmen Tyreek Lewis (high jump/long jump) and Hatem Mhamed (discus).
•Quotable: “This year’s mission is to rebuild the track team to a higher level of competence. I have kids working hard and who want to get better, so we may make noise in the City League.” — Samantar
—Jarrod Ulrey
WATTERSON
•Coach: Adam Kessler, fourth season
•Top athletes: Mason Bermudez, Max Hall, Finn Kephart, Cris Kubatko, Max Latshaw, Jake McCann, Owen Samenuk and Alex Spiers
•Key losses: Carson Blank, Will Garey, Spencer Mandzak, Cam Nickleson, Nick Youell and Tyler Young
•2021 CCL standings: Watterson (172), St. Charles (137), Hartley (94), DeSales (70), Ready (15)
•2021 postseason: First at district, second at regional, tied for 52nd at state
WHETSTONE
•Coach: Joe Monda, 29th season
•Top athletes: Damarion McClinton, Maitland Neff, Ismael Obas, Malcolm Pierce, Demond Smith, Wyatt Starkie, Reed Wilson and Kiefer Young
•Key losses: Matthew Conroy, Malikahi Dudley, Thaine Nederveld, Abdourahman Sallah and Jake Winters
•2021 postseason: 14th at district
•Outlook: Even though the Braves lost Thaine Nederveld to graduation after he finished fifth in the 1,600 and sixth in the 3,200 at last year’s Division I, district 3 meet, they figure to be strong in middle distance and distance with the return of juniors Wyatt Starkie and Maitland Neff and sophomore Josh Conroy.
That trio joined 2021 graduate Jake Winters on the 3,200 relay that placed 10th (9:05.62) at district last season. Other distance runners include senior Reed Wilson, junior Edwin Zuniga, sophomore Damian Earley and freshman Otis Galbin.
Senior Ismael Obas is the top returning sprinter, and juniors Malcolm Pierce and Kiefer Young and sophomore Damarion McClinton also return.
Others looking to contribute include sophomores Gabe Dung, Jeremy Dunn, Alex Hill, Spencer Nekervis and Emmanuel Watson and freshmen Ray Brewer, Calder Erickson-Miyamoto and Felix Martin.
Junior Demond Smith returns in the shot put and discus and will be joined by senior Roobyns Jean, with Obas and Kiefer competing in the long jump.
•Quotable: “Our hope is that we can compete for a City title. This will depend on how well our young runners improve and are able to contribute. We’ll try to get a few events out of districts and hopefully have a chance to compete for a spot at the state meet.” — coach Joe Monda
—Jarrod Ulrey
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Boys Track & Field: Watterson continues to build depth
