NTL TRACK & FIELD: TROY HAS PLENTY OF ATHLETES TO SHINE FOR THIS SPRING (2022-04-05)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
After a solid year last spring Troy returns some of their best athletes, including 110 hurdles state medalist Dustin Hagin.

“We’re looking for big things from him,” said coach Matt Geer. “And then we have a couple of upcoming freshmen. Alyssa Parks, it looks like she’ll be pretty exciting to watch.”

Hagin was second at districts in 15.55, and ran as low as 15.22 during the preliminaries. The returning state champion is also in District IV, so Hagin will likely need to get below 15-flat to contend with him.

He’s also solid in the 300 hurdles, taking fifth at districts in 42.60.

“We’re really hoping to work hard on that one,” Geer said bout the longer hurdles. “So a little bit more endurance this year.”

Another one they’ll be watching on the boys’ side is sophomore Colin Loveland. Loveland qualified for districts in both the triple jump and long jump.

“We’re going to see what kind of springs he has in his legs this year,” Geer remarked about Loveland. 

One athlete they think they’ll get a breakout year from is senior Wyatt Hodlofski. The soccer star was a district qualifier in the triple jump a year, while also running in the sprints.

“I love the track season,” said Hodlofski. “It’s very fun with all the other people. I like all the people here because they make it such a great time, and a great experience.”

He’s shooting to break 20-feet in the long jump, and get that 40-foot mark in the triple jump.

“I’m going to try my best with it,” Hodlofski remarked. “This is only my second year.”

He’s been working on his steps early this season.

“I have to make sure I’m perfect with them, and mostly just reaching for the sky at that point,” said Hodlofski.

The one running event they plan on focusing on is the 4x100 relay, which qualified for districts last year.

“We’re going to try and make sure that the hand-off is good,” explained Hodlofski. “And that we communicate with each other.”

On the girls’ side they return five district qualifiers, while all three relays made it, with their 4x100 relay getting on the podium in sixth.

Leading the way in the springs will be senior Anneliese Getola, who has seen a lot of success on the track.

“She’ll have a solid season again,” said Geer. 

Getola made the 100 final at districts as a freshmen, and was part of their 400 meter relay a year ago.

“My focus is probably on the 100 and 100 hurdles,” said Getola. “We’re rebuilding our relays, and just have a lot of new people.”

She picked up the 100 hurdles midway through the season a year ago, and, despite a stumble here and there, made the district semifinals.

One problem is that the hurdles and the 100 are back to back.

“It’s definitely really difficult, but I like doing them the most,” Getola said. “So I kind of have to push through that.”

She’s shooting for 13-flat in the 100, and in the 100 hurdles to get some more PRs. 

“I want to place at districts,” Getola remarked about her goals. “I think, when it comes to the post season, I’ll have to choose between the 100 and the 100 hurdles to try to get one of those places.”

As for their 400 meter relay, they’ve already started getting that back into shape.

“We have two new girls,” Getola said. “We’re going to start trying to work on that, so that will be a challenge.”

The Trojans have seen an influx of new blood this year, which should help them against some of the deeper squads in the league.

“I think we’ll be competitive on both sides,” said Geer. “I’m not sure if we’ll have the title going back to the NTL championship format.”

They were close in the dual meet format last year.

“That’s a different breed,” remarked Geer. “But it’ll reman to be seen how we do in invitationals.”

ROSTER

Boys

Rylan Breidt

Ben Cook

Evan Geer

Noah Gowin

Hart Houseknecht

Avery Sens

Ty Spencer

Ben Warburton

Cooper Watkins

Gordon Weaver

Jacob Hinman

Ty Kellogg

Colin Loveland

Evan Osgood

Paul Seadler

Jeremiah Skinkle

Austin Smith

Brayden Spalding

Shaun Wood

Blake Shedden

Dustin Hagin

Wyatt Hodlofski

Mason Imbt

Hunter Kulago

Alden Miller

Seth Seymour

Jacob Wales

Isaias Watkins

Girls

Sophie Beers

Izzie Culkin

Zadie Culkin

Isabelle Cummings

Jaycie Gundersun

Ella Lawton

Eve Manley

Gabrielle Oliver

Alyssa Parks

Natalie Pesesky

Elaina Preito

Madeline Seeley

Ryleigh Voorhees

Grace Bochatyn

Maddie Cole

Lillian DePew

Katie Lackey

Gabrielle Lathrop

Carla Weiffen

Natalie Williams

Rachel Ainey

Isis Lyon

Caelyn Pine

Maezee Brown

Emma Colton

Julia Colton

Molly Davison

Elizabeth Geer

Annaliese Getola

Morgan Harkness

Lacey Hinman

Bailey Johnson

Sydney Taylor

Nevaeh Tucker

SCHEDULE

April 5 vs Wyalusing, 4 p.m.

April 12 at Sayre, vs NPM, 4 p.m.

April 14 at Molly Dry Invitational, 4 p.m.

April 19 at Wellsboro, vs Canton, NEB

April 22 at Lock Haven Invitational, 4 p.m.

April 26 at Canton, vs Athens, 4 p.m.

April 26 at Lasagna Invitational

May 3 vs Williamson, Sayre, Towanda, 4 p.m.

May 6 at Coudersport Invitational

May 13 at NTL Championships (Athens), 2 p.m.

May 19 at District IV Championships (Williamsport)

May 21 at District IV Championships (Williamsport)