NTL TRACK & FIELD: SEVERAL NTL BOYS HAVE TOP SEEDS GOING INTO DISTRICTS (2024-05-16)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
It’s the District IV Track and Field Championships, and on the boys’ side the NTL has a handful of top seeds, and a few more in the top three.

Wyalusing’s Dylan Johns is the top seed, again, in the high jump, this time at 6-feet, 4-inches. He just missed states as a freshman last year in the event, but believes this year will be his year.

“It feels a lot better knowing I’ve got the experience,” he said. “I’ve gotten to know a lot of the other jumpers really well.”

He’s been focusing on strengthening his knee, and keeping his form consistent. Down the road is his goal is to hit the school record of 6-feet, 7-inches.

Troy’s Kendrick Ross (6-feet, 2-inches) and NPM’s Luke Kreger (6-feet, 2-inches) are the two other jumpers seeded behind him, with five jumpers seeded at 6-feet even.

From vertical jumps to horizontal ones Troy’s Ben Warburton and Colin Loveland are the top seeds in the long and triple jumps going into the championships.

Warburton (21-feet, 10 1/2-inches) and Loveland (21-feet, 7 1/2-inches) are 1-2 in the long jump with Towanda’s Michael Ferrulli (20-feet, 7-inches) seeded fifth.

“I’m very confident,” Warburton said about coming into the meet. “I’m happy that I have Colin beside me, he’s kind of taken me under his wing, and got me up to the point where I am. To go into it with him, it’s refreshing.”

Warburton got that top seed mark at the NTL Championships despite the cool, drizzly weather.

“That was my main concerning, overcoming that, but I just put it in my head that I wasn’t going to let it bother me,” he said.

He’s been progressing really well throughout the season, so it’s know surprise to him that he hit a big jump.

“It’s just a big week for me preparing, because if I don’t do it at the meet, it doesn’t mean anything,” he said. 

Loveland’s seed of 43-feet, 5 1/4-inches is the top seed in the triple jump by nearly four inches. NPM’s Zack Wilcox (41-feet, 7 1/4-inches) and Ferrulli (41-feet, 7-inches) are also ranked in the top eight.

In the boys’ pole vault Wyalusing’s Johnathan Earle is tied for fourth at 12-feet, even going into the meet.

Troy’s Avery Sens (51-feet, 1 3/4-inches) is the top seed in the shot put by two-and-a-half feet, with Towanda’s Varrius Farrell (44-feet, 2-inches) also ranked in the top eight.

Wellsboro’s Noah Morey (137-feet, 6-inches) is ranked in the top eight in the discus, while no NTL athlete is ranked in the top eight in the javelin.

On the track Sayre’s Marco Quiros has multiple paths to states. He’s the second in the 100 in 10.90, the second seed in the 200 in 22.76, and the top seed in the 400 in 50.38.

“I feel ready to compete,” Quiros said about districts. 

In the dreary weather of the NTL Championships he continued to perform well, hitting state time in the 100 at 11.3 and breaking 23 seconds in the 200, and 51 seconds in the 400.

“I was really happy when I saw that time,” Quiros said about his 100. “I’m going to try to take (the 200) lower). I thought 22.9 was really hard to beat, but 22.7 was pretty exciting.”

Quiros came late to the 400 but has excelled in it every time he’s run it.

“I feel like I can break 50 at districts,” he said. 

Troy’s Jacob Hinman will also be in the fast heat in the 400 (51.74) and 200 (23.18).

In the longer distances Williamson’s Kristian Mizdail will be looking for that elusive individual medal. He’s in the fast heat of the 1600 (4:24.99) and is one of the top seeds I the 3200 (9:52.71).

“Me and my team have been waiting for this,” Mizdail said. “I’ve been really cautious this year, so I’m super excited.”

He’s been focused on keeping himself fresh for the postseason as he just missed an individual medal last year at states in the 1600 and 3200.

“It used to be the 2-mile but this year I’m excited for the mile,” Mizdail said.

The 2-mile is before the 1600 so he’ll have to run a strategic race in the 3200 so as not to wear himself out in the mile during the afternoon.

“That’s always the most difficult part of the district and states is a hard double,” he said. “We’ll see, it’s just going to be all mental and physical.”

Other high NTL seeds in the 3200 are Canton’s Lawrence Halbfoerster (10:10.83), Wyalusing’s Trennan Tewksbury (10:22.32), and Wellsboro’s Max Macias (20:23.30).

NEB’s Creed Dewing is in the fast heat for both the 1600 (4:36.32) and the 800 (2:02.87).

NPM’s Michael Knefley (4:39.28) is in the fast heat for the 1600, while his teammate, Wilcox (1:58.60) is one of the favorites in the 800.

In Class AAA Athens’ Kelley Reid has a high seed in the 100 (11.30) and the 200 (22.92), while teammate Graham Wanck is one of the top seeds for the 1600 (4:31.07) and the 3200 (10:01.84).

For relays Troy’s 4x100 (44.37) is seeded sixth while their 4x400 (3:32.51) is seeded fourth. NPM’s (3:32.71) is seeded seventh.

NEB’s 4x800 (8:31.35) is seeded fifth with Troy’s (8:47.34) seeded seventh.

In the 110 hurdles Wellsboro’s Micah Vickery (16.21) is one of the top seeds, while there are no NTL hurdles in the fast heat of the 300 hurdles.

Print Friendly Version