NTL TRACK & FIELD: WITH RETURNING STATE QUALIFIER IN KITCHEN CANTON LOOKING TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS (2025-03-24)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
Canton track and field is looking for another strong season with a returning state qualifier in Kendall Kitchen.

“Kendall actually had a really good winter,” Canton coach Casey Aylesworth said about Kitchen’s pole vaulting. “She went down, and vaunted in some indoor meets. Lawrence (Halbfoerster) rain some indoor meets, as well, with a couple other kids, so I’m exciting. The weather being nice, and warm early on has helped, too.”

Kitchen will be looking to get on the state podium this spring after coming close last year.

“I worked pretty hard in the off season, and we are just super excited to be outside practicing, and preparing for the season,” she said. “I definitely did a lot of weight training over the winter and summer, just trying to get stronger and faster.”

Kitchen missed medaling by six inches a year ago, but will likely need close to a foot more to guarantee a state medal.

“It definitely motivated me a lot more than I thought it would,” explained Kitchen. “Getting to states was cool as it was, but then when I saw that I could potentially get a medal, it just motivated me to do my best.”

Kitchen also plans on doing some more sprints in order to score team points with Daveian Crowley now out for the season.

“I’m going to take the more seriously,” said Kitchen. 

Of course, that helps with pole vaulting, too.

“Focusing on speed more because I’m going to be doing the workouts with everybody else, and I’ll be faster down the runway,” Kitchen remarked.

They also bring back Alexis McRoberts in the throws, as they her and Kitchen will anchor the girls’ team.

“They should be very competitive in their dominant events, discus and pole vault,” said Aylesworth. “They’re also going to be able to contribute in the 100, and shot put, and javelin. It’s going to be interesting this year with having some more dual meets, because I think we’re going to have some younger kids be able to step up, and score points for us that maybe not would necessarily in a tri-meet setting.”

On the boys’ side they return Lawrence Halbfoerster, who medaled at districts in the 2-mile a year ago, and is coming off a cross-country season that saw him set personal records.

“I’m hopeful for new PRs, and to reach new times,” he said. “I want to hopefully make states this year.”

It was a strong group in the 2-mile last year, so he knows he has his work cutout for him.

“I’m capable of doing more,” he said. 

He’s also going to focus heavily on the mile.

“I like pacing myself the first 800, seeing how to preserve your energy for the last two laps,” Halbfoerster said. “We’re going to be doing two workouts a week, and other days we’re going to be doing tempo, and long runs.”

Aylesworth is expecting a lot out of him, and his brother, Manuel Halbfoerster, who is also playing baseball.

“Simon Wile is a senior who has been around for a couple of years, he’s going to be kind of helping us out in the hurdles,” said Aylesworth. “Joshua Hess has been an improving 400 runner for the last couple of years, as a senior I think he’s going to take the next step. Talin Williams in the discus, too, he had an injury to start last year, but came on strong at the end, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he throws 120-feet this year.”

ROSTER

Nehemiah Wolcott

Joshua Hess

Kendall Kitchen

Talin Williams

Quincy Wesneski

Adrianna Yellenic

Lakota Frisbie

Simon Wile

Drake Bedford

Thomas Guindon

Elton Weingartner

Alexis McRoberts

Lawrence Halbfoester

Sawyer Vroman

Danah Wesneski

Aiden Petrowski

Layla Frisbie

Stella Rockwell

Landon Lake

Katie Barry

Wyatt Hilton

Chase Petrowski

Monte Whitehead

Colton Olson

David Irvin

Savannah Boyles

Kendall Petrowski

Veronica West

Lily Jackson

Anna Harrison-Ayers

Nick Weaver

Raina Bellows

Hayley Larson

Manuel Halbfoerster

Jaxson Karpinski

Silva Koernig

Adelyn Cardona

Gabe Blaney

Henry Proseus

Brock Vroman

Emilia Pepper

SCHEDULE

Mar 25 at Towanda, w/NEB, 4 p.m.

April 4 host Kirby Classics, 4 p.m.

April 8 at Athens w/Troy, NPM, 4 p.m.

April 11 at Northwest Invitational

April 15 vs NEB, NPM, 4 p.m.

April 17 at Mt. Carmel Invitational

April 22 vs Williamson, 4 p.m.

April 25 at Lasagna Invitational

April 29 vs Wyalusing, 4 p.m.

May 2 at Coudersport Invitational

May 5 vs Sayre, 4 p.m.

May 9 at NTL Championships, 3 p.m.

May 15 at District IV Championships

May 17 at District IV Championships

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