It’s a brave new world in Vermont Division III track and field.
Bellows Falls, D-III’s three-time dual boys and girls champion, has moved up to D-II, leaving both titles up for grabs. Enter Oxbow, Thetford, Windsor and Woodstock, all of whom have felt the sting of settling for second behind the BF powerhouse.
This time, winning is a goal within reach.
Oxbow’s boys won an indoor title in the winter, Thetford remains a distance-running power, Windsor’s rebuilding program is on the rise and Woodstock remains strong under first-year head coach Susannah Colby.
Elsewhere in the Upper Valley, track world remains steady. Hanover’s boys and Newport’s boys are still strong, the Marauders finishing second overall at this winter’s indoor state meet, the Tigers finding their stride behind hurdle phenom Mason Martell. Hartford’s youthful girls squad continues to improve, finishing second in the indoor meet led by multi-event standout Kennedy Mullen.
The spring will also be a farewell tour for Canes sprinting star Abayomi Lowe, who finishes his four-year career as one of Hartford’s most dominant short distance runners.
HanoverCoach: Steve McConnell (6).
Last year: Boys fifth, girls seventh at states.
League: NHIAA Division II.
Returnees: Seniors — Matthew Fenner, Deveon Martin, Christopher Onyango, Jack Robey, Colm Seigne, Leila Trummel, Aimee Vollmann. Juniors — Christine Aman, Peter Burnham, Kyle Doucette, Alice Garner, Macy Lawson (transfer from Thetford Academy), Quincy McBride, John Meehan, Eli Stack, Anna Stafford. Sophomores — Daniel Frost, Caroline Loescher, Ella Maclean, Zoe Onyango, Kira Smith.
Newcomers: Senior — Abigail Feyrer. Junior — Ian Nolon. Sophomores — Mary Hedrick, Maurice Kado, Michaela Loud, Linus Mayo, Riley Roach. Freshmen — Olivia Trummel, Pierce Seigne, Koa Schuette, Sebastian Sangha, Simeon Obomsawin, Gwyneth Munroe, Jessica Lichtenstein, John Lang, Emma Kleber, Michael Hertog-Raz, Amelia Berthold, Taj Bagnato.
Analysis: Hanover’s boys remain loaded for the spring season after finishing second overall at indoors. Multi-year star Kyle Doucette begins his junior outdoor season and should make plenty of noise in sprinting events. Colm Seigne has emerged as one of Hanover’s most promising runners and should fill out middle distance and relay events nicely after a strong indoor season. Ella Maclean was second in the 55 in indoors after winning the 100 last spring.
HartfordCoach: Mike Perry (21).
Last year: Girls second, boys fifth at states.
League: VPA Division II.
Returnees: Seniors — Abayomi Lowe, Hunter Noyes, Lucas Benson, Thomas Kasten. Juniors — Ryan Reed, Aaron Mitchell, Maliya Sinclair, Anne Marie Schneller, Kennedy Mullen. Sophomores — Finnian Sunde, Parker Kehoe, James Boulanger, Zachary Carter, Kayli Whitcomb, Gretchen Josselyn, Eleanor Hinckley.
Newcomers: Seniors — Luke Patriquin, Cole Gardner-Buisson. Junior — Anna Coutermarsh. Sophomores — Zach Schneider, Ian O’Brien, Edward Jeon. Freshmen — Bethany Davis, Madisyn D’Amico, Kayla Burnham, Sean Lyons, Travis Leonard.
Analysis: The Hurricanes continue to surge after another strong indoor season that saw the Hartford girls finish second overall. It was the girls squad’s second consecutive runner-up result following last spring’s second place at the D-II outdoor state meet, a stretch that should continue in the spring to be led by its young core.
LebanonCoach: Kevin Lozeau (6).
Last year: Girls ninth, boys 11th at states.
League: NHIAA Division II.
Returnees: Seniors — Sarah Ball, Zach Herndon, Benjamin Lammert, Laken Mooney, Kevin Sullivan, Ryan Sullivan, William Tanski, Collin Wainwright, Austin Whitcomb. Juniors — Cole Ames, Roneet Arora, Quinn Beek, Anna Bieszczad, Caroline Borger, Brian Daly, Cody Davis, Emma Doyle, Brendan Freeman, Maria Goodwin, Emma Herndon, Peter Ogrinc, Claudia Simione, Abigail Snow, Irina Stan, Benjamin Tichner, Michael Weeks, Madeline Wolfe. Sophomores — James Grant, Avery Kantor, John Mooney, Logan Sanchez, Chenji Yuan.
Newcomers: Senior — Nathan Cole. Juniors — Nathan Brown, Sam Twarog. Sophomores — Jaclyn King, Josh Mondragon, Theodore Spencer. Freshmen — Sofia Amaro, Alex Baker, Abbie Baker, Rylee Beek, Connor Brown, Dylan Budner, Zoe Chinn, Brianna DeBanico, Justin DeCarlo, Robert De La Cruz, Griffin Gamache, Alyssa Graber, Logan Johns, Madison Labbie, Aiden Miles, Ethan Nicodemus, Nyeoti Punni, Sam Shipman, Olivia Simione, Andrei Tietjen, Cole Timlake, Sally Tretter.
Analysis: Numerous athletes remain for the persistently steady Raiders, but individual or team success has not materialized since the departure of some of Lebanon’s best athletes over the last several seasons. Cody Davis and Ryan Sullivan continue to lead a boys team stocked with runners.
MascomaCoach: Tom Warner (13).
Last year: Boys 23rd at states. Girls did not register a team score.
League: NHIAA Division III.
Returnees: Seniors — Henry Clough, Bella Kondi, Lizz Pelton. Juniors — Olivia Bean, Kira Emery, Renee French, Lindsay McDonald, Samantha Rizzo, Zoe Stanford, Nicole Williams, Amelia Wilson. Sophomores — Dirk Andrew, Gaige Hollis, Gabe Rock, Cam Stebbins, Rachel Dargie, Sophia Guziewicz, Hannah Kierstead, Isabelle Schnieder.
Newcomers: Senior — Kaitlyn Pushee. Junior — Addison Stewart. Sophomores — Gavin Giovagnoli, Isiah Hawxhurst, Caleb Hobbs, Alex Whyte, Ally Duby, Faith Furman, Linsday Houston, Torrie Howlett, Ashlyn McGowen, Emily Moulton, Natalie Poitras, Ella Shinnlinger. Freshmen — Roman Farnsworth, Nik Ladue, Josh Williams, Ella Barrett, Jenna Bean, Meghan Clough, Mariah Lewellyn, Peyton Morley, Opal Shinnlinger.
Analysis: Only senior thrower Lizz Pelton, who placed 12th in the javelin at D-III states last year, returns with state meet experience for the rebuilding Royals, who have added 23 new athletes to their roster this spring. Mascoma lost 13 athletes to graduation, including state meet participants Spencer Stebbins and Jordan Peck.
NewportCoach: P.J. Lovely (4).
Last year: Boys fourth, girls 21st at states.
League: NHIAA Division III.
Returnees: Seniors — Gavin Lovely, Ben Gallagher, Dan Merritt, Joey Ackerman, Cole McNamara, Anna Caron, Selena Coronis. Juniors — Mike Wilkinson, Caleb Palmer, Ben Maynard, Zen Hall, Mason Martell, Allie Howald, Izzy Fisher, Morgan Blackinton. Sophomores — Ryder Lovely, Jagger Lovely, Marius Edwards, Morgan Roberts, Eliza Bates.
Newcomers: Juniors — Zack Davis, Annika Randall, Izzy Fisher, Morgan Blackinton. Sophomores — Sean Moody, Madison Miller, Morgan Roberts, Eliza Bates. Freshmen — Hayden Palmer, Samara Mace.
Analysis: Mason Martell, the multi-year hurdles star, is once again leading the way for the Tigers, whose boys team took fourth in outdoors last year. Matching that team score is not going to be easy, particularly without the help of now-graduated throwing standout Peter Thibault. Coach P.J. Lovely is looking to Cole McNamara and Daniel Merritt to pick up some of the throwing slack.
OxbowCoaches: Emily Willems and Amy Cook (9).
Last year: Girls third, boys fourth at states.
League: VPA Division III.
Returnees: Seniors — Tim Hodges, Orin Mahikoa, Calvin Cook, Brennan Kimball, Jarret Rock, Max Klarich, William Douglas. Juniors — Keelan Durham, Lana Wood. Sophomores — Sam McIntire, Kelly Daigle, Lorr Rosten.
Newcomers: Seniors — Zoe Barton, Lara Jones, Zach Koslowsky. Sophomores — Ron Senecal, Chloe McIntire. Freshmen — Emily Grout, Alex Wiedrick, Samuel Corti, Tobin Durham, Kyle Rinehimer (member-to-member from Rivendell), Keo Hall-Martel (member-to-member from Rivendell).
Analysis: Oxbow’s boys surprised everyone with an indoor title this past winter, handing the quintet of Jarret Rock, Brennan Kimball, Calvin Cook, Tobin Durham and Tim Hodges some well-deserved recognition. The group is now the slight favorites in outdoor D-III thanks to Bellows Falls’ departure.
SharonCoach: Kevin Gish (10).
Last year: Girls sixth, boys 11th at states.
League: VPA Division IV.
Returnees: Senior — Sami Husain. Juniors — Aili Johnstone, Georgia Quackenbos, Sophie Chesnut, Laila Reimanis.
Newcomers: Junior — Jackson Ziegler. Sophomores — Emme Jenisch, Mayci Leduc, Desmond Piccicuto, Nick Steventon, Ewan McCrae. Freshman — Mary Gage Donohue.
Analysis: Kevin Gish, in his 10th season as Sharon’s head coach, is hoping to put a bigger dent in the team scores at the VPA Division IV state meet this year, with five boys and seven girls on the roster. Juniors Sophie Chesnut and Laila Reimanis, the team’s captains, return with the most experience.
StevensCoach: Matthew Baird-Torney (6).
Last year: Girls 22nd, boys 24th at states.
League: NHIAA Division III.
Returnees: Seniors — Alyssa Alberto, Leeanne McCarthy. Juniors — Lauren Birney, Lexi Eitapence, Samuel Sweet, Tyler Sullivan. Sophomores — Prescott Herzog, Michael Love, J.J. Tursky, Christian Wiley, Emily Herbert, Julia Tursky.
Newcomers: Juniors — Fionah Carbee, Erika Chaloux, Alex Taylor, Matt Jones, Matt Bliss. Sophomore — Owen Taylor. Freshmen — Janiah Young, Brynn Murphy, Shayla La Roche, Liam Williams, Noah Osgood, Bryce Jarvis, Angelo Gardner, Keegan Batchelder.
Analysis: Coach Matthew Baird-Torney is encouraged by his returning state qualifiers, including sophomore Julia Tursky in the high jump and 100, Audrey Puksta in the triple jump and high jump and the Cardinals’ 4x400 and 4x100 relay teams. He also expects Janiah Young to step right in and compete in the 100 and 200.
SunapeeCoach: Jon Reed (9).
Last year: Girls 23rd at states; boys not represented.
League: NHIAA Division III.
Returnees: Seniors — Nicole Malanga, Brendan Kelleher, Ashley Heino, Jake Austin. Junior — Maddie Blewitt. Sophomores — Emma Tuohy, Cari Peirce.
Newcomers: Sophomores — Isabelle Serrentino (transfer from Newport), Fiona Nolan, Sean Moynihan, Kelsey Couitt. Freshmen — Sophia Varian, Jacob Stoughton, Jackson Scheele, Brett Salvitti, Vanessa Pollari, Gabe Humphrey, Sophie Hubert, Cole Fair, Maddox Cahill, McHale Cahill.
Analysis: Sunapee head coach Jon Reed returns to the program after a three-year hiatus, taking over a squad that has seen 10 freshmen join the team this season. Cari Peirce returns after placing ninth in the 1,600 as a freshman at states, a performance that Reed ho-es she can build on in middle distance events this spring.
ThetfordCoaches: Emily Silver (8) and Joel Breakstone (11).
Last year: Girls and boys both second at states.
League: VPA Division III.
Returnees: Seniors — Hannah Schwarz, Eli Kaliski, Camden Moffit, Jacob Slaughter, Bel Spelman. Juniors — Grace Davis, Elle Dixon, Morgan Gaffney, Casey MacVeagh, Emma Thorburn, Tad Darrah, Nacio Levey, Frank Loveland, Jason Wolstenholme. Sophomores — Kayla Busby, Layla Hanissian, Seraphyn Payne, Nattilie Sanso, Samara Spelman, Eloise Van Meter, Olivia White, Carter Banks, Riley Burkins, Max Higgins, Knute Linehan, Jackson Ransom.
Newcomers: Seniors — Owen Deffner, Abby Berard, Kiana Johnson, Carter Blain, William Bugg, Gabe Gaetz. Juniors — Liam Curtis, Stephen Prunk, Freshmen — Kiran Black, Madi Powers, Olivia Sayers, Mason LeFevre, Nathan Neubauer, Liam Patterson, Dan Wolstenholme.
Analysis: Gone are some of Thetford’s highest scorers over the last several seasons; Meaggie Balch, Clifford Ransom, Malcolm Silver-Van Meter, Dylan Thorburn and Grace Clement have all graduated. But the Panthers see the opening in D-III that Bellows Falls left behind. Owen Deffner, in his first season running track as a senior, will certainly help, coming off of two distance victories at indoor states.
WINDSORCoach: Nick Skrocki (1).
Last year: Boys third, girls 10th at states.
League: VPA Division III.
Returnees: Seniors — Anna Thornton, Daniel Dexter. Juniors — Angelina Bigwood, Justin McKenrick, Elijah Milligan, Alexander Townsend. Sophomores — Jacob Underhill, Lexia Stanley, Trace Petermann, Owen Abrahamsen.
Newcomers: Seniors — Brooke McKeen, Hannah Estridge. Juniors — Brayton Bailey, Miranda Todt. Sophomores — Linda Ricard, Owen Rhoad, Evelyn Page, Natalie Nichols, Liam Jackson, Brandon Hennessey, Kaeli Bennett. Freshmen — Jacob Burklund, Jonathan Dexter, Benjamin Gilbert, Emmet Moeykens, Alicia Ostrom, Kaleb Swett.
Analysis: Nick Skrocki takes over a Windsor team that has been occasionally slim in numbers over the last several years but has gotten an influx of underclassmen that could put the Yellowjackets back on the team score map. Sophomore Owen Abrahamsen returns after winning the 300 hurdles and taking third in the 110 hurdles at outdoor states.
WoodstockCoach: Susannah Colby (1).
Last year: Girls fourth, boys 11th at states.
League: VPA Division III.
Returnees: Seniors — Zac Cannon, Matt Ennis, Kyle Gordon, Anna Hepler, Bridgit Black, Claire Coates, Khara Brettell, Lily Walker Money. Juniors — Justice Bassette, Owen Coates, Alice Sperber, Kit Oney, Lola Dorsogna. Sophomores — Calef Hepler, Riley Chynoweth, Tyler Bean, Ava Dodson, Faye Stevens, Lea Sperber, Naomi Wood, Sarah Sprague.
Newcomers: Seniors — Yeabi Miles, Max Dodson, Logan Crane, Emilio Montano, Dana Castro, Liz Currier, Hannah Coates, Madeline Hiller. Juniors — Aiden Cloutier, Alden Shoemaker, Alex Gardner, Christian Bloch, Davis Taylor, Erik Alexander Dorfman, Micah Lockhart. Sophomores — Alex Inglis, Caleb Palazzo, Wilbur Abrams, Naomi Wood, Novah Conway (transfer from Sharon Academy), Taylor Crompton. Freshmen — Quinn Giodarno, Nathan Gnodde, Joe Shehan, Jackson Martsolf-Tan, Emmet Mahoney, Devin Ziegler, Chase Conway, Bronwyn Morris, Hannah Lockhart, June Dodson, Kendall Taylor, Lara Tarleton, Lilly Kowalczyk, Meredith Rieger, Victoria Bassette, Zoe Wood.
Analysis: It’s a new era for Woodstock track and field, now under first-year head coach Susannah Colby and with a largely inexperience roster. The Wasps’ girls, however, bring back plenty of talent after finishing fourth at states, a group that includes Faye Stevens, Lola Dorsogna and Novah Conway, in her first outdoor season since transferring from Sharon Academy.
WoodsvilleCoaches: A.J. and Christina Flateau (10).
Last year: No team scores at states.
League: NHIAA Division III.
Returnees: Seniors — Curtis Wyman, Erich Saffo, Ethan Dessaint, Kevin Cadreact, Lucas Thornton, Vincent Perkins. Juniors — Astra Sleeper, Danielle Hallam, Matthew Sargent, Sierra Norko. Sophomores — Beth Lalmond, Kaycee Reagan, Kyra Carbee, Nye Adamkowski, Olivia Sarkis.
Newcomers: Senior — Robert Ilsley. Juniors — Matthew Sargent, Sam Powell, Thomas Powley (transfer from Thetford Academy). Sophomores — Annabelle Townsend, Adrianna Lamotte, Blanca Sabina, Gabby Brown, Kyra Carbee. Freshmen — Austin Larson, Beya Sabina Elijah Flocke, Eric Cadreact, Kadence Broughan, Lauren Harris, Maisie Hilliard, Patricia McDanalds, Sakari Powell, Sammy Sarkis.
Analysis: Numbers continue to increase for co-coaches A.J. and Christina Flateau, who say that interest and enthusiasm in the sport has increased under their tenure. “We have a good variety of age and ability levels and, for the first time since my husband and I have been coaching, over 30 athletes on our team,” Christina Flateau said.
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