High school indoor track in the Upper Valley has a number of top individual performers and strong overall teams that can compete at the state level. Among them are the Thetford boys, led by Uly Junker, and the Hartford boys, who bring back a lot of talent from last year’s VPA Division II state championship team and will be in the mix for a third straight title.

Individually, there are a number of athletes who have the potential to be state champions in various events. These include Hanover’s Andrew Valentino, Newport’s Maddox Lovely, Mascoma’s Georgia Kondi and Gunner Currier, Thetford’s Ava Hayden, Uly Junker and Brady Sloop, Hartford’s Ayodele Lowe and Bennett Moreno and Lebanon’s Jenney Lutz.

HANOVER

Coaches: Steve McConnell, (eighth year), Rileigh Pelletier (second year).

Last year: Boys were eighth at the NHIAA Division II indoor meet and the girls were 20th.

League: NHIAA Division II.

Returners: Girls, seniors — Jacklyn Anderson, Penelope Collins. Sophomores — Alice Bell, Penelope Blatman, Aria Deeb, Abigail Doubleday, Josie White. Boys, seniors — Oliver Greenway, Iain Greger, Lionel Ndong, Andrew Valentino. Juniors — Benjamin Hourdequin, Ethan Welder. Sophomore — Drake Johnson.

Newcomers: Girls, junior — Cosima Torresani. Sophomores — Arianna Berke, Maeve Bradley, Iris Chestnut, Sage Fargher, Sophia Hopkins, Grace Stewart. Freshmen — Carly Anderson, Paz Babineau, Eugenia Gray, Amelia McGinnis, Olive Norse, Anya Nyhan, Phoebe Orner, Evelyn Skinner, Beatrice Swenson. Boys, juniors — Charles Chambers, Jack Myers. Sophomores — Henry Caterini, Garrett Fournier Kalee Lloyd-Clare, Zachary McCarthy. Freshmen — Elijah Adams, Jesse Bardach Samson Charron, Alexander Collins, Oliver Collins, Matteo Cuscaden Cobeta, Ryan Dickson Braeden Friedman, Desmond Greenway, Gideon Langhus, Grayson Lyall, Geffen Melamut, Dorian Powell, Reed Rich, Taiga Wyman.

Outlook: With 37 newcomers, including 23 freshmen, the Bears will look at a rebuilding year, coach Steve McConnell said.

Leading the girls will be Poppy Collins, who missed last season due to injury.

“She will be supported by a strong cast of distance and middle-distance girls who are coming off a successful cross country season,” McConnell said. “They should do well in events such as the 4x800 relay. Likewise, the Bears boys team will be led by Andrew Valentino and should have a good distance crew as well.”

HARTFORD

Head Coach: Dan Talbot (first year).

Assistant Coaches: Stephanie Cross (first year), Dennis Barr (throws; second year).

Last year: Boys were VPA Division II state champions, winning the 4x400 and 4x200 relays.

League: VPA Division II.

Returners: Girls, seniors — Geneva Durgin, Dakota Smith. Juniors — Michaela Anderson, Jaxon Dalpra, Rowan Dumont, Barrett Ouelette. Sophomore — Kathryn Summarsell. Boys, seniors — Connor Beland, Brandon Driver, Solomon Flores, Sebas Fraser, Alec Husmann, Ayodele Lowe, Bennett Moreno, Ben Lang, Sam Morris, Nolan Pichtel, Coda Scott, Matthew Tsounakis, Hugh Wendling. Juniors — Jack Howard, Jason Kelly. Sophomore — Elliott Brooks.

Newcomers: Girls, junior — Nina Alcantara. Freshmen — Scarlett Brooks, Tilly DalPra, Aria Smith. Boys, junior — Graham MacLaury. Sophomores — Colby Albrecht, Jaidin Bennett, Cam Brackett, Jayden Forbes, Guillermo Garcia Martos, Padraig Quinn. Freshmen — David Crocco III, Sam Depierro, Gabriel Duncan, Massey Fernandes, Cole Gilbert, Clive Lemieux, Scott McSherry.

Outlook: Ayodele Lowe, state champion in the high jump, and Bennett Moreno, state champion in the 600 meters, are joined by a large supporting cast of seniors and newcomers. First-year coach Dan Talbot sees a competitive boys squad.

“The boys team is a strong group that should contend for a third straight Vermont state team title,” Talbot said. “Lowe and Moreno are joined by 11 returning seniors and a strong group of newcomers. Brandon Driver, Samuel Morris, Jason Kelly, Connor Beland, Solomon Flores, Coda Scott, Elliott Brooks and Hugh Wendling will look to improve on their state meet finishes from 2024.”

The girls return seven members, led by seniors Dakota Smith and Geneva Durgin (eighth in the long jump in Division II) and juniors Barrett Oulette and Rowan Dumont.

“The team will focus on individual and team improvement for the 2024-2025 season,” Talbot said.

LEBANON

Coach: Kevin Lozeau (12th year).

Last year: Girls placed 20th in the NHIAA Division II state meet. Boys didn’t score.

League: NHIAA Division II.

Returners: Boys, seniors — Marco Getchell, Doyen Kodiweera, Nicolas Petrucci. Juniors — Oscar Gulledge, Ryder Desharnais. Sophomores — Koen Christie, Aadish Niroula. Girls, senior — Jenney Lutz. Juniors — Eden Ames, Sarah Smith, Jaskirat Kaur, Caroline Weber. Sophomores — Maeve Finnegan, Jo, Griffin, Kristen Higgins, Rachel Horak, Banipreet Kaur, Breanna Vorachak.

Newcomers: Boys, sophomores — Charlie Ferland. Girls, senior — Maria Martinez-Furmann. Junior — Sarah Joudeh. Freshmen — Maggie Del Frari, Evening Pilchik.

Outlook: “Coming in with lower numbers than recent seasons, the boys will look to gain valuable points from the returning upperclassmen while the newcomers will focus on gaining experience before the outdoor season,” coach Kevin Lozeau said. “The girls team, while small in numbers, will be led by senior captain Jenney Lutz, who is coming off an outstanding outdoor track season. Combined with a strong core of returning juniors and sophomores, the team will look to improve upon their finish from last year.”

MASCOMA

Coach: Rick Currier (fifth year).

Last year: Girls finished 11th at NHIAA Division II state meet. Georgia Kondi was state champion in the shot put. Boys were 22nd at state meet.

Returners: Seniors — Emily Brewster, Gunner Currier, Trevor Maheu. Juniors — Brayden Bashaw, Barnaby Diehn, Georgia Kondi. Sophomores — Isabella Currier, Landon Giovagnoli, Carl Russell

Newcomers: Juniors — Joanna Behle, Colin Myers, Jacob Rayno. Sophomores — Lincoln Butterfield, Silas Jukosky. Freshmen — Violet Bashaw, Arianna Buck, Finnegan Mattson, John Runnion-Bareford.

Outlook: “We look to be very strong all around in the shot put this year and have a good crew of boys distance runners coming off of a (NHIAA) Division III state championship season in cross country,” coach Rick Currier said.

Georgia Kondi, the state indoor and outdoor shot put champion, will lead the girls team, while Gunner Currier, who took second place at the NHIAA Division III cross country meet, will lead the boys.

“Both of them, along with Barnaby Diehn (boys shot put) will be in the running to qualify for New Englands in March,” Currier said. “We’ll have a great balance in our classes from freshmen through seniors, leaving us room to focus on our strengths this year while recognizing room to grow in future seasons.”

NEWPORT

Coaches: Ethan Houde (first year), PJ Lovely (20th year).

Last year: Girls were eighth at NHIAA Division II state meet; boys tied for 18th place.

League: NHIAA Division II.

Returners: Boys, seniors — Aaron Fellows, Cayden Forand. Juniors — Aidan Couitt, Bryce Palmer, Michael Bohn. Girls, seniors — Maddox Lovely, Jazmyn McNamara, Lela Trott, Jasmyne Lee, Emry Hooper.

Newcomers: Boys, senior — Cameryn Simpson. Sophomores — Tristan Hannum, Isaiah Nash, Tyson Dipaola. Freshman — John Hooper. Girls, senior — Cheyenne Hannum. Juniors — Callie Dixon, Chloe Greenwood.

Outlook: The girls are led by senior Maddox Lovely, a standout hurdler and high jumper with several outdoor titles who now seeks add to that total with indoor titles. Callie Dixon (shot put) and Emry Hooper (relays) add strength, and the senior-laden team has depth. The boys will be led by junior Bryce Palmer (a distance runner with school records in the 600- and 1,000-meter runs), Isaiah Nash, (shot put) and Cayden Forand (relays).

“Our goals for the year are to improve every day and continue to build a hardworking and positive culture amongst our team,” said first-year coach Ethan Houde.

OXBOW

Coaches: John Fields (second year), Leslie Lamoureux (first year).

Last year: Boys were sixth in the VPA Division II state meet.

League: VPA Division II.

Returners: Seniors — Andrew Barrett, Rueben Keefe, Shane Morse. Juniors — Casey Wiedrick, Miley Chen. Sophomores — Nettie Morse Gabe Nusbaum.

Newcomers: Juniors — Tessa Cook, Mellissa Lovely. Sophomore — Seamus Fleming. Freshmen — Bennie Fredieu, Jake Danis, James Lamoureux, Landen Haley, Sage Cook, Willow Cook.

Outlook: The Olympians will look to improve on last year’s results with a team anchored by seniors Rueben Keefe, who was fourth in the high jump at the state meet, and Shane Morse, who claimed fifth in the 1,000. The girls will be led by Casey Wiedrick, who is coming off a very successful cross country season.

SHARON

Coach: Blake Fabrikant (second year).

Last year: N/A.

League: VPA Division II

Returners: Junior — Raiden Danford.

Newcomers: Juniors — Evelyn Murawksi, Carter Muckenthaler, Lucy Proulx. Sophomores — Orion Bee, Lainey Standen. Freshman — Finn Proulx.

Outlook: “We are using this opportunity to work on specific techniques and mechanics for the spring season and as a byproduct building endurance and strength,” coach Blake Fabrikant said. “We have an inexperienced group, so results are secondary; the emphasis is on establishing disciplined habits and a consistent work ethic.”

THETFORD

Coaches: Charlie Buttrey (14th year), Joel Breakstone (13th year), Cole Chapman (fifth year), Vanessa Riegler (first year), Charlize Brown (first year).

Last year: Boys finished second in the VPA Division II state meet; girls were seventh.

League: VPA Division II.

Returnees: Seniors — Hanae Debo, Ava Hayden, Adrian Kutter-Walker, Alicja Perdrizet, Uly Junker, Miguel Kutter-Walker, Evan Rich, Brady Sloop, Ramona Spelman. Juniors — Reece Kenney, Wendell Durham, Daniel Mann, David Thaxton. Sophomores — Sarah Marshia, Sebastian Perdrizet, Paul Kidd.

Newcomers: Seniors — Maya Dixon, Ella Harvey, McKayla Stanley, Preston Perkins, David Stangner, Matt Vivian. Junior — Emmett Terry. Sophomores — Lizzie Brown, Leah Crossett. Freshmen — Greyson Beaucage, Harper Grant, Evelyn Hayden, Aislin Peters, Madeline Piecuch, Veena Wang, Stone Riegler.

Outlook: “We have one of the largest (and one of the most enthusiastic) groups of indoor track athletes in memory, and it’s a good mix of experienced veterans and spirited newcomers, anchored by a very strong senior class,” coach Charlie Buttrey said. “Indoor track is the only sport in which Thetford Academy competes at the D-II level, and this team has the potential to make this a historic season.”

WHITE RIVER VALLEY

Coaches: David Mattern (14th year), Mike Epchook (first year).

Last year: Boys tied for 18th at the VPA Division II state meet.

League: VPA Division II.

Returners: Seniors — Madelyn Gibson, Norah Harwood, Hayden Mabey. Juniors — Matt Bangerter, Addie Isham, Isaac Wimett, Bennett Hanson. Sophomores — Liam White, Sam Armstrong.

Newcomers: Seniors — Ellis Bogardus. Junior — Imari Taylor. Sophomores — Jack Hughes, Rohen Eddy.

Outlook: “We’re hoping to have a fun season and continue to build on our accomplishments last year,” coach Dave Mattern said.