Spring forecast: Boys’ track and field

The YAIAA boys’ Division A race should be tight. Red Lion returns as the defending champion, but Dallastown and South Western have the talent to challenge for a crown. Also, Central York expected a large turnout (near 200 to tryout) this season for track. Will the numbers equal depth for the Panthers, who have Jay Stone back for another season?

Team power rankings
1. Red Lion
2. Dallastown
3. South Western
4. Central York
5. Bermudian Springs

Keep track of them
- Zekiel Alejandrez, Sr., Littlestown: His specialty is the 800, where he was fifth at the YAIAA championships and eighth at districts.
- Logan Bowman, Jr., South Western: As a sophomore, he won the 400 at the YAIAA championships.
- Nick Braun, Sr., Delone Catholic: An all-star last season, Braun is key for the Squires in both sprints and jumps.
- Alex Cooley, Sr., Eastern York: A record-breaking running back on the football field, Cooley was third in the YAIAA 100′s last season. He’s also the defending 100-meter champ at the Dallastown Invitational.
- Jonathan Dadeboe, Sr., Dallastown: Also a soccer standout, Dadeboe is a silver medalist in the hurdles at both the YAIAA and District 3 levels.
- Jeremiah Dadeboe, So., Central York: A triple jumper, he was seventh in the league as a freshman.
- Caleb Gatchell, Sr., Red Lion: Also a cross country all-star, Gatchell won the YAIAA 800-meter title and was a member of the Lions’ 3,200 relay title team.
- Mike Elicker, Sr., Bermudian Springs: A hurdler, he qualified for districts and states in the 110 event. However, this season he will look to crack the preliminaries at states.
- Marquis Fells, Sr., Central York: A top sprinter in the league for three seasons, Fells was a member of the Panthers’ 400 relay team that qualified for states.

- Ryan Hertzog, Sr., South Western: Another cross country standout, Hertzog is the defending 3,200-meter YAIAA champ.
- Adrian Jackson, Jr., Dallastown: A season ago, he was third in the 300 hurdles at the league meet.
- Patrick Reilly, Jr., Dallastown: A district qualifier in the 3,200, Reilly was second in the event at the YAIAA championships.
- Jay Stone, Jr., Central York: Stone owns the school record in the 300 hurdles and missed the finals of the state high hurdles by 0.02 seconds. He returns as the YAIAA and District 3 champion in the 110 and 300 hurdles.
- Austin Torres, Sr., York Suburban: He was second in the league’s 100 and sixth in the same event at districts.
- Brady Wilt, Biglerville: Was fourth in districts in the 3,200.

Best in the field
- Ryan Markle, So., Bermudian Springs: A district qualifier in the high jump, Markle was fifth at the YAIAA meet. He also qualified for states in the triple jump.
- Anderson Novalin, Sr., William Penn: He was the second-best shot-put thrower in the YAIAA as a junior. Also a key lineman on the Bearcats’ football team last fall, Novalin also should contend in the discus.