STAC BOYS TRACK & FIELD: HOGAN BELIEVES WAVERLY BOYS PRIMED FOR ANOTHER BIG SEASON (2024-04-02)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
WAVERLY — The Waverly boys track & field team is coming off one its best seasons ever, and despite the loss of “generational talent,” coach Dave Hogan believes the Wolverines are primed for another big season.

“The boys team is in a great position to be successful again, and will look to be highly competitive in the STAC Central Division and compete for a Section IV Class C title.

“Individuals and relays will look to medal at the Class C Championship and the Section IV Qualifier,”said Hogan. “Many individual sprinters will look to qualify for the state championship … our boys 400-meter relay will look to defend its Section IV title along with its Section IV record time.

“The 1600-meter relay will seek another state championship trip, regardless of its respective compositions,” he noted. “Waverly now proudly owns the Section IV records in each of these relays and we know we have the figurative bulls-eyes on our backs.  

“We're ready to continue to live up to the hype,” added Hogan, who is looking for growth from other parts of his team.

“Our throwers and distance runners have increased in numbers and talent and will seek growth and improvement to get them to the next level of competition,” he said.

State medal-winners Ralph Johnson and Micah Chandler return for their senior seasons, along with fellow sprinters senior Charlie Larrabee, and junior Nate Peters.

“Ralph Johnson should easily qualify for States in the 100 and 200, along with a high likelihood in the 400 and 1600 relays,” said Hogan. “In that sense, our 400 relay and 1600 relay have a very real likelihood of going to states for the third straight season.

“Although the overall composition of the relays is in flux as it is early, Micah Chandler and some combination of Johnson, Xavier Watson, Larrabee, and Kolsen Keathley will likely find a rightful place on those relays.

“Micah Chandler could find his way to the state meet in the 400 hurdles, too,” added Hogan.

Senior Jacob Benjamin and sophomore Troy Beeman returns as throwers.

“Jacob Benjamin and Troy Beeman are returning veteran throwers who have untapped potential and are always ready to compete,” said Hogan. “We'll look for them to bring in a new era of powerful, point-earning throwing at Waverly.”

Junior Seth Noto returns to do jumps and sprints, and seniors Braylon DeKay, and Liam Wright return in long-distance events.

Hogan said he has two newcomers to keep an eye on in junior Kolsen Keathley and Xavier Watson.

“We're very excited to see the competitive potential of some of our newcomers,” he said. “We lost some fantastic, generational talent to graduation, but we have boys that we anticipate can fill those voids in impressive ways.”

Hogan said his plan for the season is always the same.

“Surviving the regular season, seeing objective improvement, and staying healthy are always the keys to us being alive and well in June,” he said.

Waverly opens the season Tuesday at Corning.

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IN PHOTO: Waverly's Ralph Johnson (left) and Micah Chandler. ... VSR STOCK PHOTO.