Brian Schwieterman is back as Bradford boys track and field coach.

Returning letterwinners include seniors Ethan Saunders, Austin Crickmore and Connor Jones and junior Aiden Beachler.

Saunders and Jones will lead the sprinters.

” I am looking forward to watching some younger influence in the sprints with Xavier Robinson, Peyton Melgaard and Aiden and Owen Beachler having a strong start to the season,” Schwieterman said. “Aiden has been dealing with a hamstring but is improving very nicely.”

Jayden Dues and Hunter Biddlestone will lead the distance runners, while Crickmore will lead the throwers alson with Eric Keener and Kaden Clack.

“Peyton Melgaard has shown an interest in the pole vault,” Schwieterman said. ” Conner Jones is my high jumper and we want to see how newcomer Chase Ashby fairs in the high jump.”

Schwieterman is excited about his young team.

”We have a lot of youth that can make a big impact in the future,” Schwieterman said. “It will be fun to watch our great leaders in the upper class show the younger athletes the ropes and see how the team progresses this year.”

COVINGTON

Jason Sutherland returns as coach.

The Buccs anticipated a great season last year before COVID postponed the season.

“It would have been one of the best teams in Covington history,” Sutherland said. “Lost a lot, had a great senior class and amazing leadership.”

Returning letterwinners include seniors Bennett Welborn and Jack Ballard and junior Owen Rawson.

Trentin Alexander, Ballard and DeAndre Bennett will lead the sprinters, while the top distance runners will include Welborn, Mic Barhorst, Rawson and Asher Long.

Ryan Rohr, Ryan Remley and Kenny Wise will lead the throwers, while Landon Lapoint (high jump) and Jaeden Cole (high jump, long jump) will lead the jumpers.

“We have an extremely young team, but we have a solid group of seniors, which makes me excited for this season,” Sutherland said. “It will be great to get back out on the track after the unfortunate cancellation of last season. Trentin and Bennett are the returning leaders and the addition of Jack Ballard (from Newton) will help the group of sprinters tremendously.

“We will have a solid distance group, with the addition of Asher, so I expect big things from their group this year. There’s two young young throwers looking to get their feet wet with a full season. Ryan Rohr will be back in the mix around the second half of the season, due to his recovery from a shoulder surgery.

“Ryan Remley was starting to find his groove at the beginning of last year, so I am excited to see what he can do. We have a young group of jumpers so I am anxious to see what Jaeden and Landon can do.”

Sutherland hopes to do well in the CCC.

“The staff is great and we have great kids so I look forward to a strong finish to the final year in the CCC and joining the new conference next year,” Sutherland said. “We are extremely fortunate to get back on the track and look forward to keeping everyone safe and healthy for this spring season.”

LEHMAN CATHOLIC

Dwane Rowley returns as coach.

The top sprinters include sophomore Jude Schmiesing, senior Scott Petersen and junior John Gagner.

The top distance runners will be sophomores Mark Moloney and Hezekiah Bezy and senior Andrew Wiseman.

Junior Michael McFarland and sophomore AJ Newson will lead the throwers.

“We want them to compete and work to get better each week,” Rowley said about his team. “We have young, inexperienced team due to not having a season last year. We are looking to upperclassmen for leadership and to be competitive.

“We are looking to finish better than previous year as a team in our conference and have individuals compete for spots in the state tournament.”

MILTON-UNION

Michael Meredith returns as coach.

The top sprinters for the Bulldogs will be senior Kyle Holtgren and sophomores Blake Brumbaugh, Matt Pickrell and Michael Elam.

Senior Chris Miller and junior Eric Trittschuh will lead the distance runners, while the top throwers will be seniors Mason Gooslin and Jacob Strader and sophomore Jesse Kurtz.

State indoor pole vaulter Carter Timmerman is a junior and other top jumpers include senior Tim Artz and junior Michael Copeland.

“Our boys have some good talent with our upperclassmen,” Meredith said. “We are well rounded with a few hurdlers, distance runners and throwers. They will pull up some talent from younger kids and we should score well in most meets. Our goals is to win the SWBL with a well-rounded attack.

NEWTON

Nick Rhoades returns as Newton coach.

Senior Josh Ecklebarger ran in two relays at the state meet two years ago, while senior Dawson Hildebrand was a state placer in the shot put.

Senior Brady McClish ran on a relay team at state two years ago and senior Owen Via was a state qualifier in cross country this past fall and leads the distance runners.

“We will have a tough time replacing Cameron Stine (mulit regional champ and state placer running at Lee University) and Ethan Cook (Key to relays), but we have a senior-heavy roster that will help us overcome the lack of season last year,” Rhoades said. “The seniors mentioned above along with Andrew Whittaker (senior, relays), Lane Kesling (junior, pole vault, 400), and a healthy Ben Hoover (junior, distance) will make for a nice team. We believe in our young guys to step up and fill holes in. If we continue to work hard, stay healthy, and put the work in, we have high expectations for this group. These seniors are excited to get this season going.”

PIQUA

Travis Nees takes over as Piqua boys track and field coach.

Returning letterwinners include seniors Jacob Hepner and Logan Cavender and juniors Jasiah Medley, Jesse Furman, Gio Barron, Caven Wiles, Nolan Campbell, Landon Hare and Aidan Meyer.

Medley, Ca’Ron Coleman, Sam Schmiesing, Barron, Wiles, Ryan Brown, Cavender and Meyer will lead the sprinters.

Campbell and Jesse Furman will lead the distance runners.

The top throwers will be Caleb Lyons, Hare, Hepner and Mason Osborne, while the top jumpers will be Tate Adams, Colten Beougher and Cory Miller, with Lucas Huelskamp pole vaulting.

“We are looking forward to getting back on the track and competing this spring after a great off-season.”

TROY CHRISTIAN

Jeff McDaniel returns as coach.

“The only returning letter winner has for the boys team is Noah Shook, but we have 15 other great athletes joining the team for the first time or at least the first time since middle school,” McDaniel said.

The top sprinters will include juniors Jonathan Haddad Zach Weaver and Alex Odling, sophomore James Swartz and freshman Carter Dickerson.

“We have a new group of sprinters that have joined from the football and soccer teams, all out for their first year of track but all are talented athletes and have much promise,” McDaniel said.

Middle distance runners include seniors Ty Davis, Sam Mathews and Chas Schemmel.

“Our boys soccer team has produced a handful of great runners that will be dividing up the 400 and 800 meter run group,” McDaniel said. ” All three of these guys are first year track athletes.”

Shool will lead the distance runners.

“Noah Shook will be our key runner, splitting the duties between the 1,600 and 3,200,” McDaniel said. “Noah had a great cross country season competing at Regionals this season. He will also be helped by some of our middle distance guys.”

Sophomore Spencer Inman, junior Zach King and Haddad will lead the field event people.

“Spencer Inman is returning after being off for a couple of years,” McDaniel said. “He had a great middle school experience and has greatly improved in strength since then so he will be great to watch.

“Zach King who is also new to Troy Christian will be high jumping and is going to be working hard to take the school record and see how far he can get in the state finals. Jonathan Haddad will be long jumping and shooting to get his name in the school records.”

McDaniel hopes to do well in the CBC

“We will be competing with Legacy Christian, Dayton Christian, and Emanuel Christian for the top spot in our last year in the Metro Buckeye Conference,” he said. “We have many new runners and they will be learning a lot about their abilities and their ability to push hard to meet individual goals. Our experienced runners have sights set on breaking personal records and school records.”