Last Thursday March 14th, 2024 was the first official day of practice for all the spring sports teams at Point Boro. Boys track, now with third year head coach, Coach Ryan, look primed to reload and compete for the division and group crowns. After both a successful cross country season, where the Panthers won a sectional title, and a successful winter track season, capped off by MOC performances by Huck Oakes and Jake Croce, the Panthers, despite a few losses, look to continue to build the program into perennial contenders in the division, county, and section.
Despite a huge loss in the sprint department, the Panthers and Coach Ryan are poised to “run it back” and build upon another program year. The 4×100 meter relay will be making an appearance at Penn Relays, returning three of their four runners last year, those being Jake Croce, Colin Obser, and Gavin Petrosky. Either of Nick Spanola or Paul Hagemeyer will plug into that 4th spot, however Hagemeyer did get hurt day one. Brady Durkac also looks to have a strong senior season leading the hurdlers. Croce, Obser, and Petrosky also headline this years “Jump Squad” participating in long and maybe triple jump as well.
The throwers are headlined by a few returning winter track throwers. Nate Riello is coming off a MOC performance last year in discus. Peter Evertz, Connor Wahl, and Connor Brown are three other names to watch, throwing jav and shot put respectively. Billy Reynolds also looked quite strong in discus as well and Hagemeyer may also join the throwers.
Distance looks to continue their dominant run after cross country won a sectional title in the fall, and Huck Oakes made the MOC in the winter. Huck and Cleat Oakes look to be a dynamic duo on the track once again this year, while Owen Brouder, Brady Ballou, Ryan Brennan, Caden Gueci, Ryan Sabia, and Luke Peterson all look to lead the distance crew. This is the team that has been dominant this year through both the fall and winter seasons already, and looks to continue that run, literally, through the spring.
This track team, fueled by Coach Ryan’s two mottos, the “Panther Mentality”, and “Our season is my responsibility” show the determination and fuel for this program to get back to its former glory. This year, the Panthers have a real shot to return to the top of their division and even compete for Ocean county and sectional titles.
