GIRLS TRACK | District preview

DISTRICT

Badger

Coach: Carrie Albert, 15th year

Top returnees: senior — Taylor Baumiller (jumps); juniors — Jennilyn Krumpe (sprints/jumps), Leah Blaney (jumps/hurdles/sprints)

Top newcomers: junior — Brandi Nitch (throws/sprints); sophomore — Harlee Logan (throws); freshmen — Kayla Agnew (jumps), Katelyn Bevilacqua (middle distance), April Larrison (hurdles), Jaimee Flowers (hurdles)

Outlook: Badger isn’t deep but returns its top two athletes: Krumpe (a state champion in the 400 last year and a state qualifier in the long jump) and Blaney (a state qualifier in the long jump).

Boardman

Coach: Denise Gorski, 31st year

Top returnees: seniors — Giovanni Silvestri (throws), Sarina Mauerman (pole vault), Daisy Corso (distance), Daisy Robinson (throws); juniors — Emma Schwendeman (distance), Trista Cunningham (distance), Nikki Hillard (sprints/jumps), Morgan Hambrick (jumps/sprints), Brandi Gatte (distance); Kelly Tomcsanyi (jumps); sophomores — Jordan Grantonic (distance), Ka’Nisha White (throws), Heaton O’Hara (distance); Regan O’Hara (distance), Hope Landers (hurdles), Stephanie DeMain (hurdles)

Top newcomers: juniors — Jada Redd (sprints), Briana Fonderlin (sprints), Breanna Gatte (distance); sophomores — Payton Bryant (sprints), Alison Greene (sprints), Alexis Downie (sprints), Elysia Cuevas (hurdles); freshmen — Sydney Lewis (hurdles), Elly Larrier (distance), Alexis Martinez (throws).

Outlook: The Spartans have more depth in the sprints and hurdles than last year’s team but distance (led by Grantonic, last year’s district runner-up in the 3200) and throws (led by Silvestri, a state qualifier in the discus) should still be the team strength. The jumping events are a question mark.

Bristol

Coach: Michael Austin, third year

Top returnees: juniors — Becca Merlino (distance), Stephenie Keller (discus); sophomores — Kimberly Michael (sprints), Olivia Pilon (hurdles/jumps/sprints)

Top newcomers: freshmen — Paige Westfall (throws), Rachael Bickford (distance), Marlayna Perrine (jumps)

Outlook: Bristol has just 11 athletes on the team, but four of them were consistent scorers last season. Michael was a regional qualifier in two events and just missed in another.

Brookfield

Coach: Bob Rodgers

Top returnees: juniors — Maggie Slattery (distance/jumps), Lindsey Swanson (distance), Chloe Vendemia (sprints/jumps).

Top newcomers: freshmen — Katie Bender (hurdles), Yvette Campbell (sprints).

Outlook: Despite losing All-Ohioan Tori Thompson to graduation, the Warriors have some good individual talent returning. Depth is a concern.

Cardinal Mooney

Coach: Dom Daltorio, eighth year

Top returnees: Lindsey Parkins (sprints), Lena Parteleno (distance), Carly Shutrump (jumps), Nicolette Filo (sprints), Gina Patella (sprints), Hallie Yerian (distance), Somalia Winlock (sprints), Liz Zeno (distance)

Outlook: Depth is a problem but Daltorio expects the Cardinals to hold their own, particularly in the sprints.

East

Coach: Shirley Barnett, fourth year

Top returnees: seniors — Chmicka Kennedy (sprints), Vernique Harris (sprints); junior — Marlis Herron-Brock (hurdles)

Top newcomers: senior — Alex Williams (sprints); sophomores — Cornisha Booth (sprints), Brandi Alexander (sprints)

Outlook: The Panthers should be strong in the sprints but distance events and field events are weaknesses.

Lordstown

Coach: Colleen Kellar, ninth year

Top returnees: seniors — Taylor Romain (sprints), Sydney Negro (hurdles/throws); juniors — Sara Leamer (sprints), Sarah Cash (distance/jumps), Danielle Carrell (hurdles/sprints)

Top newcomers: sophomores — Anna D’Urso (throws/sprints), Carly Pirko (sprints/throws), Carlee Shaffner (sprints), Chase Vega (sprints/throws); Julia D’Amico (hurdles/distance), Julia Bowman (sprints), Jessica Beere (distance), Kara Pirko (sprints/throws), Kiley Peterson (distance).

Outlook: Lordstown placed third in the league last season and brings back a solid core of experience with some promising newcomers.

Maplewood

Coach: David Deeter, 18th year

Top returnees: seniors — Erin Pavick (distance), Alanna Shamrock (distance); juniors — LeAnn Penn (distance), Rebecca Shelton (throws), Kayla Stamm (jumps/sprints); sophomore — Summer Spitler (jumps/throws/sprints), Danielle Ellwood (throws), Victoria Karlovick (sprints), Deneen Penn (distance/jumps)

Top newcomers: junior — Brittany Fabian (sprints); sophomores — Salena Dahmen (distance), Kristen Barnhart (distance); freshmen — Lizza Yoder (throws), Kelsey Murrey (distance), Darion Ferry (sprints), Liz Young (distance), Brandi Watkins (distance), Nicole McMasters (throws)

Outlook: Led by state qualifiers Pavick and Shamrock, the Rockets are strong in the distance events and have talent in every event. But the team’s sprinting depth is a concern.

Ursuline

Coach: George Stroia

Top returnees: juniors — Lavonte Powell (sprints), Olivia Trinckes (throws), Nicole Zielinski (distance); sophomore — A.J. Carnahan (sprints)

Outlook: Carnahan and Powell both earned All-Ohio honors in 2012 (outdoor) and 2013 (indoor) and will lead the Irish.

Warren Harding

Coach: Charles Penny, 10th year

Top returnees: seniors — Aminah Wesley (sprints), Kayla Statema (middle distance); junior — Leaha Zachery (distance); sophomore — Chyna Stroud (sprints)

Top newcomers: freshmen — Justice Richardson (sprints), Gariana Bercheni (hurdles/jumps), Mikayla Peterson (middle distance)

Outlook: The Raiders have a good mix of returning talent and newcomers, including middle school state champion Richardson. Depth will probably keep them from competing for a league crown but they should have several athletes in the mix for state berths.

Warren JFK

Coach: Robert Andrews, second year

Top returnees: senior — Natalie Ambrosy (sprints); junior — Morgan Rice (hurdles)

Top newcomer: junior — Amber Brown (sprints)

Outlook: Rice, a state qualifier in two events last year, joins three-year letterwinner Ambrosy in leading the Eagles.

West Branch

Coach: Nathan Heddleston, second year

Top returnees: seniors — Alex Cope (throws), Brettney Lamp (sprints), Charlene McGuire (throws), Sarah Pigza (distance), Kyla Sharp (middle distance), Kim Sposetta (throws), Emily Theil (sprints/hurdles); juniors — Erin Carver (sprints), Rachel Carver (middle distance), Sydney Diehl (hurdles), Alex Tubbs (sprints), Rashele Whaley (jumps); sophomores — Lea Bock (throws), Erica Johnson (distance), Lexington Pittman (middle distance), Ashley Simmons (sprints), Alexis Wartluft (jumps)

Top newcomers: senior — Daria Doranina; juniors — Amanda Linhart, Katelyn Phillips; sophomores — Pavin Heath, Karlie Williamson