The 2022 Outdoor Track and Field season is here! We preview the position groups below and conclude with our pre-season outdoor track and field team rankings. There will be some changes from the team indoor rankings as outdoor doesn’t score DMRs, but does add in the 300mH, discus, and javelin.
Class of 2022 College Commitments as of 3/7/22
2022 Indoor Track and Field Honor Roll
Sprints/hurdles
Top returnees from the 2021 Outdoor Season:
Laila Campbell (so, Spring Grove) broke onto the scene as a freshman in 2021. She won the class AAA state titles in both the 100m and 200m last spring and ran PRs of 11.90 (100m) and 23.74w/23.94 (200m) at The Outdoor Nationals. She placed 2nd in both the 60m and 200m at the 2022 PTFCA Indoor State meet. Her indoor time in the 60m (7.35) ranks 6th in the US and her 200m mark (23.82) ranks 7th in the US! She also holds an outdoor 400m PR of 56.43. She won all 3 sprint titles at the PIAA District 3 Championships last year.
Hailey Rios (sr, Somerset) placed 4th in the state indoors in the 60m dash (7.69). She ran 12.31 for 100m outdoors last spring. She is the defending 100m and 200m champion from District 6. She’ll challenge for an outdoor state medal this season.
Mia Boardman (sr, Cumberland Valley) is ranked inside the top 10 of all 3 sprint events and was part of Cumberland Valley’s state title winning 4x400m relay team this winter. Individually, she placed 4th at indoor states in the 400m dash. More of a long sprinter, look for her to add to her medal count this spring on one of the state’s best teams. She is committed to Wake Forest University.
Kristian Phennicie (sr, Dallastown) won the 200m state title in 2021, running 21.62. He also placed 5th in the state over 100m, running 10.78. Phennicie continued his strong running indoors this winter, finishing 3rd at states in the 60m and 11th in the 200m. He is committed to Penn State University.
Darren Cammauf (sr, Manheim Township) is the top returning 400m runner from 2021. He solidified his spot at the top by winning the indoor state title in a new PR of 48.81. He could score points at districts in the 200m, high jump, and 4x400m relay as well. Cammauf is committed to Saint Josephs University.
Travis Wilk (sr, Manheim Township) placed 3rd in the state last season in the 300mH and is the #1 returnee this spring. He showed improved hurdle technique this winter as evidenced by his 60mH PR and 11th place finish at indoor states. He joins Cammauf on the Township’s elite 4x400m relay. He is committed to Shippensburg University.
Maddy Brooks (jr, Bishop McDevitt) and Bryna Kelly (sr, Garden Spot) led the way for local hurdlers this past winter, both winning state medals in the 60mH. Brooks finished 3rd (9.20) while Kelly placed 8th (9.49). Olivia Kay (sr, York Suburban) posted the top 100mH time last year. She ran a limited indoor season, but still posted a 60mH time of 9.71. Bryna Kelly is committed to Indiana University of PA.
The boys 60mH this winter was stacked! Half (12/24) of the qualifiers for indoor states were from Central PA. Demaris Waters (sr, Harrisburg) led the way by winning silver at states. He ran a 7.99 en route to his 2nd place finish. Mike Alicea (sr, Northeastern) finished 3rd at states (8.26), Ethan Conrad (sr, Bishop McDevitt) was 5th (8.29), and Aiden Dibuono (jr, Somerset) was 7th (8.39). Just missing finals was Bermudian Springs senior Michael Carlson (9th, 8.44). COnrad is committed to Shippensburg University.
On the rise:
Riley Ebersole (jr, Cumberland Valley) had a great sophomore season, but look for even more out of Ebersole this spring. She is coming off a state indoor runner-up performance in the 400m (56.64) and a gold medal performance in the 4x400m relay.
Marissa Helderman (so, Warwick) broke 60s in the 400m for the first time this indoor season and ended the winter with an 11th place finish at states.
Alex Smith (sr, Spring Grove) ran 11.37 in the 100m last year before breaking out indoors this winter with a 5th place finish at states in the 60m.
Justin Cook (sr, Harrisburg) ran 11.57 in the 100m last year. He just placed 6th in the state indoors over 60m. Look for a big 100m PR this spring.
Abraham Slobah (so, Milton Hershey) placed 9th at PTFCA state indoors in the 200m dash (22.27). He’s a new name to watch at districts (and states) this season.
Jonathen Tomayo (sr, Wilson) ran the hurdles last season, but placed 11th at indoor states in the 400m (51.17) and split sub-49 on Wilson’s state 4x400m relay. He could be a contender over 300mH this spring.
Mid-Distance/Distance
Top returnees from the 2021 Outdoor Season:
Weber Long (sr, Greencastle-Antrim) leads a strong contingent of distance boys in Central PA. As a junior last spring he broke the 9-min mark in the 3200m en route to his state runner-up finish. The Wake Forest commitment could challenge the district 1600m (4:10.73) and 3200m (9:06.69) records and will challenge Gary Martin (sr, Archbishop Wood/UVA commit) and CJ Singleton (sr, Butler/Notre Dame commit) in the distance events at states.
Teammates Caryn Rippey (sr, Wilson) and Katie Dallas (sr, Wilson) will look to pace the girls distance athletes in 2022. Rippey and Dallas both had terrific indoor seasons in which they both medaled. Rippey placed 3rd in the mile and 6th in the 3k at PTFCA Indoor states while Dallas placed 5th in the 800m. Katie has an 800m PR of 2:12.85 from last years outdoor state meet in which she finished 2nd. Caryn placed 3rd in the 1600m at outdoor states last spring, running 4:58.89. Dallas is committed to Penn State University and Rippey is committed to Bucknell University.
Luke Seymour (sr, Schuylkill Valley) injured his leg at the cross country state meet and after rehabbing should be ready to go this spring. The Penn State commitment is the state’s top 800m returner for 2022. He could be a double state champion in class AA in the 800m and 1600m. Look for him to challenge the class AA District 3 record in the 800m (1:54.39) and 1600m (4:18.66).
Claire Paci (so, Greencastle-Antrim) was a double state medalist last spring, bringing home a 4th place medal in the 3200m (10:50.04) and 8th pace medal in the 1600m (5:06.70). Just a sophomore, she already owns 4 state medals between XC and track and field.
On the rise:
Twin Valley’s Anthony Engle had himself a winter! He set PRs in the 800 (1:55.52), 1600m (4:26.43), and 3k (8:54.48). He placed 4th at the PTFCA Indoor Championships to earn his first state medal.
Matthew O’Brien (jr, Susquehannock) PR’d indoors this winter in both the 1600m (4:22.88) and 3k (8:45.53). His 3k time earned him an 8th place medal at indoor states.
Trent Dinant (sr, State College) dropped his 1600m PR by 6 seconds this indoor season. He ran a converted 1600m time of 4:19.73. He will likely run on the state’s best 4x800m relay team as well. He is committed to Bucknell University.
Colin Whitaker (so, Lampeter Strasburg) was great as a freshman a season ago and he looks prepared to build upon that success as a sophomore. During the indoor season he lowered his 1 mile time to 4:21.39 (4:19.87 1600m conversion). He’s a threat in any distance event.
Vanessa Alder (jr, Carlisle) has already made an impact on the local running scene during her first year at Carlisle. She placed 9th in the state during XC season and just placed 3rd in the state indoors over 3k (10:02.76). She also ran a 4:59.92 1600m indoors this winter.
Sydney Werner (jr, Conrad Weiser) had a really nice indoor track and field season and lowered her 1600m PR to a converted 5:04 and her 3200m PR to a converted 11:17.
Jumps
Top returnees from the 2021 Outdoor Season:
Justin Rogers (sr, Hershey) set the state all time record as well as the PTFCA Indoor State Meet record in the pole vault this season. He’ll look to take down the PIAA State Meet record in late May. The big question now is how high can he go? He owns a PR of 17-0.25. Justin is committed to the University of Virginia.
Katie Urbine (jr, Solanco) appears to be the state’s next great girl’s pole vaulter. She cleared 13-0 feet multiple times this indoor season while winning her first state title. She’s also a legitimate sprinter.
Maddie Knier (jr, Manheim Central) is a do everything star for the Barons. She competes in volleyball, basketball, and is a standout multi-event athlete in track and field. She has become one the areas best vertical and horizontal jumpers, as well as a terrific javelin thrower. Oh, by the way, she also started throwing the discus last season. As a track and field fan, I’d love to see her hurdle and run the 800m to get a full picture of what kind of heptathlete she could be!
Shippensburg’s Dakota Arana (sr) and Spencer Edey (jr) were two major contributors towards the Greyhounds district title last spring. Arana is the defending district and state champion in the High Jump while Edey placed 3rd in both the Long Jump and Triple Jump at districts (finished 8th in the state TJ competition). Edey is the top returner from the 2021 District 3 Championships for both events this spring.
On the rise:
Troy Johnson (sr, JP McCaskey) is already the top returning performer from last season in the long jump and he’s improved upon that position over the winter, setting a new PR of 23-03.5. He was the state runner-up in the event this winter. He also set a new triple jump PR of 44-08 this past indoor season and took 4th at states in that event.
Warwick sophomore Katie Becker set a massive high jump PR indoors, clearing 5-4 on 2 separate occasions. That latter occasion earned her bronze at indoor states.
Jewleus Benner (sr. JP McCaskey) will be the top threat to Dakota Arana this spring. He improved upon his high jump PR by clearing 6-7 this winter.
Breckin Swope is just a sophomore, but he saw significant growth in the pole vault this winter, setting a new PR of 14-00 and placing 7th at the PTFCA Indoor State Championships.
Ty Friedenberger (sr, Altoona) should score big points for the Mountain Lions at the District 6 meet. He set big PRs indoors this winter in the long jump (22-05.5) and triple jump (45-06.5) while winning state medals in both. He’s also a very strong short sprinter.
Teagan Weaver (sr, Lampeter Strasburg) placed 6th in the long jump at the indoor state meet with a new PR of 21-10.25.
Gabriel Sample (sr, Muhlenberg) set new PRs in the high jump (6-2), long jump (21-00.5), and triple jump (44-03) this winter. His 44-03 performance in the triple jump earned him a 5th place medal at indoor states.
Throws
Top returnees from the 2021 Outdoor Season:
Annika Ermold (sr, Governor Mifflin) placed 5th in the state last spring in the shot put and 7th in the state for the discus. This winter, she earned a 4th place state finish in the shot. The Penn State University commit will look to improve upon those finishes this spring.
Ericka Jackson (jr, Harrisburg) excels in all three throwing disciplines for the Cougars. She will look to push Ermold this spring and could be in line for her first state outdoor medals.
J’ven Williams (jr, Wyomissing) was busy entertaining countless division 1 football scholarship offers this winter. He is a consensus 4 or 5 star football recruit who committed to Penn State University last month. He may be the state’s best discus and shot putter this spring.
Maddie Knier (so, Manheim Central) picked up the javelin and discus for the first time last spring. Big improvements could be in her near future.
Ella Lucas (jr Warwick) burst onto the scene last year. She got better and better in the discus as the season progressed and finished the year with a PR of 129-07 at states to finish 5th.
On the rise:
Brady Mider (so, Berks Catholic) was one of the nation’s top freshman in 2021. He set a big shot put PR (54-04.5) at indoor states to place 3rd.
Wade Shomper (sr, Cumberland Valley) saw big improvement in the shot this winter and finished the year with a 4th place finish at states and a new PR of 54-04.75 from an early season meet. The Bucknell University commit should also see success this spring in the discus.
Relays
The State College Area girls and boys both won the state indoor titles in the 4x800m relays and should be looking to repeat that performance in the spring. JP McCaskey, Wilson, Exeter Township, and Boiling Springs girls also look to be strong in the 4x800m. Altoona, Hershey, Cedar Crest, and Twin Valley should have solid boys 4x800m relay teams.
The Cumberland Valley girls brought home the state indoor title in the 4x400m with an impressive 3:56.50 performance. Look for them to do battle with JP McCaskey this spring as the Tornados placed 3rd indoors, running 4:02.86 with a dropped baton. These two squads may also have the best 4x100m relay teams.
Manheim Township (4th), State College (6th), and Cumberland Valley (7th) boys all won state medals in the 4x400m relay indoors. Ephrata and Wilson also appear to be strong in the 4×400.
2022 Outdoor Track and Field – Preseason Team Rankings
CentralPARunner Live Coverage (Tentative Schedule)
March 26 – Tim Cook Memorial Invitational
April 2 – Bruce Dallas Invitational
April 8 – Hershey Meet of Champions
April 9 – Black Knight Invitational
April 23 – Leonard Stephon Invitational
April 29 – CY Fritz Open
May 13-14 – LL League Championships
May 20-21 – District 3 Championships
May 26-28 – PIAA State Championships