The Sheffield boys team is transitioning from being strong in sprinting to anticipating success in distance according to Coach Jason Snell.

“I give Kevin Dustin (Warren Area High School varsity cross country coach) lots of credit and thanks for the progress our young men that participated in cross country have experienced,” said Snell.

Six of the Wolverines’ seven senior boys are viewed as mid-distance to distance runners, with Liam Smaroff as the lone sprinter. Christopher Joblon, Chase Kyler, Trenton Mead, Michael Smith, Alex Eaton and Dylan Hardwick make up the senior endurance runners.

“It’s crazy because we’ve always been thrower and sprint happy and now it’s distance and mid-distance,” said Snell. “They work out good together. They have a couple great coaches in Kristen (Joblon) and Nate (Lindberg). It’s weird to have that be our more dominant force to reckon with, but times change.”

Submitted photo Above are the Sheffield girls track & field team returning letter winners. In the first row, from the left, are Sarah Hoffman, Lily Benton, Katie Powell, Alanna Warrior and Rachel Farnsworth. In the back row are Emily Davidson, Madison Connolly, Kadence Steffan, Paris Foster, Emily Foster, Emma McBride and Kayle Bell. Absent is Emma Roell.

Hardwick comes into this season already committed to Allegheny College to play football for the Gators, but his eyes are set on making a statement on the track before he finishes his final year.

“I expect myself to qualify for districts within the first few meets,” said Hardwick. “Coudersport is where I really expect myself to make a jump. I plan to push myself basically. I plan to make myself run until I can’t anymore, trying to catch (Kevin) Sherry. Just staying in his pocket. Other than that, I expect myself to — by the end of the year — have my time drop seven seconds and have my name out on the record board out there.”

Snell credits Hardwick as a leader and admires his work ethic and preseason goals.

“He goes every day to get what he wants,” said Snell “I know that those are goals that are not too lofty for him. I know that he can accomplish it. He puts the work in. He’s got the focus.”

All three of the boys’ relay teams qualified for districts in 2023, with most of those participants returning this season. One key member of the relay teams is junior Colby Barr, who is also looking to find success in the 400 meters, much like he did on the gridiron, with hopes of adding to a record-breaking year that saw him throw for 427 yards, shattering a long-standing Wolverine single game passing record.

“He’s no one that you have to get after,” said Snell. “As soon as basketball was over, he was in the weight room working with us. He wants the 400 record. He was dropping the whole season. He kept getting better and better, and you wished the season could have went another month to see where he’s at. He’s focused. He said that was his goal this year. He said he wanted to break a football record and a track record. He got the football one.”

Snell is counting on underclassmen to fill in the throwing event voids. Sophomores Austin Fiscus, Emre Morgan, Wyatt Newark and Landon Snell as well as juniors Andrew Kyler and Braylon Winslow are some of the top underclassmen throwers heading into this season.

For the girls, two-time state qualifier and three-time district qualifier Emily Foster returns with the goal of not just making it back to states, but coming home with some hardware.

“Emily Foster is back and healthy from a late-season ankle injury that barred her from the postseason in 2023,” said Snell. “She re-aggravated the same injury in volleyball, but appears to be back to one hundred percent and more focused on a state medal than ever before.”

Foster is joined by fellow seniors Paris Foster, Kadence Steffan and Ariana Vanartsdalen. Foster and Steffan are expected to both compete in sprinting and throwing events, while Vanartsdalen will bounce between sprinting and mid-distance.

“They’re great role models for the younger girls that we hope to keep,” said Snell of his senior participants. “There’s some really good athletes at the junior-high level that we’re hoping will stay with this. Obviously, Emily being healthy that’s huge. Usually, she’s kind of our Swiss Army knife that we can put anywhere because she’s kind of an ultimate athlete.”

Returning sophomore district qualifier Emma Roell is hoping to break the school record for discus. Juniors Lily Benton and Sarah Hoffman look to find success in hurdles. Roell and Benton will be vital members of a district qualifying 400-meter relay team that has lost a couple of key contributors, as well as Steffan, Madison Connolly, Emily Foster and freshman Madison Snell.

The Wolverines will open their season on April 2 at Oswayo Valley, then host Coudersport on April 9.

“Bottom line, if we get past meet number two and we’re 4-0, the rest of the season is looking good for us,” said Snell. “Coudersport is going to come back and they’re going to be strong like they always are.”