By SETH STASKEY

Times Leader Sports Editor

MORRISTOWN — The Union Local boys track team experienced a season that won’t soon be forgotten in 2021.

The Jets won the OVAC, District and finished second in the regional as they advanced to the state meet in five events.

However, they’ve undergone a coaching change. Todd Blake stepped down following last season, but the Jets didn’t have far to look for his replacement. Former Barnesville head coach Sean McCrate has taken over the reins and has rosters with impressive numbers.

“The boys team should be solid in the field, hurdles, sprints and relays,” McCrate said. “Our weakness will be in distance events. The boys team will not be the same title-winning team it was a year ago, but we should make our presence known in most every meet.”

BOYS

The Jets boys return three athletes who competed in the Division II state meet.

Junior Hayden McCrate — the son of the head coach — leads the way. He was in three events last June at Pickerington North, narrowly missing the state final in the high hurdles.

He will be joined by seniors sprinters Caleb McWhorter and Sawyer Moore, who were key cogs on the 4×200 relay.

Junior Carter Blake is another to keep an eye on in the jumping events and sprints. Classmate D.J. Butts is to keep an eye on in hurdles and the jumps.

The balance of the roster includes: seniors Eli Davis (sprints), Kaleb Farmer (middle distance), Gage Gossett (sprints), Marcus Koyder (distance), Gavin Pourle (sprints, hurdles), Cody Street (pole vault) and Shane Tidrick (distance).

The other juniors include Lee Adkins (pole vault), Ethan Blinco (sprints, long jump), Logan Cole (sprints, distance), Preston Curry (sprints), Dylan Moore (hurdles, long jump), Jaksan Price (sprints, throws).

The sophomores looking to make an impact include: Isaac DiGenova (sprints), Matt Keller (sprints), Gannon Kerns (sprints, hurdles), Diego King (distance), Caleb Pierce (sprints), Johnny Sabinski (throws), Robert Saffell (distance), Andrew Wood (throws).

The freshmen class are Caleb Cole (throws), Daniel Goodson (sprints, throws), Nathen Moore (throws), Mason Porter (throws) and Davion Roberson (sprints, hurdles).

GIRLS

The Jets female roster will experience some growing pains because, according to McCrate “the team is youthful and unproven at the varsity level.”

“We have a few girls with potential to be very good,” McCrate continued. “Both of our teams have really good daily leadership and work ethic of the senior athletes.”

Leading the list of returnees for the girls team is Josie Goodson, who will be in the sprints. She battled some injuries last season.

Senior Jaci Reynolds is one to watch in the sprints, Sydney McFarland in the pole vault, Kalleigh Stoner will run distance and Kenzie Murphy is a hurdler.

Senior Keira Gregor is once again pulling double duty this spring between track and softball. She was a regional qualifier in the discus last season.

The balance of the roster includes: seniors Sierra Scott (distance), Dakotah Verbeck (distance), juniors Rylon Austin (high jump), Scarlett Clark (distance), Emma Coates (pole vault), Kiamara Garrett (sprints), Adreanna Harper (throws), Jayme Schafer (sprints), sophomores Bella Franklin (throws, sprints), Ryley Gregor (throws), Kennedy Madrzykowski (throws), Olivia Martin (middle distance), Sophie Talamonti (sprints, hurdles), Jersie Watson (hurdles, long jump) freshmen Emilie Blawut (sprints), Emorae Bohus (sprints, throws), Kara Brown (sprints, hurdles), Emma Compher (throws, hurdles), Addison Greenwood (long jump, sprints), Sloane Hanasky (sprints, hurdles), Cori King (long jump, sprints), Faith Moore (distance), Victoria Raines (distance) and Taylor Singer (sprints).