By RANDY HISNER
WZBD.com
In the past two years, the Bellmont boys’ track program has made its mark in Indiana, but it has also been hit hard by graduation. In 2021, state qualifiers Mason Murphy (discus and shot put), Cody Loshe (pole vault), and Isaac Fuelling (1600-meter run) graduated, as did 800-meter school record-holder Jordan Garlinger. (Fuelling and Murphy also hold school records.) Then last year, two-time state qualifier and school record-holder Deion Guise (3200 meters) moved on to the college ranks. Loshe (PFW) and Guise (IUPUI) currently compete at the Division 1 level; Garlinger (Goshen College) and Murphy (Indiana Tech) compete for NAIA schools.
While that kind of success has inspired many of Bellmont’s current athletes, there’s no disputing that the departure of those accomplished tracksters has left some big holes to fill.
Veteran coach Dave Hakes is starting his 13th year in charge of the Braves, and though he’d love to have those athletes back in his lineup, he’s used to the ups and downs that come with coaching at a midsize school. He doesn’t live and die with championships and state qualifiers; he just wants to see hard work and a focus on improvement.
And he’s seeing those qualities in this year’s squad. “Great attitudes, good work ethic, and they’re working hard,” he said of his athletes. “Can’t wait to see them run.”
Two athletes in particular that he’s eager to see compete are senior distance aces Ian Webb and Elijah Obringer. Webb placed third in the sectional 1600-meter run in 4:41 last season, then cut major time to finish tenth in the regional in 4:37. Obringer was fifth in the 1600 at sectional in 4:43.
“I think the mile didn’t really suit me as well,” Obringer said, “so this year I plan on moving to the two-mile (3200 meters). I’m hoping to win sectionals. There’s always competition there, and I was looking at results from last year and I think I can do that. And hopefully if I have a really good season, maybe make it to state or at least place respectably in the regional.”
He thinks it will take a time in the 9:40s or low 9:50s to win the sectional race. He’s already run 10:09 this season indoors.
Sophomore Harry Gunsett, coming off a very successful cross country season, will be counted on in the middle distances, and Hakes hopes to see consistent improvement in promising freshmen distance runners Landon Rich, Hayden Whittenbarger, Drake Scheumann, Cole Sipe, and Cayden Rauch. Ethan Curtis, a sophomore 3200-meter runner, is coming off an injury but should return to action soon to provide depth in that event.
In the sprints, senior Trevor Smith leads the way with the top returning times in the 200 meters (24.2) and 400 meters (56.4). He’s also the team’s best pole vaulter and ties Webb for top returning sectional placer. He took third in the New Haven sectional vault with a PR of 10-6.
Senior Ben Sprague ran close to Smith last year with solid times in the 200 (24.9) and 400 (57.1). Junior Aiden Miller looks to be competitive in the 100 meters (PR of 12.2).
Jonathon Barton, a junior, is the lone experienced hurdler returning, with a 19.8 PR in the 110-meter sticks, and 45.1 in the 300-meter event. Freshman Xavior Palacios will also hurdle for the Braves.
The throws, consistently a strength for the Braves, will feature senior Aidan Ford (37-9 in the shot put, 100-1.5 in the discus). Hakes also likes what he sees in promising freshmen Zane Roop and Payton Miller, along with sophomore Alex Shirack.
Senior Collin Esparza is the Braves’ top returning high jumper, with a 5-4 PR, while long jump duties fall to Sprague (17-4) and fellow senior Noah Short (16-5).
Of the 38 athletes on Bellmont’s roster, 23 are freshmen and sophomores, so Hakes is counting on his veterans to help bring them along. “We’ve got great senior leadership,” he said, and that gives him hope that the Braves will see the kind of steady improvement that will have his team at its best at tournament time.