Head Coach Jim Farrer appreciates the performances put forth by both the veteran athletes and newcomers to the programs.

“This was a very good season for both the girls' and boys' teams,” says Farrer, “Each finished with eight wins and three loss records and were just a couple of points from another win or two. The freshman classes made big contributions right from day one and were a big part of our success and our upperclassmen were pushed by the newcomers and really had to up their games .. and did so.”

Zack Wilcox’s 5th-place State medal in the 800 meter run closed out a strong season for the senior, who won both the 800 (2:01.92) and triple jump 41-07.25) NTL titles and placed 3rd at Districts in the 800 (1:55.72) to qualify for States. 

“Zack Wilcox graduating leaves a big hole in both the mid-distance events and relays as well as in the triple jump,” says Farrer, “but the highlight of the season has to be the several medals that were earned in the postseason with Zack’s medal winning performance in the 800m at the PIAA Championships being the perfect way to close out his career.”

The Tigers graduate a successful group of seniors from this season’s squad, some of whom Farrer points out were a part of the inaugural Jr. High program when they were in 7th grade. 

“Addison Farrer and Madalyn Farrer have been stalwarts in the distance crew .. as has Madelynne Johns who is graduating a year early,” says Farrer, “they were the backbone of a District IV medal winning 4x800 relay at Districts this spring and paced the cross country team to a berth at the state championships this past fall. Tessa Mitchell has been one of our leading sprinters since day one and held down the always important opening leg of the 4x100 and Tierney Patterson provided reliable points and leadership in the throws. Lilyn Tanner, McKenna Kline, Lacey Mahosky and Angeline Benitez came to practice every day, worked hard, and provided depth to our throws group.”

In addition to Wilcox, NP-Mansfield had a handful of other senior boys who competed for the final time this season as Tigers. 

“Trent Dawson has been a solid part of the 4x800 relay the past few years and had a knack for keeping the atmosphere light,” says Farrer, “Carter Grinnell provided depth to the distance crew and led by example with his hard work and Colton Brion really found his niche the past season and a half as he settled into both hurdle races.”

Farrer points to some breakout performances from this year’s 9th and 10th graders as reason for excitement going into the offseason, on both the girls and boys teams.

“Freshmen Jaci Fairchild and Madilynn Scott produced big results all season,” says Farrer, “with both Fairchild (4x800 & 3200) and Scott (Triple Jump) earning medals at the District IV championships, freshmen Gabby Bubeck and Maryn McCarthy were major contributors in the sprints and relays with Bubeck holding down the anchor on the 4x100 all season, freshman Iris Irwin got off to a great start in the throws before illness hindered her end of season performances, freshman Carolyn Cherwinski demonstrated solid improvement on the track and runway and sophomore Nora Furry had a breakout performance at the NTL Championships.”

“For the boys’,” Farrer continues, “freshmen Michael Knefley and Colton Pellett performed like veterans all season with both qualifying for the District meet, sophomore newcomer Peter Bishop made an immediate impact in the distance events and also competed at the District meet and sophomore Luke Kreger took a big step forward with his medal at the District IV High Jump.”

A look at the Tigers’ top finishers from the NTL meet reveals a lot coming back for Mansfield next year. 

For the girls, senior Mitchell was 13th(13.93) in the 100m and junior Anna Kennedy was 5th (13.24) while freshman Bubeck was 7th (28.84) in the 200m and freshman McCarthy was 8th (1:08.04) in the 400m. Freshman Alivia Lisowski had Mansfield’s highest finish in the 800 with a 12th-place finish (3:00.45) while in the 1600, Johns was 4th (5:41.80), Addison Farrer was 5th (5:43.23) and freshman Fairchild was 7th (5:50.50). 

Fairchild was 6th (12:44.11) in the 3200m with Johns finishing 9th (13:16.323) while sophomore Nora Furry was 15th (19.80) in the 100m hurdles and 8th (4-04) in the high jump and 6th (30-07.75) in the triple jump. Senior Patterson was 2nd (95-06.00) in the discus, 16th (71-06.00) in the javelin and 8th (28-04) in the shot put. Freshman Scott was runner-up (32-04.00) in the triple jump while Cherwinski was 9th (14-00.00) in the long jump and Scott was 13th (13-05.50). 

On the boys’ side, junior Brayden Johnson finished 13th (12.18) in the 100m dash and junior Luke Tice was 7th (24.53) in the 200m and freshman Pellett was 11th (25.12). 

Junior Cedric Miller was 6th (54.03) in the 400m with freshman Braden VanLoon 9th (57.27) and sophomore Bishop was 12th (2:27.75) in the 800 behind NTL title winner Wilcox. 

Freshman Knefley was 3rd in both the 1600m (4:39.28) and the 3200m (10:15.75) while sophomore Charles Aumick was 11th (5:10.58) in the 1600m, junior Brady Stetter was 5th (45.69) in the 300m hurdles and sophomore Truman Loudenslager was 11th (21.45) in the 110m hurdles. 

Wilcox (41-07.25) was the top triple jumper in the league with junior Tayton Strange finishing 9th (37-01.00), while Strange was the top finisher for Mansfield in the long jump at 7th (19-03.00) and placed 5th (5-08) in the high jump where sophomore Kreger was 4th (5-08). Stetter was 9th (18-06.00) in the long jump while junior Luke Sexauer was the top boy thrower, placing 8th (38-02.00) in the shot put, 19th (89-10.00) in the discus and 20th (104-04.00) in the javelin. 

Farrer is appreciative of his teams’ efforts this season, especially for weathering less-than-ideal-conditions.

“This was a hardworking and talented group of kids who were genuinely good kids to be around,” says Farrer, “Pulling kids from two separate schools possesses a challenge which is only complicated by adding the daily trials of transportation and lack of adequate facilities. This group took the weather, cramped buses .. or a bus in some cases .. and bouncing between a small gym, a deteriorating cinder track and evening practices at MU two nights a week head-on to make the best of the situation. There efforts resulted in significant improvements from beginning of the season until the end from our state qualifier right on down the rosters.”

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