Baltimore Sun boys indoor track and field preview: Storylines, athletes to watch and top 15 teams heading into 2022-23 season

Here’s what you need to know for the 2022-23 boys indoor track and field season in the Baltimore area:

Storylines to watch

Oakland Mills’ next wave of athletes is coming.

The Scorpions cruised to victories at last season’s Class 2A indoor and outdoor championships. They won the indoor championship by 71 points and the outdoor title by 121 behind a strong group of seniors, including Judson Lincoln, now running at Virginia Tech. But the cupboard is far from bare. Some key pieces return and coach Chris Brewington says there’s another group of talented athletes just waiting for their chance to show what they can do.

A true, all-around indoor season.

Between the coronavirus surge that hit last winter and the harsh seasonal weather, last season was, quite frankly, a mess. It was also an unbalanced mess. Baltimore County and City schools had the luxury of running meets at the Baltimore Armory, while other counties didn’t have access to any such facilities and didn’t get many, if any, meets in until the postseason. This year, for the moment, seems to be a return to normal. Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex, which served as a vaccination center last year, will start hosting meets again. The facility will host the MPSSAA state championships, which were held last season at the Armory, and the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association championships, which were held outdoors last year. For many coaches, running in a facility with a standard track rather than a gym floor, or outside, will be a welcome change.

Are the MIAA championships a battle for second place?

The top three schools at the past four MIAA championships have been Calvert Hall, Gilman and Mount Saint Joseph, with the Cardinals taking first place in the past three and the Greyhounds and Gaels taking turns finishing second. While Calvert Hall lost some superstars who led last year’s 48-point win, a lot of talent returns. The Cardinals lose one of the best throwers in Maryland but replace him with a freshman national champion. Gilman and MSJ also field talented groups and should again battle near the top of the standings, but it remains to be seen if either can challenge the Cardinals.

Can a local program break away from a tight pack in Class 3A?

When last year’s Class 3A state meet ended, no one knew who won. Four schools, including three locals, waited around for field event scores to be tabulated from different corners of the Baltimore Armory. Huntingtown, the only non-area school in the group, placed first after taking first, second and fifth in the shot put. Poly, Mervo and Manchester Valley were separated by only a half-point for second through fourth place. All three schools lost their top scorer, but all three also return a strong core capable of challenging for a title. How each program develops replacements for last year’s top runners will determine if they can move up to a championship level.

Is it Dulaney’s turn in Class 4A?

Area teams took the top three spots at last year’s Class 4A state championships with Severna Park beating out Dulaney and Broadneck. Severna Park, however, lost most of its top scorers from the meet. Liam Haggerty, who finished sixth in the 1,600, is the only returning individual state placer as thirty-six individual points graduated. The Falcons also lost their entire championship 4x800 relay team. Dulaney loses two-time champion Gavin Shaffer but returns Tyler Dailey, the state champion in the 800. He’ll lead a Lions team eager to move up to the championship spot.

Athletes to watch

Ethan Aidam, Oakland Mills, senior

Aidam is one of the top distance runners in Maryland and will be a leader in the Scorpions’ quest to repeat. He won last year’s Class 2A indoor state title in the 3,200 and was second in the 1,600.

Ricardo Cooper, Calvert Hall, senior

Cooper takes the mantle as the Cardinals’ top sprinter. He was second to since-graduated teammate Rahkeem Smith in the 55 at last year’s MIAA championships and was second at New Balance Nationals in the rising stars division.

Tyler Dailey, Dulaney, senior

Dailey won the Class 4A state title last indoor season in the 800 and finished fourth in the 1,600. He is coming off a state championship this past cross country season.

Joseph DeRosier, Old Mill, senior

DeRosier will step up for a Patriots team hoping to contend in Class 4A. At last year’s state meet, he finished fourth in both the 300 and 500. He was the top underclassmen last year in the 300.

Justin DeVaughn, Mervo, sophomore

As a freshman, DeVaughn took second behind his brother Vaughn at last year’s Class 3A state championships and is one of three returning runners on Mervo’s second-place 4x200 relay. He was third in the city in the 55 hurdles.

Peyton Dill, Century, senior

Dill took third in the 1,600 and fifth in the 3,200 at last year’s Class 2A state meet. He was the Carroll County cross country champion and finished second at the state meet, less than two seconds behind Aidam.

Aidan Geron, Loch Raven, senior

Geron placed in three events at last year’s Class 1A state meet. He finished fourth in the 300, third in the 500 and seventh in the 800. He was second in the 500 in Baltimore County.

Shane King, Oakland Mills, senior

King is another athlete who will step into a leadership role for the Scorpions. He finished third last year in the 300 behind two senior teammates. He also anchored the championship 4x200 relay team.

Carter Knox, Manchester Valley, senior

Knox was last year’s Carroll County champion in the 300 and 500 and was second in the 800. He placed third in the 800 at states and ran on the Mavericks’ outdoor state championship 4x400 relay team.

Daysen Shell, Milford Mill, senior

Shell was the Baltimore County champion last season in the 55 and 300 but didn’t run at regionals and missed states. He’s also a star receiver on the Millers football team that won its first state title since 1987.

Preseason Top 15 teams

1. Calvert Hall

Coach: Scott Baker

Last season: MIAA A Conference champion

Outlook: The Cardinals are reloading after losing some of the nation’s best hurdlers. Distance will be a general area of strength, though the Cardinals also feature strong sprinters and throwers.

2. Oakland Mills

Coach: Christopher Brewington

Last season: Class 2A state champion

Outlook: The Scorpions lost a lot of talent from last year’s dominant states performance but also return a great deal with a new crop of athletes waiting for their turn. Shane King and Ethan Aidam will be joined by new leaders, including Trevin McHargh.

3. Mount Saint Joseph

Coach: Kitty McClernand

Last season: Second at MIAA A Conference championships

Outlook: The Gaels are traditionally one of the top teams in the MIAA and this year should be no different. There are a lot of returning athletes, including MIAA cross country runner-up and third-place 1,600 finisher Charlie Butler.

4. Dulaney

Coach: Emily Kachik

Last season: Second at Class 4A state championships

Outlook: Tyler Dailey and the distance group will be the Lions’ strength. They lose a lot of points with Gavin Shaffer’s graduation and how well they fill those gaps in sprints and field events will determine if they can compete for a championship.

5. Gilman

Coach: Matthew Tully

Last season: Third at MIAA A Conference championships

Outlook: Gilman was edged by Mount Saint Joseph for second in the conference last year, and though the Greyhounds lost a lot of talent, including Donovan Young, a strong core will keep them in contention.

6. Severna Park

Coach: Josh Alcombright

Last season: Class 4A state champion

Outlook: The Falcons lost a huge percentage of their points from last year’s state meet and Alcombright is taking a “wait and see” approach to how this year’s athletes fill those holes. They faced the same question in cross country and repeated as state champions.

7. Broadneck

Coach: Josh Webster

Last season: Third at Class 3A state championships

Outlook: All four individuals who placed in running events for the Bruins at last year’s state meet — Collin Fitzgerald, Aiden Vanderbilt, Bryce Clark and Gunner Denius — were juniors.

8. Towson

Coach: Gil Stange

Last season: 21st at Class 3A state championships

Outlook: Towson was second behind Dulaney in Baltimore County last year. The Generals will be bolstered by the distance group coming off a cross country state title.

9. Manchester Valley

Coach: Jim MacDonald

Last season: Fourth at Class 3A state championships

Outlook: The Mavericks lose a lot of production with Aiden Neal’s graduation, but Carter Knox headlines the returners who are aiming to go after county and state championships.

10. Howard

Coach: Stephen Marsh

Last season: Eighth at Class 3A state championships

Outlook: The Lions lead the pack chasing Oakland Mills in Howard County. Christian Randolph placed seventh at states in the 500 and leads a strong core.

11. Milford Mill

Coach: Sharon Johnson

Last season: Tied for eighth at Class 3A state championships

Outlook: The Millers’ performance at last year’s state meet came without Daysen Shell. They lose Korede Otusajo, a two-time state champion, but Shell should be a big scorer and keep his team in contention for county and state titles.

12. Archbishop Spalding

Coach: Jessica Beard

Last season: Fifth at MIAA A Conference championships

Outlook: Spalding has a chance to break into the MIAA top three that has been exclusively Calvert Hall, MSJ and Gilman for the past four championships. Max Moss won the A Conference title in the high jump last year.

13. Poly

Coach: James Davis

Last season: Tied for second at Class 3A state championships

Outlook: Poly loses a lot of production with Talil Atkins’ graduation but captains James Bachman and Tavon Mcgee and distance standouts Callaway Lipkin and Nicholas Bader will help fill the void.

14. Century

Coach: Doug Fleming

Last season: Third at Class 2A state championships

Outlook: Peyton Dill is the catalyst for the Knights, who will challenge Manchester Valley for the county title and look to stay high on the state leaderboard. Junior Ryan Sien was fourth last year in the 500.

15. Old Mill

Coach: Justin Murdock

Last season: Tied for ninth at Class 4A state championships

Outlook: Joseph DeRosier is a strong starting point for the Patriots to build a team that can challenge in the county and the state.

Others considered: Fallston, Franklin, Loyola Blakefield, Mervo, New Town