MANSFIELD — Richland County has a plethora of male track and field athletes returning in 2025 with state meet experience.
So, as we gear up for track season, let's meet 17 of those athletes and see which ones we need to keep an eye on this season as they chance some state meet glory.
Here is my list.
17. Grady Muncy, Ontario
Muncy was a member of the 4x200 team that finished 12th in the Division II prelims last season with a 1:30.61. With two members of the team gone, he will have to be a leader during his junior season if he hopes to take a team back to state.
16. Brady Fletcher, Ontario
Fletcher was also a member of the 4x200 team that finished 12th in the Division II prelims last season with a 1:30.61. He will be the senior leader of the team this season and it will be up to him to bring some talented young guys along for the ride.
15. Ayden Reymer, Crestview
The Cougars will be extremely strong in the relays again this year. Reymer was part of the 4x400 relay team that took 13th in the Division III state meet prelims a year after winning a state championship in the event. With another year of growth, Reymer should be ready to get the Cougars back to a podium finish in 2025.
14. Bransen Hider, Crestview
Hider was a member of the 4x800 team that ended with Division III All-Ohio honors after taking sixth in the state meet. He will be the youngster on this year's squad as a junior running with three seniors. With that kind of experience coming back, the Cougars might just compete for a state championship.
13. Everett Smith, Crestview
Smith was also a member of the 4x800 team that ran an 8:50.47 in the Division III state meet to take sixth overall. As a senior, Smith will be tasked with being a leader of the team and setting the tone with his performance. He was also a member of the 4x400 team that ran a 3:31.02 in the prelims at state last year.
12. Cooper Brockway, Crestview
Brockway is one of the most accomplished district runners to come out of Crestview in the last decade and he will have one final chance to bring home some gold. He ran with both 4x400 and 4x800 teams last season taking sixth in the 4x4 and 13th in the 4x8. Expect him to run with urgency in his final season.
11. Dantrell Hughes, Lexington
Hughes earned All-Ohio honors as a member of Lexington's state runner-up 4x400 relay team (3:17.18) last season. With a move back to Division II this year, Hughes could be a multi-event state qualifier and might find himself on the podium often.
10. Dean Morrison, Ontario
Individually, Morrison took 15th in the Division II state meet in the 3,200 with a time of 9:54.23 in the finals last year. As a teammate, he earned All-Ohio honors as a member of the 4x800 team, which took fifth (7:58.53) in the state. After seeing his cross country season end with an ankle injury, Morrison will be extra motivated to make the most of his final track season.
9. Xavier Trent, Ontario
Trent was on Morrison's 4x800 team that took fifth in the state last season. He is coming off of a state-qualifying cross country season, so he has plenty of momentum in 2025 and could ride ...
