By Steve Carpenter
Hutchinson CC Sports Information Director

Over his first two seasons as Hutchinson Community College track and field coach, Robert Spies has had some great individual moments from his athletes.

But an overall lack of depth has hurt the Blue Dragons when competing for team points and championships.

Year No. 3 of the Spies era sees the lack-of-depth issue changing as the Blue Dragon men's and women's track and field teams open the 2022 indoor season on Saturday with the Rust Buster Invitational hosted by Washburn University in Topeka.

"We have a better team this year," Spies said. "We have some balance in our program and we have some good sophomores to help bring along the freshmen in a good way. We have a team with a better mindset, which will help develop the program."

Last year, the Blue Dragon men finished seventh in Region VI in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Only one national qualifier returns from last season, but the Blue Dragon men return 12 athletes for 2022.

The Blue Dragon women have three returning NJCAA All-Americans and eight returnees from an eighth-place indoor Region VI finish and ninth-place outdoor finish.

"The kids are believing in the process," Spies said. "It's hard to see the process when you are a freshman because you are used to your high school coach's process. But it's nice to have the number of sophomores that we have to help teach the process to the freshmen."

MEN'S PREVIEW
Spies likes his overall depth on the Blue Dragon men's team, especially in the sprints and jumps.

Sophomore Donovan Hines is the only returning national qualifier from 2021. He qualified in the indoor 60 meters and posted a seasons' best time of 6.86 seconds last season.

In addition to Hines, third-year sophomore Jovan Jackson, sophomores Clyedterrious Thompson, Tracey Mason, Dre'shun Bridges and Davion Gardenhire and freshman Dimetre Browne will add to the depth in the sprints.

"We have a really solid sprint crew this year," Spies said.

Thompson and Brown, along with freshman Caleb Manning headline the jumps. Simon Steinert returns in the pole vault, but Spies is excited to see freshman Jade Jantzen, who cleared 14 feet in high school in Cherokee, Oklahoma. Multi-event athlete Braydon Peterson will also vault this season.

Sophomores Cody Flax, Antonio Cooper and Brennon Hekel and freshman Jobe Fowles will lead the way in the throws.

Freshman Collin Oswalt had a solid cross country season and will likely be the top distance runner in 2022. Along with Oswalt, third-year sophomore Andrew Holt, sophomore Aaron Geissinger and freshmen Camilo Tarin and Carsyn Turpin will lead that event group.

"Collin is the newcomer, but he had a really good cross country season," Spies said. "The rest of the guys have all improved. They will be a nice-solid corps for the men's team."

Freshman Alex Holt and freshman Darrien Holloway will work in the hurdle events for Spies.

As far as an athlete to watch, Dimetre Brown, a native of Gibbons, Saint Kitts, is an athlete Spies is looking forward to seeing. Also look for another Saint Kitts product, high jumper Sharim Hamilton to score points for the Dragons.

"Dimetre is a 24.5-foot long jumper and that's legit," Spies said. "He's been out of action, but I look to see him really to improve late in in the indoor season and into the outdoor season."

WOMEN'S PREVIEW
Last year, Kianna Brown and Violet Martinez were NJCAA All-Americans with third- and sixth-place finishes at the 2021 NJCAA Outdoor national championships in Levelland, Texas. But both third-year sophomores missed out on the indoor national championships.

Along with his pole vaulters and All-American javelin thrower Patrisha Doll and added depth in the sprints and distance groups, Spies sees a much-improved season for the Blue Dragon women.

"We have several returners and with the improvement they made in the fall, we have a chance to score points later in the year," Spies said.

Cross Country All-American Louise Cocking leads a strong group of distance runners. In addition to Cocking, sophomores Noelle Hidalgo and Jurney Yung with freshmen Anastasia Meyer, Sydney Grauer, Michele Gage and Aidyn White provide depth and will give Spies relay options down this season.

"Louise had a nice cross country season and she will be a contributing factor in the women's team scoring points," Spies said. "The rest of the (distance) girls are solid. They run really well together."

Along with Doll, sophomores Lushous Davis and Hannah Schrock also return to give the Blue Dragons an experienced group in the throwing events.

"(Patrisha) is doing really well in the weight throw," Spies said. "We've been working on some things with her. Last year, she got off to a great start, especially in the javelin (in the outdoor season) she was exposed to better competition and Patrisha struggled somewhat. We are working with all our athletes on meet environment.

The Blue Dragon sprinters will be talented and deep, but inexperienced at the collegiate level. Spies is watching Keneah Romney, Catelyn Washington, Ashliona Martin and Andryce Jackson to not only compete individually, but turn into a quality sprint relay.

"We have more depth this year and that will allow us to work our relays more efficiently, especially in the outdoor season. We should have a nice 4-by-4," Spies said.

The Blue Dragons will have four indoor regular-season meets – two in Topeka, one in Pittsburg and one at Wichita State – before competing at the Region VI Indoor Championships in Pittsburg in late February.