Top 11 Reasons to Get Pumped For Outdoors

Indoors is now officially over, but there is a lot to be excited about looking ahead to outdoors! To get you guys pumped up I put this little thing together for ya.

11. 'AA' Studs
 How many guys from single A had a real indoor season? Well I'll tell you straight up two of the big names didn't race once: Rico Galassi and Luke Jones. Both were the cream of the crop in XC regardless of their A ranking and were in the hunt for a spot at Footlocker Nationals this year. Both are also sub 9:30 2 milers, while Rico is a sub 9:20 and 4:20 man. Plus, indoors isn't a real season for a lot of the other single A guys like Sam Williams, Curt Jewett and Ryan Smathers although they all raced very competitively. But I imagine they are going to have serious drops when they get to run in quality races week in and week out. Throw Shearn into the group with the Archers and the AA races should be very impressive.  Shawn Wolfe, Barrett Kemp, Aaron Valerosa, Jordan Jackson and Dan Alexander should all also be remembered when considering the AA talent crop.

10. Finding Drew Gerberich
Anybody remember Drew Gerberich? Well I certainly do. The man came out of nowhere at the end of outdoors last year. I didn't remember him in XC results or indoor results virtually at all, but he ran 4:16 and then 1:53.55 to finish 4th at states in the 800m. It was a great finish to his senior year. Now it is only a matter of time before we find the next out of nowhere star who will mix it up with the top guns and run some blazing times. I look forward to that moment and it will come this outdoors like it always does.

9. Rising Sophomores
Kevin James was on fire at the end of indoors. He ran some really quality lead off legs at Nationals and looked like a real pro out there. He also has a 4:22 and 8:54 double on a flat track to his name. He leads what is quickly becoming a killer class of break out sophomores. Sam Webb is another big name with his 4:21 mark. Eric Diestelow and Zach Brehm are a couple studs ready to burst out of their shell and contribute on the big stage. Brehm notched a 1:55 last year. Throw in some names like Jonathan Pearlman, Aaron Gebhardt, Matt McGoey and a few more I probably haven't even heard of yet and we will see the future state champs start to take shape.

8. Return of the Wounded
I'm going to assume it's not just me, I hate all the sickness going around. Huemmler and Coyle got it bad and struggled to close out the indoor season to say the least. Plus it affected a lot of the other big names at some point or another. AJ Chaborek will come back at full health for a full season which could make him very dangerous in the 800m. Plus we have all the top guns who are returning from injury. The big name for me is Vinny Todaro who I think could surprise with a 4:12ish mark if he is in the shape he was in during XC. Steve Yannacone from Unionville was a breakout performer last year outdoors and is finally back healthy and racing. Ken Leidal should be back to full strength for DT West after a breakthrough indoors. Plus Brendan Shearn should be recovered more from his injury and have steady training. If he ran those other times hurt, imagine what he can do healthy.

7. Henderson Invite
It's the biggest meet of the HS season in my mind and things should only get bigger this year. Hopefully the weather holds up and gives us a chance to see the states best go at it in the Distance events. Over the past few years at this meet we have seen a state record in the 2 mile, a sub 1:50 800m and a slew of PRs in the distance events. Last year the meet produced 23 sub 4:30 marks, 25 sub 2 minute marks (2 1:52s), and 31 sub 10 3200s despite the event being rescheduled. Guys like Andrew Stone, Tom Coyle, Tony Russell, Ben Ritz, Sami Aziz, Curt Jewett and Brendan Shearn have already shown interest about coming out to the meet based on past results.

6. The Return of the West Coast
Let's face it. Indoors is made for the east coast Philly area schools who get into it the most. Out west guys are just licking their chops ready to make their mark outdoors. Brent Kennedy immediately springs to mind as a guy who can mix it up with the best in the state come outdoors. We also have all the NA boys ready to roll and some sleepers like Brian Shields from Hampton. Plus Footlocker Finalist Austin Pondel should be back to racing after an extremely impressive XC campaign.

5. 1600m Mayhem
Who's the best miler in the state? The debate will continue after this weekend at nationals. Coyle is the returning AAA state champ and Huemmler is the indoor state champ while Ryan Smathers ran to his own state title as well outdoors. However, Tony Russell has eclipsed all of their PRs with a 4:10-11 full mile split on the anchor of the 4xMile while Ben Ritz dropped a 4:14 open mile for the fastest open mark this year indoors. So who is the best? Well the title will be up for grabs this outdoor season and not just between these few names. James Zingarini of CRN as well as Curt Jewett from Northeast Bradford have serious cases for sleeper state championships. Dan Jaskowak and Brent Kennedy believe they too can be in the hunt. Unfortunately, we may not get a race where all of these guys are in the same race, but hey, it will still be fun to watch and debate.

4. The 1:50 Barrier
Few have ever eclipsed this elusive mark but Tom Mallon and Drew Magaha have made it seem relatively routine after their assaults on the record books over the years. This year the group of returns with solid 800m credentials is high. Joe Logue, Tom Coyle and Alec Kunzweiler all boast 1:51 PRs (Kunzweiler's being a split). Right behind them are 1:52 guys Andrew Stone and Brad Rivera, who is the indoor state champ. Throw in a slew of 1:53 guys (Christian Sanders, Jeff Wiseman, AJ Chaborek) and the defending District 1 Champion Steve Yannacone and you've got yourself a pretty darn good final. Will Cather, Zach Brehm, Lucas Elek and maybe a few surprises can sneak up into the mix as well. Sub 1:50 is certainly a stretch, but to think of this year's group as being incredibly deep is an understatement.

3. 4x800m
The 4x800m has been unbelievable the past 5 years or so in the state of PA. There are always a large amount of teams under 7:50 and a few chasing the 7:40 barrier. This year the group is headlined by defending champs Cumberland Valley, who return 3 from their state title run a year ago including stud anchor Alec Kunzweiler and Bensalem, led by indoor state champion Brad Rivera and rising star Kyle Francis. Bensalem looked very strong indoors while CV looked past indoors for a chance at a repeat. A few other teams have the potential to run a very fast relay but may chose not to do so at states. The teams that jump to mind immeaditley are LaSalle and Henderson. LaSalle already has two killer legs in Stone and Coyle, plus break out starts Billotta and Magee. Henderson is led by Chaborek and Russell with a slew of other sub 2 minute men behind them. Pennsbury, O'Hara, State College, Kiski Area and Central Dauphin (8 flat at NBIN) are teams that also have the potential to run well under 7:50. Penncrest and North Penn always have very dangerous squads. Upper Darby could be a big surprise, they showed flashes of brilliance indoors. So too did DT East. And of course we can't count out the District 3 teams in the 4x8, as they have consistently put up title contenders so maybe Carlisle or another team will step up big. Regardless, the race will be fun to watch come states.

2. Deepest 3200m Year in State History??
Yes very well might be the answer. Indoors in the 3k we saw the deepest race the state meet has ever seen, headlined by Max Norris's huge run under 8:30. Norris and Tony Russell headline the group of guys who have to have sub 9 minutes on their mind, but there is a large, large group behind them knocking at the door of greatness. Ethan Martin headlines the runners out of D7 but we also have Footlocker Finalist Brendan Shearn, the defending AA state champ to worry about in the sub 9 chase. We can't forget about Mac Emery and Jack Macauley either, both of whom have run very quick for 3200m in 9:11 and 9:15 respectively. Connor Harriman and Dan Jaskowak are the top two AAA returners from last year's state meet. Then we have guys like Conner Quinn, Jon Colwell, Ross Wilson, Rico Galassi and Sami Aziz who have serious sub 9:15 goals. That list doesn't even include guys like Dan Savage, Reiny Barchet, Lyle Wistar and Sam Williams who may be looking to play spoiler and pull off a big upset. Milers Sam Ritz and Tom Coyle could certainly go up in distance and run a quick time. Kevin James and Jim Belfatto are already well under 9:30 from this past XC season. You can't forget about Jeff Groh or even Francis Ferruzzi, who beat Sam Hibbs early in the year last year before suffering through injury. Will McDermott, Chris Berry and many, many more guys are serious sub 9:20 contenders. In 2010 the state saw roughly 20 runners under 9:20 over the course of the season. In 2013 we could see that mark go down. The state has also never seen two men under 9 in the same season. That mark may go down. Even the state record of 8:48 or so is in jeopardy.

1. Penn Relays
Only one thing could beat a loaded 32 field: the greatest track meet that happens every year! The Penn Relays is an amazing experience and PA usually rises to the occassion. The DMR will be where PA will have to leave its mark with a slew of great teams set to be in attendance. LaSalle and Henderson headline the field with talk of sub 10 minute times being thrown out. The anchors for both teams are serious sub 4:10 threats, Russell having already done it for 1600m (convert the mile). Jack Huemmler is another potential 4:10 man who could be anchoring while James Zingarini and the CRN boys will also be in the mix. Throw in the #5 XC team in the nation with a 10:13 Pr and 4:16 anchor leg in Dan Savage and you have quite the race on your hands. Maybe Pennsbury will decide to jump in the DMR as well, which could be fun. The 4x8 should be well represented, Bensalem should put their chips in and go for a fast time with ideal competition. And hopefully the 3k will be loaded up with PA names as Max Norris is the big one to watch but Ethan Martin, Conner Quinn, Brendan Shearn, Sami Aziz and more names may make the cut. In the mile we may see Huemmler mix it up, but it seems we will likely see Ben Ritz after a break out 4:14 mark to end his indoor season. It's a great chance to show PA don't play.