Track programs across Pacific are waiting for the starting gun

CHATAN, Okinawa – Ryan Hater’s narrative for his senior track and field season can easily consist of two words: Unfinished business.

The Kubasaki sprinter tore a hamstring last May 12 during practice and was out for the rest of the season, taking the luster off what had been a record-breaking season for Pacific sprinters.

Hater is back now, having rehabilitated the hamstring and gradually rounded himself into shape over the fall and winter months.

He played running back for the Far East Division I runner-up Dragons football team, and says he’s hoping to exit track season on a championship note.

“My body’s feeling good, actually,” Hater said Tuesday during practice at Chatan’s American Village Stadium. He continues to visit therapists and has trained alongside workout partner Sho Okuhara. “We’ve been putting in the work all winter.”

Hater’s return adds a crucial piece to Kubasaki’s island and Far East Division I meet hopes.

A handful of key athletes, including jumper/hurdler Carlos Cadet, have moved on, and some new athletes have moved in; it’s a question of what they bring to the table, coach Joshua McCall said.

“A lot of new faces, a lot of unknowns,” he said.

Two of the Pacific’s major seasonal track events are also headed into new territory. The annual Mike Petty Memorial is being held at Kadena due to the building of the new Kubasaki campus. Far East moves to Matthew C. Perry after 14 years at Yokota.

Hater showed his usual competitive fire in Okinawa’s season-opening meet Thursday, clocking 22.10 in the 200.

While he’s a known quantity, a newcomer to the Dragons’ sprint set, freshman Savannah Stewart, a transfer from Ohio, clocked 27.4 in the event. “I’m anxious to see how she holds up in competition” in the 100, McCall said.

Junior Maurice Brown is the Dragons’ top long- and triple-jump option and insists he’s not trying to follow in Cadet’s footsteps. “My own,” Brown said. “I’m excited.”

Back after a 15-year absence from the Kadena track helm is Sergio Mendoza, whose Panthers appear balanced in all skills. About 140 athletes came out for this year’s team, what Mendoza calls a junior-heavy roster.

“It’s been a long time,” Mendoza said. “We have the potential to be the standard that we once were. I wanted to get us back to that.”

The distance corps is led by senior Jeremiah and sophomore Adriana Williams. Juniors A.J. Webster and Navoni’ Perry head the sprint unit. Sophomore Maddie McKinney and senior Braylon Stephens lead Kadena’s throwers and junior Farid Mounkaila Goumandakoye the long jumpers.

Daniel Limmer couldn’t help but frown as he gazed out the window. Snow was falling that Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Camp Humphreys, meaning the team couldn’t practice outdoors that day.

When it isn’t raining or snowing there, sometimes the air-quality index hurtles over 150, which by base and DODEA standards is too high to allow practices or meets.

“That’s our nemesis,” said Limmer, Humphreys’ second-year head coach, regarding adverse conditions which frequently disrupt the Blackhawks’ routine. At times, meets are delayed three or four hours or canceled altogether due to air quality issues.

Then, there’s a roster that saw the departure of several talented athletes, including record-setting distance runner Cassandra Jarzabek, now running in Belgium.

“That’s one thing about DODEA schools; you have kids PCS-ing,” Limmer said.

But the cupboard is far from bare. Sophomore Ammon Allen and junior Joey Brown, back-to-back Korea cross country champions, return along with junior Annelise Parker at middle distance.

Senior Joshua Canion is back among the throwing ranks. And Korea triple-jump record holder Jordan Johnson also returns.

Joining the distance runners is sophomore Branden Ferguson at Osan, which slowly over the years has been building a strong program.

Senior middle-distance runner Emily Smith and senior sprinter Amani Daniels help form a “solid girls group,” Osan athletics director Bridget Heffele said. Junior middle-distance runner Jaydem Powell moves in from Ramstein. Freshman Ellie Helphinstine runs relays and hurdles.

Daegu had 35 athletes at early practices, up from 23 or so early last season. Imani Manning takes over the program and is banking on some solid athletes, senior McKenzie Andrews (middle distance) and freshman Kamari Lewis (sprints) among them.

“People are really grinding,” Manning said. “They’re working outside of practice. Some have done track before and they are strong.”

Far East school banners have resided the past few years at Tokyo-area schools, Yokota in Division II and Nile C. Kinnick in D-I.

The Panthers have a new coach at the helm, Bianca Reed, whose sons Baron, a junior, and sophomore Barrett give Yokota strength in sprints and middle distance.

Two-time Far East D-II cross country champion Matthew Rowland returns, and his partner in winning the D-II relay, sophomore Madeleine Frost, lends depth to the Panthers’ distance corps.

Kinnick has some strong front-line talent, and the Red Devils for the first time have their own track, though they still must use off-base discus and shot-put pits.

Luke Voth returns for a 13th season as head coach. His lineup is sophomore heavy, with Emmett McNamara and Caleb Minting running distance. Justice Owens and Erica Norman lead the girls sprint corps.

Senior Lauren Cabradilla won the Far East D-I girls cross country title last October. Senior Robert Parker finished second to Cadet in Far East jumps last May. And Annabelle DuBose, a senior, will fill any need that arises, Voth said.

“There’s still talent, but you need a deep pool, and our pool is somewhat more shallow than in the past,” Voth said.

Edgren is far from shallow in its boys high-jump lineup, featuring seniors Ren Dick and Je’Shawn Spaights-Pace, who coach Timothy Schwehr says have a chance to challenge the 15-year-old Pacific record of 2.0066 meters.

Matthew C. Perry welcomes a new coaching tandem, Melissa and Maurice Cole. Three girls athletes, Elieza Mae Cuaco, Naiya Burford and Brooklyn Hunter, have joined the team from soccer.

Seniors Jeremiah Wardrobe (middle distance, relays), Xavier Mitchell (1,600) and Hannah Jernigan (3,200) fill out the lineup; Jernigan was a Far East D-II cross country champion two years ago. Senior Lucas Hendra transferred to Kinnick but has transferred back and will run sprints and relays.

From being down to one athlete last season, E.J. King has rebounded to a roster of nine thus far with hope for more. McKinzy Best, who coached Cobras softball for decades, has taken over King track. Juniors Rose Johnson and Jeremiah Wimberly lead the way for the moment.

Zama is hopeful of chasing the Far East D-II team title in the coming season, Trojans coach Shawen Smith said.

The boys, in particular, led by seniors David King (sprints) and Robert Baulsir (throws) and junior Gabriel Simpkins (sprints) have a chance to do big things. “We have a solid team back with some additions,” Smith said.

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