With a strong core of returning competitors, the Lake Orion High School varsity boys track and field team hope to take home the OAA Division I championship again this year.
Returning for the Dragons are senior captain Erik Wallace in the hurdles, senior captain Keith Magic in the 800, and senior captain Matt Englebrecht in the 800 and 400.
Also back are junior Ryan Allison in the hurdles, senior Trent Varva in the shot/disc, senior Billy Peterson in the one and two miles, and junior Mike Fingado in the 400.
Senior Adam Martin returns for Lake Orion in the 100 and 200, while junior Justin Smith will run again in the 100, 200 and 400.
‘I have 150 on my list this year (varsity and junior varsity), and that’s huge,? said boys coach Stan Ford. ‘I had 91 last year.?
Ford expects to see some competition among the team for starting spots, although he said it’s still too early in the season to tell.
‘Right now they don’t know where they are entirely,? he said. ‘We were Division I champs last year. We look good…we’ve seen West Bloomfield and they look very good.?
Ford said he has no complaints about the work his team has done so far this pre-season.
‘We’re on track,? he said. ‘We’ve had two indoor meets and done well. We’re trying to get in shape right now.?
Lake Orion’s hurdlers, coached by Mike Hatch, are strong, and showed promise in early competition (see sidebar).
‘Martin’s coming back in the sprints,? Ford said. ‘He had a knee injury from football in the fall. Magic’s back in the 800 and he looks very good.?
Ford said Peterson is in good shape, and Smith is excited to run.
‘Senior Brian Meredith in the 400 and 800 has been a pleasant surprise,? he said.
‘I had a nice crew doing off-season workouts,’said Ford. ‘My young distance guys really worked hard. Sophomores Colin Motley and Rob Shinouskis had a real good winter of training.?
Ford said his only goal for the team this season is for them to ‘take care of their business.?
‘I can’t control West Bloomfield or Farmington Hills Harrison,? he said. ‘There are high expectations among the team, yes, but that can be misinterpreted. It’s not a cocky attitude, they’re having fun and they’ll take it as it comes.?
Ford expects Rochester and Pontiac Northern to be tough competition.
‘Northern is always dangerous in the sprints, and Rochester and West Bloomfield are well-balanced,? he said. ‘I graduated Tony Heck last year in the long jump and high jump, he was a state qualifier. He’s tough to replace.?
Chris Wellman, also a state qualifier in the shot/disc, graduated last year.
‘Trying to replace those two is hard,? Ford said. ‘But I feel we have a solid group of talented freshmen and they will do well for the years ahead.?