Spring Sports Previews: Madison Boys Track and Field

The Madison High School boys outdoor track and field team is hoping to build on the successes that the indoor team saw, although the members are mindful that there is an element of unpredictability to competing in a new conference. They know who to look out for: Hanover Park, Parsippany, and their rival from just down the road, Chatham.

But Madison has some weapons this season as well, namely in strong senior and junior classes that have been working for years to get to this point. Three members of the indoor team made it to the Meet of Champions for the boys this year: senior Kyle Flyer, in the 800 meters, junior Aaron Shinn for the pole vault, and junior R.J. Graddy for the high jump.

All three will also be competing for Madison on the outdoor team, although this is Flyer's first year outdoors.

"I wanted to see how I would do with another season of running," said Flyer. "Making it to the Meet of Champions in winter was a big goal of mine, and I did it, so I wanted to do it in spring."

He also has lofty goals for the 4x800 meter relay team, which will include Flyer, senior Greg Zitelli, sophomore Jack Mahoney, and a fourth spot to be determined. They are hoping to break the Madison High School outdoor record of 8:33 in the event. They already broke the indoor record this year, along with Jakob Steinmetz, who plays tennis in the spring.

Zitelli has a few goals of his own, as well.

"I want to get in the 4:40s for the mile," Zitelli said. "I got there my sophomore year, but I was hurt all season last spring, so I'm just happy to be running. I just started getting back into good shape at the end of the winter season."

Zitelli also pointed out that the indoor team has already gotten a glimpse of what the Dodgers' new conference will be like, and that they took second in sectionals during the indoor season, competing against the same teams they will face in the spring.

Senior Carter Buxton is not so sure, but still hopeful.

"I think the new conference is tougher than the conference last year, but seeing how winter track went, we have a good chance of doing well this year," Buxton said.

Buxton hopes to improve in the triple jump, the 200, and the 400. His twin brother Reid is also on the team, competing in a few events but leading the team in the javelin.  

Unlike Madison's girls team, which is young, the boys team has many experienced athletes and upperclassmen.

"It was a young team last year, and now we are looking forward to a big year after the experience they gained," said head coach Kevin Carroll. "Our goal is to use dual meets to develop the kids for the championship season, and use the championship season to develop kids out of the sectional meets and into the group meets."

The Dodgers have already taken the first step toward making it out of the sectionals, into the groups, and maybe even back to the Meet of Champions: they have all set goals for themselves and for their teammates, and they expect to reach those goals by the end of the spring track season.