Hanover Central High School

The longer the season rolls on, the more impressive the 2025 boys track and field season becomes. The team traveled to Crown Point for the Sectional round of the State tournament series. Indiana is the only state in the country that has a "single class" system for track and field. This means that all schools, of all sizes compete against each other. On Thursday, HC placed fourth, behind perennial Regional championship contenders Merrillville, Lake Central and Crown Point. The team's 82.5 points eclipses the previous high point totals of 79 (2022), and 78 (2015). In order to qualify for the following week's Regional meet, an athlete, or relay team must finish 3rd at the Sectional, or be one of the four best "non-top three" performers of the four Sectionals that participate at that Regional (Valparaiso). In many years, qualifying for the Regional meet in five or six of the events, could be achieved. In a very good year, maybe eight or nine. The 2025 group has qualified to compete in thirteen of the sixteen events at the Valparaiso Regional. This includes all three relays and one event that has two qualifiers. In the field events, AJ Noel (4th) and Lincoln Zerby (6th) qualified for the regional in the pole vault and discus events, respectively. Lincoln's discus toss was a personal best. Anthony Layman tied for 8th place in the high jump. Mason Streit earned 6th place points in the pole vault. The distance events got started off on the right foot, when the 4x800 team of Jerome Murphy, Chris Epting, Noah Hernandez and Chase Fajman ran what would be a qualifying mark in 6th place. In the 1600, Ryan Sandberg ran a personal best for a qualifying 4th place finish. In the 800, Chase Fajman also qualified with a fourth place finish. In the 3200 meter run, Ryan Sandberg and Bennett Duffy ran personal best times, and Ryan was an automatic qualifier with his third place finish. The sprint events are what probably made the most news. The chill in the air kept more sprinters from having personal best times, but it was their placing that was so impressive. Zumji Gofwen qualified for the regional meet in the 100 and 200 meter dashes, with a second and third place in those events. Ben Alvarado ran a personal best time in the 100. David Murphy qualified for the Regional with a third place finish in the 400. Rocco Lopez finished third in both the 110 and 300 hurdles to qualify for the Regional meet in those events. Elijah Pennavaria used a 5th place finish to join Rocco in the 110 hurdles. The 4x400 relay team of Tayceon Parkman, Chase Fajman, Rocco Lopez and David Murphy came from behind to snatch the 3rd spot, and punch their ticket to the Regional meet. Aside from the sheer volume of events the team will be participating in at the Regional, the biggest highlight from the meet was the 1st place finish of the 4x100 meter relay team of Dominic Giglio, Ben Alvarado, Tayceon Parkman, and Zumji Gofwen. The team broke it's own record once again (43.11), but also won what is likely the only 4x100 relay Sectional championship in school history. It was a phenomenal night for HC Track and Field. Who knows what warmer weather, and even more competition will bring for the HC group this coming Thursday, at Valparaiso High School? Once again, top three advance. This time, to the State Meet, held at North Central High School in Indianapolis.