In his seventh year with East Clinton track and field, Michael Fritz is in his first year as the boys head coach.

Fritz will be assisted by Bob Malone, Bob Henson and Steven Sodini at the varsity level and Jim Vest and David Boris at the middle school level.

East Clinton finished sixth in the SBAAC National Division meet in 2019. Fritz was with the girls team at the time.

Among the athletes gone from the 2019 team are Aidan Henson (National Division runner of the year), Patrick Dotson, Todd Wedding.

Top returning athletes are Michael Horn, Jayson Edison, Landon Runyon, Zach Vest, Justin Arnold and Van Frye. Newcomers of note are Dylan Arnold and Spencer Wiget.

Runyon and Horn “have stepped up to be strong leaders for us. They both have been picking everything up like we didn’t miss last season.”

But, of course, they did.

“It was heartbreaking for our seniors,” said Fritz. “Not allowing seniors like Aidan Henson and Emma Malone to get one final year was tough. We watched them grow from middle schoolers to high school athletes and then not getting their one last season was very hard.”

After missing the 2020 campaign, Fritz said there is an excitement in the air.

”Everyone is itching to get back to competing this season,” he said. “It will mean the world not only to the coaching staff, but especially the athletes who have been waiting all year for this.

”After being with the girls’ team for the past seven years, I am very excited for the challenge of working with the boys. Although we work together with everyone as a program at East Clinton, I am excited to see these athletes perform this year.”