The Magnolia Blue Eagle boys track team has a new head coach in Josh Natali, a former track athlete who graduated from Magnolia in 2003. He later competed at West Virginia Wesleyan will now take over, while Matt Quinet moves over to assistant coach.

Natali and Quinet will look for leadership after losing Luke Seavy to graduation from returning state qualifiers Joe Feeney, Cameron Benson and Brendan Kacor. “These guys need to be patient, in track, it takes time to get in shape. They are not going to see results right away,” said Natali. “That’s the beautiful thing about track, it’s you against time and bettering yourself, and its not necessarily about winning and beating others. You can always improve your own times and distances.”

Seavy was second in Class AA with 21.5 points, with the Eagles collectively adding 34 points for fourth place in the state last season and Magnolia will need to look to others to help.

Magnolia will also have to look elsewhere with the losses of Adam Rothlisberger, Hemal Patel, Kyle Hale, Allen Kane and Kyle Smith.Both Rothlisberger and Patel where long distance runners, while Hale, Kane and Smith made their mark in the shot and discus.

Seniors out to help ease the losses are, Jason Cook, Travis Myers, Martin Whiteman and Jon Rine. Whiteman and Rine look to both compete in the 400 and 800 meter runs, Rine will also give the high jump and long jump a try, while Martin looks to be a force in the shot and discus too. Cook will compete in the hurdle events, while Myers look to help in the relay events.

Juniors Joe Feeney, Nathan Harshberger will ease the loss of Patel and Rothlisberger in the long distance events, while fellow juniors Karim Mahrous, Chris Claysville and Lance Anderson look to compete in the sprinting events.

A big sophomore class headed by Kacor, who will big the workhorse for the Eagles, competes in long jump, sprints, 200 and 400 meters and relay events too, and when he has some free time he will be in the concession stand working. However, Benson will make it a little more easier for Kacor to get a little rest. He will run in the relay events and the 200 and 400 meter runs. Jason Long will compete in the 400 and 800 meter events, while Edward Durrah will tangle the hurdles and shuttle events. Matt Riggs will be one of the strongman for the Eagles and will try to help in the shuttles along with the shot and discus.Tim Shreve, Justin Wade, Ryan Ritchea, Seth Blake, Shawn Neff and Chase Cain will mix in most of the running events as well as hurdle events and relays.

Eight freshmen will make up the rest of the team led by the first pole vaulter to quite some time in Michael Jones, who will also run in the sprinting events. Billy Feeney, James Long, Tyler Estep, Nick Blatt, Alec Hinerman, Andrew Stackpole and Daniel Melott top off the Blue Eagle track team.

“We have a great mixture of running and field events this year,” added Natali. “If we can keep everyone healthy and get better every meet we just might make some noise down the road.”