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Delaware's fastest: 48 honorable mentions for our track and field list

brandon holveck, delaware news journal
·6 min read

Anyone who has ever attempted to rearrange a closet knows that sometimes there's just not enough space.

Delaware Online/The News Journal ranked the 100 greatest sprinter and field event athletes in Delaware history and the 75 greatest distance runners in Delaware history, but there were plenty more deserving athletes that we couldn't fit on this list.

A spotlight on some of the folks on the outside looking in, listed in chronological order.

Vic Zwolak, Salesianum, 1956

🥇 1954 and 1955 state cross country champion

Bob King, Howard, 1959

🥇 1957 and 1958 state cross country champion

Elwood Thompson, Howard, 1965

🥇 1963 GI cross country champion, 4 individual outdoor track state titles

Chris Little, Brandywine, 1967

🥇 1965 and 1966 GI cross country champion, 1966 GI 2 mile champion

Dan Rincon, Dover Air, 1971

🥇 2-time cross country state champion, 2-time 3200 DII champion

Dave Crew, Mount Pleasant, 1972

📏 8th all-time shot put (58-8.5)

🥇 3 individual outdoor track and field state titles, 2 Meet of Champions wins

Bill Nagle, Salesianum, 1975

🥇 1973 and 1974 GI cross country champion

Franz Kappel, William Penn, 1981

📏 4th all-time shot put (60-10), 7th discus (174-8)

🥇 3 individual outdoor track and field state titles, 1 Meet of Champions win

Peggy McVey, Padua, 1981

🥇 4 individual outdoor track state titles, 1 Meet of Champions win

Ray Bordley, Dickinson, 1981

🥇 3 individual outdoor track state titles

⌚ 16th all-time 400 meters (48.24*)

Keith Wright, Newark, 1982

⌚ 8th all-time 300-meter hurdles (37.87)

🥇 3 individual outdoor track state titles, 3 Meet of Champions wins

Tom Higley, Salesianum, 1985

🥇 1984 and 1985 DI cross country champion

Rick Pitts, Cape Henlopen, 1986

🏆 1986 outdoor track and field MVP

🥇 Swept DI 100, 200 and 400 at 1986 state meet

Vincent Bungy, Delcastle, 1993

⌚ T-4th all-time 110-meter hurdles (14.07)

Kyle Hart, Lake Forest, 1993

⌚ T-9th all-time 100 meters (10.74*), 22nd 200 meters (21.70*)

🥇 1993 DII 100-meter and 200-meter champion

Karl Rose, Dickinson, 1994

⌚ 16th all-time 800 meters (1:54.22)

🥇 3 individual outdoor track state titles

Genelle Fletcher, William Penn, 1999

📏 T-2nd all-time high jump (5-7)

Omar Rogers, Newark, 2001

📏 2nd all-time shot put (63-4.75)

Brandywine's Jessica Leitsch competes at a cross country meet at White Clay Creek.
Brandywine's Jessica Leitsch competes at a cross country meet at White Clay Creek.

Jessica Leitsch, Brandywine, 2003

🏆 2002 cross country state MVP

🥇 2 individual outdoor track state titles, 2 Meet of Champions wins

Reggie Hopkins, Howard, 2003

🥇 4 individual outdoor track and field state titles, 2 Meet of Champions wins

🏆 2003 outdoor track and field MVP

Aysha Gregory, Brandywine, 2004

🥇 5 individual outdoor track and field state titles, 4 Meet of Champions wins

📏 7th all-time shot put (42-5.5), T-9th discus (132-11)

Lauren Wallace, Padua, 2004

🥇 3 individual outdoor track and field state titles, 3 Meet of Champions wins

Phil Weigel, Mount Pleasant, 2006

👍 Fastest cross country 5k in Delaware and Bellevue course record from 2005 to 2013

Daryl Shelton, Brandywine, 2006

⌚ 5th all-time 400 meters (47.56)

Ryan Carter, Glasgow, 2008

🥇 3 individual outdoor track state titles, 2 Meet of Champions wins

Andy Weaver, Charter of Wilmington, 2008

🥇 2007 DI cross country champion, 2 individual outdoor track state titles, 1 Meet of Champions win

⌚ 22nd all-time 3,200 meters (9:19.21)

Kevaughn Davidson, Dover, 2008

🥇 5 individual outdoor track state titles

⌚ 9th all-time 300-meter hurdles (37.91), 13th 110-meter hurdles (14.40)

Malachi Freeman, Glasgow, 2009

⌚ 13th all-time 100 meters (10.75), 26th 200 meters (21.78)

🥇 2 individual outdoor track state titles, 2 Meet of Champions wins

Delesha Conquest, of Glasgow, clears the last barrier to win the 100 meter girls high hurdles at the 2010 Meet of Champions.
Delesha Conquest, of Glasgow, clears the last barrier to win the 100 meter girls high hurdles at the 2010 Meet of Champions.

Delesha Conquest, Glasgow, 2010

⌚ 8th all-time 300-meter hurdles (43.79)

🥇 2 individual outdoor track state titles, 2 Meet of Champions wins

Courtney Markow, A.I. du Pont, 2010

📏 5th all-time pole vault (11-6)

🥇 3 individual outdoor track and field state titles, 3 Meet of Champions wins

Rebecca Salter, Tatnall, 2012

⌚ 18th all-time 3,200 meters (10:56.01), 20th 1,600 meters (4:58.78)

Zach Schmelz, Saint Marks, 2014

⌚ 7th all-time 400 meters (47.84)

🏆 2014 outdoor track and field MVP

Taronn Selby, St. Georges, 2014

⌚ T-7th 100 meters (10.73), T-20th 200 meters (21.68)

Saint Georges' Keyjuan Selby cuts up field away from Indian River defenders in their DIAA Division II playoff game at Appoquinimink High School on Friday night, November 15, 2013.
Saint Georges' Keyjuan Selby cuts up field away from Indian River defenders in their DIAA Division II playoff game at Appoquinimink High School on Friday night, November 15, 2013.

Keyjuan Selby, St. Georges, 2014

⌚ T-9th all-time 100 meters (10.74), 13th 200 meters (21.55)

Samuel Young, Cape Henlopen, 2015

📏 T-3rd all-time pole vault (15-6)

🥇 2 individual outdoor track and field state titles, 2 Meet of Champions wins

Darby Deutsch, Padua, 2016

📏 4th all-time pole vault (11-9)

Delcastle's Sherita Lowman sprints to the finish line after clearing the final hurdle to win the girls 100-meter hurdles at the Meet of Champions at Dover High School in 2016.
Delcastle's Sherita Lowman sprints to the finish line after clearing the final hurdle to win the girls 100-meter hurdles at the Meet of Champions at Dover High School in 2016.

Sherita Lowman, Delcastle, 2016

⌚ 7th all-time 100-meter hurdles (14.36)

🥇 2 individual outdoor track state titles, 2 Meet of Champions wins

McKean's Ryan Thompson wins the division II boys 300 meter hurdles at the 2017 DIAA State Track & Field Championships at Dover High School.
McKean's Ryan Thompson wins the division II boys 300 meter hurdles at the 2017 DIAA State Track & Field Championships at Dover High School.

Ryan Thompson, McKean, 2017

⌚ 5th all-time 300-meter hurdles (37.62)

🥇 3 individual outdoor track state titles, 2 Meet of Champions wins

Mt. Pleasant's Johnelle Joe (No. 2) races to the outside of Salesianum's Colin Parker (No. 1) as they race to the finish in the Boys 800 Meter Run event at the Meet of Champions at Dover High School in 2016. Joe finished first over Parker, winning by .05 seconds.
Mt. Pleasant's Johnelle Joe (No. 2) races to the outside of Salesianum's Colin Parker (No. 1) as they race to the finish in the Boys 800 Meter Run event at the Meet of Champions at Dover High School in 2016. Joe finished first over Parker, winning by .05 seconds.

Johnelle Joe, Mount Pleasant, 2017

⌚ 7th all-time 800 meters (1:52.89)

🥇 2 Meet of Champions wins at 800 meters

Top three finishers (from left) Sean Banko and Michael Keenan of Salesianum and Caravel's Austyn Hamilton lead the pack in the 1600 meter run before Keenan's win Saturday at the DIAA indoor track championships. Banko finished second, followed by Hamilton.
Top three finishers (from left) Sean Banko and Michael Keenan of Salesianum and Caravel's Austyn Hamilton lead the pack in the 1600 meter run before Keenan's win Saturday at the DIAA indoor track championships. Banko finished second, followed by Hamilton.

Sean Banko, Salesianum, 2018

⌚ 6th all-time cross country 5k (15:18.4), 18th 1,600 meters (4:16.00), 24th 3,200 meters (9:21.52)

Delcastle's Jalissa Emmens builds a lead before winning the 800 meter run during the Rod Lambert Meet of Champions at Caravel Academy in 2019.
Delcastle's Jalissa Emmens builds a lead before winning the 800 meter run during the Rod Lambert Meet of Champions at Caravel Academy in 2019.

Jalissa Emmens, Delcastle, 2019

⌚ 4th all-time 800 meters (2:11.56)

🥇 2 Meet of Champions wins

Charter School of Wilmington Chris Brown wins the boys 800mm during The New Castle County Championships track and field meet Saturday, May 11, 2019, at The Charter School of Wilmington in Wilmington DE.
Charter School of Wilmington Chris Brown wins the boys 800mm during The New Castle County Championships track and field meet Saturday, May 11, 2019, at The Charter School of Wilmington in Wilmington DE.

Chris Brown, Charter of Wilmington, 2019

⌚ 3rd all-time 800 meters (1:51.91)

👍 Won 800 at 2018 Meet of Champions in meet record time

Napoleon Hernandez, Tatnall, 2019

⌚ 6th all-time 800 meters (1:52.41)

🥇 3 individual outdoor track state titles

Padua's Jia Anderson pops in the air in preparation for the 100 meter hurdles before winning the event during the New Castle County track and field championships Saturday, May 15, 2021 at Abessinio Stadium.
Padua's Jia Anderson pops in the air in preparation for the 100 meter hurdles before winning the event during the New Castle County track and field championships Saturday, May 15, 2021 at Abessinio Stadium.

Jia Anderson, Padua, 2021

🥇 3 individual outdoor track and field state titles, 3 Meet of Champions wins

Matt Gatune of Polytech runs in the Division I boys race at the DIAA Cross Country Championships in 2021.
Matt Gatune of Polytech runs in the Division I boys race at the DIAA Cross Country Championships in 2021.

Matt Gatune, Polytech, 2022

⌚ 8th all-time 800 meters (1:52.94), 14th 3,200 meters (9:17.00), 19th 1,600 meters (4:17.24)

🥇 3 individual outdoor track state titles, 1 Meet of Champions win

Padua Academy's Mary Flanagan (744) finishes fourth at the Girls Varsity 2023 Joe O'Neill Invitational cross country race at Bellevue State Park in Wilmington, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.
Padua Academy's Mary Flanagan (744) finishes fourth at the Girls Varsity 2023 Joe O'Neill Invitational cross country race at Bellevue State Park in Wilmington, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.

Mary Flanagan, Padua, 2024

⌚ 2nd all-time 800 meters (2:10.34)

🥇 2 Meet of Champions wins at 800 meters

Padua’s Sophia Holgado runs to a win in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Girl’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.
Padua’s Sophia Holgado runs to a win in the DIAA 2022 Cross Country Girl’s Division I Championship at Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Del.

Sophia Holgado, Padua, 2024

⌚ 11th all-time 800 meters (2:13.84), 18th 1,600 meters (4:57.20)

🥇 2022 DI cross country champion, swept 800, 1,600 and 3,200 at 2023 New Castle County meet

Salesianum's Bishop Lane has a comfortable lead as he anchors the boys 4x200 to a win during the New Castle County Track and Field Championships at Abessinio Stadium, Saturday, May 13, 2023.
Salesianum's Bishop Lane has a comfortable lead as he anchors the boys 4x200 to a win during the New Castle County Track and Field Championships at Abessinio Stadium, Saturday, May 13, 2023.

Bishop Lane, Salesianum, 2024

⌚ Member of state record 4x100-meter and 4x200-meter relay teams

⌚ 6th all-time 400 meters (47.69)

Asterisks denote converted times as they appear on the state's all time performance list. Listed times are outdoor performances unless otherwise noted.

Contact Brandon Holveck at bholveck@delawareonline.com. Follow him on X and Instagram @holveck_brandon. Follow him on TikTok @bholveck.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware track and field: Fastest runners honorable mentions