After churning out five state qualifiers a year ago, the Galion boys track team is hoping to build on its success with the return of an experienced and talented core.

The Tigers finished second in the MOAC under head coach Ryan Scribner, who is entering his second year leading the program. Linkon Tyrrell was a state qualifier in the 110-meter hurdles, ultimately finishing 12th, and Gabe Ivy, Jack Hart, Zach Sallee, and Jacob Chambers qualified in the 4×100-meter relay and placed seventh with a time of 42.93 while earning All-Ohio honors.

All but Hart return for Scribner, and he will have a host of additional letter-winners returning to give Galion a recipe for continued success. Those letter winners include junior thrower Michael Drake, sophomore thrower Sam Estep, sophomore sprinter, hurdler, and pole vaulter Sam Evans, junior distance runner Ashton Faulds, junior distance runner Anthony Ferini, sophomore sprinter and mid-distance runner Camden Kuehlman, senior jumper Caden Medniola, senior distance runner Blake Risner, senior sprinter Logan Shifley, and junior sprinter and mid-distance runner Jacob Thomas.

Chambers, now a sophomore, is coming into the season fresh off a successful indoor season that included a state championship in the long jump. He also received All-Ohio honors by placing fifth in the 200-meter dash.

Tyrrell, now in his final season, will look to make his way back to the state meet this year in the hurdles. He placed fifth in the 60-meter hurdles this winter to earn All-Ohio honors.

“Linkon does a little bit of everything for us and is able to score points in any event we put him in. He will be another team leader for this group,” Scribner said of Tyrrell.

Ferini is expected to lead the distance group this year, although Scribner noted Ferini can be moved around from running mid-distance up to the mile or two-mile run as well as possibly running hurdles.

In addition to Chambers, Drake was also an indoor state qualifier at this year’s OATCCC Indoor State Championship in the weight throw.

Scribner said of Drake, “He’s had a great offseason in the weight room and has looked great at practice in both the shot and disc. We are looking forward to seeing what he can do this year.”

Ivy led off for the state-placing 4×100-meter relay team a year ago and will be counted on as one of the leaders for the Galion sprints group.

Sallee, now a sophomore, qualified for the OATCCC State Indoor Meet. Scribner said of Sallee, “Zach is a great competitor and is going to help out wherever we need him.”

Promising newcomers include freshman sprinter Kale Early, freshman distance runner Gordon Ekin, freshman sprinter and mid-distance runner Joel Glass, senior thrower Holden Hunter, junior distance runner Cohen Pierce, sophomore sprinter Ayden Schmidt, sophomore sprinter Trevor Shifley, and freshman sprinter Brennan Walker.

“This year’s team has the potential to do a lot of great things,” Scribner said. “Our number of athletes went from the low 40s to over 50. This will allow us to be more flexible with our lineups and let us put kids in a position to score points for our team in different events that we may not have scored points before. We struggled some in the distance events last year but this year we have a solid group that’s going to go out and compete and score some points for us.”

Scribner added, “We have a young but solid group of athletes returning from last year. We also have a great group of seniors that will lead this year’s team. Our kids have bought into what the coaches have been selling and are putting the work in each day. We had 20 kids compete in the indoor track season which was pretty successful, and we are looking for that to carry over to this outdoor season.”