Sussex Academy track looks to harvest seeds planted in indoor season

Indoor track season proved to be a successful one for Sussex Academy, as the girls took the Henlopen Conference and a couple of Seahawks grabbed state medals.

“The conference is kind of like our state meet, and we were very successful – with our depth, the girls and our experience,” said coach Jay Diaz. “Our girls won the Henlopen Conference, and we did send a couple people to states, highlighted by Katya Geyer in the high jump, second place, but that was on criteria. For the guys, the big highlight was Ryan Moody winning the 1,600 in a great, great race.”

“I was really able to execute from all the good training, and I'm looking forward to outdoor track,” Moody said. “I'm just continuing the momentum, getting good workouts in and then peaking at the right time.”

Moody will join a slew of seniors on the guys’ side and mentor some promising young athletes, but the girls will lean on three-time long jump champion Katya Geyer, who was a jump away from a fourth title this past winter.

“There's a ton of people returning, but obviously Katya, our queen, she's the only senior back for spring,” Diaz said.

Geyer thinks the gains made during the erratic indoor schedule could be a springboard for success in warmer weather.

“A lot of training in the school hallways, which is not optimal, and we don't have a track, which is not optimal either for outdoor, but it's something,” Geyer said. “Indoor was a little bit tough just because of the snow messing up the meets, and participation was a little bit down, so that was a big thing that we worked on as captains with the coaches – trying to get more participation, which is probably why we did so well at conferences. We had the numbers to get the points and the events, even if it wasn't first place all around.”

Although they didn’t take the top prize during the indoor season, the boys might have the depth to bring home a title this spring.

“Our boys’ team looks to be very good,” Diaz said. “Good number of seniors with experience, so I'm looking forward to some good stuff for the boys.”

“We're getting our work done,” said senior Rocco Buonopane. “We're putting in our best efforts in practice, and these boys want to be out here, and they want to push themselves to the limit.”

Thus far, the Seahawks have had to train in summer weather, bitter cold and some pretty windy conditions, but their support system has held strong physically and mentally.

“It's a very nice sport that always keeps me motivated, especially with my friends around,” senior Isaac Hernandez said. “They always believed in me. I always try my hardest, and they make me feel seen, even if I'm not as good as them.”

There’s good reason for Sussex Academy to believe in one another, as the addition of coaches is paying dividends.

“In winter, we added a couple more specialty coaches,” Diaz said. “We have a specialist in shot-putting and pole vault, [Robert] BK Kennedy, who's known throughout Delaware in the throwing community. Huge addition. Shawn Hopkins is a hurdle specialist, and we had three girls in the finals at the conference meet because of his work. Plus, with Charlie Pollard working with the jumpers, it allows me to focus on what I really prefer, which is distance.”

Thanks to Hopkins, a few of Pollard’s jumpers have discovered their love for another event.

“I'm mainly focused on hurdles; I know what I'm capable of jumping-wise, but I found a passion for hurdles,” senior Austin Taylor said. “With coach Hopkins here, it's helped me a lot.”

“I am also doing hurdles,” senior Jesse Jean-Louis said. “I picked it up last year, and coach Hopkins has helped me develop a passion for it. This outdoor season, I'm planning to win a state championship. I've been working really hard, and hopefully the hard work I put in ... will allow me to place in states.”

With a leg up on the competition in 2026, sometimes literally, Sussex Academy could have the advantage when it comes to a new installment to the 2026 schedule.

“They're going to have a Southern Division championship at the end of April, so that's where the division will be decided,” Diaz said. “The division meet will be at Lake Forest, which is a full-sized track.”

The Henlopen South squads will converge on the Spartans campus for the divisional meet Tuesday, April 28.

Sussex Academy opens its season with a dual-meet at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 25, at Indian River.