First look at the top boys distance runners to watch in the 2023 track and field season.
It's no secret last spring was a historic year.
The 2022 Washington high school track and field season will forever go down as one of the most successful seasons the state has ever witnessed when it comes to performances and accomplishments.
While it will be one that is hard to repeat, the 2023 campaign could be as good or better with the amount of talent and production back for this upcoming season.
Here's a first look at the top boys distance runners to watch for this season.
Cruize Corvin, Lakes
A season that finally ended the way Cruize Corvin wanted it to carries promising momentum into the spring. The senior from Lakes capped off his high school cross country career with the second fastest 5k time in the state at 14:56.9 and then won the 3A state individual title in the fastest course time of the day in 15:30. Corvin was among the top distance runners during the track season in 2022 as he posted times of 4:15.08 in the 1,600 and 9:07.19 in the 3,200. Both of those personal best efforts were ran at the state meet in one of the deepest fields ever assembled as he placed eighth in the 1,600 and seventh in the 3,200. Recently signed with the University of Washington, following in the footsteps of his father, Curt, who ran for the Huskies in the '80s.
Brody Hartley, Walla Walla
If there ever was an "Athlete of the Meet" award at the state championships, no one was more deserving of it than Brody Hartley. The WA-Hi senior had a state meet for the ages, running three personal best efforts while leading the Blue Devils to another state team title. On day one, Hartley led off with a 4:10.31 effort in the boys 1,600 to place fourth overall. On day three, he first ran the 800 in 1:54.28 to finish as runner-up and then concluded the meet with a third place run of 9:02.16 in the 3,200. This past cross country season was another steppingstone for the Notre Dame commit as he ran a 5k personal best time of 15:18.7, won a District 8 regional title in a new course record and finished runner-up at the 3A state meet.
Zack Munson, Sehome
Zack Munson said he wanted to have a big fall and he got one. The Sehome senior had some of his best moments, so far, of his career during the cross-country season when led the state with a 5k personal best time of 14:53.6 and went on to win the 2A title. Munson was also the lone Washington representative at Nike Cross Nationals, and the first since Lewis and Clark's Wil Smith ran in it back in 2019, as he clocked in at 15:31.2 to finish 30th. Last spring, the Northern Arizona commit won both the 3,200 and 4x400 relay state titles and finished runner-up in the 1,600 to help Sehome claim the 2A team title over Aberdeen by 37 points. Munson also competed at the Brooks PR invite in the two-mile where he finished fifth in a time of 8:54.93. Ran personal best times of 4:11.88 and 8:53.12 for the 1,600 and 3,200.
Vincent Recupero, Bishop Blanchet
Vincent Recupero's freshman season will go down in Washington high school track and field history as one of the best debuts the state has ever seen. The Bishop Blanchet rising star set numerous freshman state records, which included a 4:07.94 1,600 effort at the 3A state meet that earned him third place and a 9:00.11 time in the 3,200 to finish runner-up at the Metro Championships. Recupero also finished second at state in the 3,200 and was a second off his personal best effort. Recupero was one of two Blanchet runners to compete at the Brooks PR Invite at Husky Track as he finished seventh overall in the two-mile field in a time of 9:02.5. This last fall was a late start for Recupero due to an ongoing injury, but he was able to finish his sophomore year out with a third-place finish at the 3A state cross country meet and led the Bears to a runner-up team finish.
Will Schneider, Bishop Blanchet
Will Schneider's junior season, both cross country and track, may have been the most complete season in the state last year. Schneider was able to complete the distance triple crown having won the 3A state cross country title in the fall, followed by wins in the 1,600 and 3,200 at state track during the spring. He also competed at the Brooks PR Invite alongside teammate Recupero, running a time of 8:53.85 to place fourth in the field. Schneider produced the best 1,600 and 3,200 combination times in the state as he ran 4:07.65 in the 1,600 and 8:59.85 in the 3,200. He also ran 1:56.66 for the 800. Last fall was a tough cross country season for Schneider, having been out for the majority of the year with an injury. The University of Washington commit would go onto to run his final two races of his high school career at the end of the season, including a 10th place run at the 3A state meet in a time of 16:08.4.
Others to watch:
Isaac Briggs, Rogers (Puyallup)
- Ran personal bests 1:53.31 and 4:13.58. Finished third in the 800 and fourth in the 1,600 at 4A state.
Evan Bruce, Lewis and Clark
- Ran personal bests 4:15.18 and 9:09.05. Finished eighth in the 1,600 and third in the 3,200 at 4A state.
Will Giesen, Bellingham
- Ran personal bests 1:54.11, 4:16.33 and 9:31.51. Finished first in the 800 and sixth in the 1,600 at 2A state.
Ryan Lewis, Tahoma
- Ran personal bests 1:52.27 and 4:16.98. Finished first in the 800 and seventh in the 1,600 at 4A state.
Blake Reynolds, Central Kitsap
- Ran personal best 1:55.78, 4:11.41 and 9:14.41. Finished fifth in the 800 and 1,600 at 3A state.
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