With the 2022-23 Baltimore City indoor season coming to a conclusion, track athletes and coaches know exactly what time it is. Hundreds of spectators will gather at Baltimore City high school tracks to watch athletes face off in events on hot afternoons. After winning the Baltimore City indoor championships for the third concurrent year, Poly boys track and field coach James A. Davis, as well as his athletes, are brushing off a tough 7th place finish at 3A Central indoor regional championships.

Despite sporting the most consistent mid to long distance core in Baltimore city by a large margin, the Poly boys know they have to keep their foot on the gas and be aware of their familiar competition. These formidable foes consist of: Chandler Brown (Edmondson-Westside, Sr), Marcos Villanueva (Baltimore City College, Sr), and Bruce Robinson (Mergenthaler Voc Tech, Jr). Eyes are currently on Poly senior Maxwell Dixon, who is expected to not only spearhead the 4×800 meter relay team which came second in the city last year, but also put up competitive numbers in the 400m dash, 800m run, and 1 mile run. Sophomore duo Nicholas Bader and Cal Lipkin are projected to dominate the 3200m run all season, but they’ll have their work cut out for them in the 1600m run, and for Nicholas, the 800m run.

For years, Coach James A. Davis could rely on the seemingly unstoppable three-punch combo that was: Talil Atkins, Darrell White, and Ja’hahn Harvey. However, with these three record holders in their respective events graduated, a new wave of sprinters are faced with the tough standards to meet in Baltimore city. Davis possesses a Swiss Army Knife in the form of senior James Bachman, who’s capable of running six different events, and a new runner who’s already made his mark indoors in the 55m dash, 300m dash, and 500m dash in sophomore Christan Raysor. With the help of Poly alums Aaron Stanley and Will Henderson, Davis has rigorously worked to get junior Damon Williams to his full potential in the 200 and 400m dashes, as well as the 4×1 and 4×2 relays. Co-captaining the sprinters alongside Bachman is senior Ethan McDaniel, who’s made extremely noticeable strides in the hurdle events compared to his performance last year. Underrated by the city and with lower expectations than usual, the Poly boys track team plans to let their work do the talking for them this outdoor season.

James Bachman rounds the curve in a 4×800 relay.


Senior Ethan McDaniel (left), Senior Tyrese Stanley (middle), and Sophomore Brandon Boles (right) compete in the 55 meter hurdles.


Sophomore Nicholas Bader competes in the 4×800 relay indoors.


Senior James Bachman finishes hard in the 4×800 relay.


Graduated Senior Talil Atkins was dominant in the 100, 200, and 400 meter dashes. Who will fill his shoes this year?


Poly’s Boys and Girls outdoor track teams celebrate winning the 2022 city championship.

Photo credits: Root Exposure Photography