Following the success of Midlo’s 2021 fall sports season, student-athletes now begin practice sessions for winter sports. After being unable to play in front of spectators since the 2020-2021 school year, each of the programs now looks forward to playing in front of packed stands. Not to mention, having established a strong social media presence, the Trojan student section looks to continue to support their athletic teams as they stand front-row, showing off their school spirit. Meanwhile, as training comes underway, athletes and students alike prepare for an intense winter season ahead.

Boys Basketball: The Trojans Boys Varsity Basketball Team looks to improve their 5-7 record from last season. Led by coaches Buddy Moreland, David Brohl and Jarhon Giddings, the boys team has already begun physically demanding conditioning during the fall months in order to develop a strong mindset. For the 2021-2022 season, the top players include Jack Scott, Cole Feldman, George Akoto, AJ Tankard, Connor Reid, Nate Lovaz and Michael Candland. With the goals of “having a winning record and winning a playoff game,” junior Tanner Wood said. The program appears to have laid a solid foundation early on.

Girls Basketball: Under the leadership of Head Coach Ashley Brown, the Midlo Girls Varsity Basketball team is ready for the 2021-22 season to commence. The most promising prospects include Hailey Halcombe, Skyelar Law, Lexey Knoll, Ellie Herndon, Megan Bunting, and Danni Marmo. The Lady Trojans have a reputation for excellence after finishing with a 9-6 record last season. Now, the program hopes to capitalize on their past success by qualifying for the playoff games, as well as possibly taking home a regional title. When asked about her personal goals for the season, Marmo explained, “I hope to be a leader on the court and for the team.”

Swim: Led by Head Coaches Gene Bryson and Abbey Buschy, Midlo Swim looks for a successful season. Relying on key swimmers Will Glass, Courtney Phillips, AJ Shwabe, Patterson Summers, and Grady Potter, the team will continue to depend on these athletes to lead the team to new heights. While discussing the team’s goals, captain junior Brennan Lane commented, “The ultimate goal is to make strides at the state level competition where we had some really successful events last year. We especially want to showcase the talented seniors on the team, some of whom are top national-level swimmers, who deserve the recognition from their peers,” Lane said. In previous seasons, the swim team has sent their squad to the regional meet and even individuals to the state meet. They hope to continue that lineage of success in the 2021-2022 season.

Wrestling: Under the direction of Coach Burks, Coach Lloyd Gregory and Coach Ryan Painter,  Midlo’s Wrestling season is gearing up for their upcoming season. Seniors Crew Gregory, Robbie Painter, Alex McFarland, and Will Haemker are prepared to dominate the new 2021-22 season. Gregory and Painter share that they are “excited for the Wrestling season to start” after not being able to during the COVID-19 Pandemic last year. 

Indoor Track: The Indoor Track and Field teams look to maintain their winning record with a trip to the VHSL 5B State Championships. The team is led by longtime Coach Stan Morgan, who is determined to guide his athletes to success after losing graduating seniors, Caroline Bowe, Katherine Krievs, Chloe Martin, Millie Weinhold, Isabella Mcnulty, Christina Mulroy, Brian Tavenner, Michael Wunderlich, Jack Eerio, and many other talented Midlo graduates. The running program at Midlo has always had a sturdy reputation and is revered by the top teams in the state. The top prospects for the upcoming season include; CJ Meirchuck, Porter Clarke, Jack Laser, Max Mckey, Kylie Bonser, Gabrielle Garcia, Nicole Quirum, and Tanaiya Turner. This talented group of Midlo students are expected to bring the team to the top of their division. The girls team is riding off a high performance at States, where the team placed second, and Garcia took home the State Champion title. The whole team plans to carry that motivation to perform well at the first few invitationals for their indoor season.

The Winter sports teams of Midlothian will no doubt continue to achieve great things this season. Under great coaching and management, the future is certain for the success of Trojan athletics.