The time has finally arrived for the Brandywine boys track team.

Led by several talented athletes, the Bobcats are looking to duplicate or even improve on last year’s third place finish at the Division III track regional.

This Friday, Brandywine gets its chance to excel at its own track regional. The field events start at 3 p.m., while the running preliminaries begin at 4 p.m.

The top two finishers and anyone else with a qualifying performance advance to the state finals on June 1 at Comstock Park.

“We went into the year with the goal of winning the regional,” said Brandywine track coach Terry Borr. “We’ve worked hard all year to prepare for the regional. We’ve had great competition on the team.”

In the field events, the Bobcats are led by Evan Hartman. Hartman is the defending state champion in the discus. He has a school-record throw of 175-5 in the discus. Hartman is also strong in the shot put.

“He has a chance to finish high at the regional and place at state,” Borr said about Hartman’s potential at the regional.

Borr also likes what he sees from his 800-meter relay team and 1,600-meter relay team.

“Those relays are very strong,” Borr said. “We hope those two relays finish very high at regionals and qualify for state.”

Runners on the 1,600-meter relay team are Courtlan Gordon, Michael Shelton, Nathan Anders and Andrew Duckett. Gordon, Shelton and Anders were part of last year’s 1,600-meter relay team that qualified for the state finals.

Making up the 800-meter relay are Shelton, Gordon, Duckett and Cody Brackett.

Shelton and Gordon also have a chance to have a good day as sprinters. Gordon competes in the 400 and 200 meters, while Shelton competes in the 400 meters.

“We’re strong in the sprints,” Borr said. “We hope Gordon and Shelton get past the regionals as sprinters.”

Brandywine also hopes to get some points from its hurdlers. Anders, Duckett and Brenten Schau ran in the 300 and 110-meter hurdles.

Anders is also strong in the long jump.

“He’s been coming on here late,” Borr said. “We’re hoping for a high place from him in the long jump.”

In the long distance races, Brandywine will ride the legs of Michael Robbins. Robbins missed most of last year’s track season because of broken foot.

“I don’t know if he’ll qualify for the state finals,” Borr said about Robbins. “Any high time would be great for him. He’s running pretty strong of late.”

Parchment and Watervliet were the top two teams last year at the regional and Borr expects those two schools, along with Bangor, Constantine and Schoolcraft to pose a great challenge to his team.

“It’s a pretty tough field,” the 24th-year coach of the Bobcats said. “Our kids have to perform to the highest level and we have to get points where we are and aren’t expecting it.”