JCAA track and field outlook: Talented Tigers off the fast start | Sports

Track and field teams from the Jefferson County Activities Association have a rich history of success in the state meet.

The league has produced many individual state champions over the years, but no team winners since 2006, when the Crystal City girls, led by coach Dan Ridgeway, edged Marceline 56-49 for the Class 2 crown.

This year marks the 97th season for the boys state championships and the 49th for the girls. The state meet moved back to Adkins Stadium in Jefferson City in 2021 after COVID-19 wiped out the 2020 spring sports season and a tornado damaged Adkins in 2019, forcing the meet to splinter off to different sites. Classes 1-2 are May 20-21 and Classes 3-5 are May 27-28.

Many former state champions from JCAA schools have found success at the collegiate level. Isaiah Martin (Hillsboro, Purdue University), Anna Heacock (Jefferson, Wichita State University) and Mayson DeRousse (De Soto, Maryville University) are all competing at a high level in college. DeRousse won the state pole vault championship in 2018 and set the Maryville indoor record of 15 feet, 5 inches at the Great Lakes Valley Conference championships. Heacock, who competes in the heptathlon, set a personal best in the 100 hurdles in 14.29 seconds last month. Martin is an All-American for the Boilermakers and set the school record in the indoor heptathlon with 7,708 points in 2020.

It’s the gun lap for this year’s local seniors, many of whom are going on to college for track and other sports. The machine that is Festus distance running will defend its boys state title in the 4×800-meter relay (Class 4). Tiger seniors Jacob Meyers and Nathan Wolk were half of last year’s Tiger quartet in the event. They’ve known nothing but success as members of the school’s cross country team, with eight straight state titles. They hope to help the Tiger boys improve on their fourth-place finish (tie with Willard at 47 points) in the track and field team standings last year.

Here is a look at the local boys and girls track and field teams in the JCAA.

Crystal City Hornets

State championships: boys – 3 (1948, 1957, 1959); girls – 8 (1984-1989, 1993, 2006)

State trophy (top four finish): boys – 13; girls – 10

Head coach: Dan Fox (boys and girls)

Class 1 District 1 at Grandview

Boys: Sophomores Darian Barnett (100, 200, 400, javelin), Matt Bins (shot put, discus), Kanden Bolton (100, 4×100, long jump, high jump), Gary Kentch (shot put, discus), Antonio Lopez (shot put, discus), Caden Raftery (100, 4×100, javelin), Seth Senter (shot put, discus, javelin), Kanye Wigfall (100, 200, 400); juniors Sebastian DeGeare (pole vault, 100, 200, 400), Aiden Miller (200, 400, 4×200, 4×400), Hayden Reynolds (200, 400, 4×200, 4×400); seniors Connor Hartman (800, 1,600, 3,200), Pannawit Kongka (800, 1,600), Joe Schubert (100, 200, 400, discus), Hunter Westbrook (shot put, discus).

Girls: Freshmen Claire Marlow (100, 200, 4×100, pole vault), Sydney Partney (100, 200, 4×100, javelin); sophomores Lexi Thurman (100, 200, 4×100, 4×200), Katie Tipton (100, 200, 400, pole vault); juniors Abbie Edwards (100, 200, 4×100, javelin), Sophie Edwards (shot put, discus), Lauren Hartman (800, 1,600, 3,200).

The finish line: Only McCluer South-Berkeley (11) has won more girls state titles than the Hornets. Fox also is the head coach of Crystal City’s football team.

The Hornets had two freshmen state qualifiers last season, Thurman in the 100-meter dash and Bolton in the high jump. Several Hornets have set PRs in their first two meets this season. Thurman ran 13.82 seconds in the 100 and Bolton leaped 6.02 meters in the long jump. Mayes has clocked a personal-best of 17.47 in the 110 hurdles. At the Jefferson Invitational on March 29, Connor Hartman finished second in the 800 in 2:43.67 and won the 1,600 in 5:53.65, both PRs. Marlow was third in the pole vault at Jefferson, clearing 2.13 meters.

“(Senter) loves to throw heavy things over and over again,” Fox said. “He’s highly driven to succeed and a great student-athlete.”

De Soto Dragons

State championships: boys – 2 (1954, 1956)

State trophy (top four finish): boys – 6

Head coach: Terry Frank (girls), Robert Hyde (boys)

Class 4 District 1 at Notre Dame

(Cape Girardeau)

Boys: Juniors Trevor Pirtle (100, 200, 4×100, 4×200, long jump), Dominique Bourn (100, 200, 400, 4×100, 4×200, 4×400); seniors William Kaempfe (800, 1,600, 3,200), Tim Harmon (discus, shot put), Bowen Massey (100, 200, 4×100, 4×200, long jump);

Girls: Freshmen Neoles Bourn (100, 200, 4×100, 4×200), Mya Bell (400, 300 hurdles, 100 hurdles, 800), Cheyenne Boley (shot put, discus, javelin), Kyle Cook (discus, javelin), Autymn Crady (800, 1,600, 3,200, 4×800, 4×400), Delaney Martin (shot put, discus, javelin), Sophia Mullins (800, 1,600, 3,200, 4×800, 4×400), Cali Petty (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, 100, 200), Carleigh Smith (100, 200, pole vault); sophomores Jailey Pigg (800, 1,600, 3,200, 4×400, 4×800), Bailey Constantine (800, 1,600, 3,200, 4×400, 4×800), Jazmine Ellsworth (800, 1,600, pole vault, 4×400, 4×800), Noelle Innes (pole vault), Ashlynn Jones (discus, shot put), Richelle Rickermann (800, 1,600, 3,200, 4×800), Lily Strawhun (800, 1,600, 3,200, 4×800); juniors Morgan Broombaugh (pole vault), Meghan Mellor (100, 200, 4×100, 4×200), Dominique Mitkos (200, 400, 800, 4×200, 4×400, 4×800), Ashley Rogers (100, 200, 4×100, 4×200), Kylie Smetzer (100, 200, 400, 800, 4×100, 4×200, 4×400, 4×800); seniors Trista Grobe (javelin, discus, long jump, triple jump), Jill Heath (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, 4×200, 4×400, triple jump, javelin), Kayla Vogelsang (800, 1,600, 3,200, 4×400, 4×800), Riley Petsch (800, 1,600, 3,200, 4×400, 4×800), Kaitlyn Spiker (800, 1,600, 3,200, 4×400, 4×800), Allison Recar (800, 1,600, 3,200, 4×400, 4×800), Abigal Dean (800, 1,600, 3,200, 4×400, 4×800), Kayleigh Depew (800, 1,600, 3,200, 4×400, 4×800), Mackenzie Jones (discus, shot put).

The finish line: The Dragons have more depth than any team in the JCAA, especially on the girls team, which is loaded with distance and throwing talent. Grobe finished third in the state in the javelin (37.92 meters) last year but hasn’t been able to compete yet because of an injury. Heath finished two spots out of medal contention in the 300 hurdles at state, and the Dragon 4×200 relay that finished seventh at state lost everyone but Mellor to graduation. Vogelsang is a four-time state cross country medalist looking for her first state medal in track.

After winning his third state cross country medal last fall, Kaempfe closes out his prep career in pursuit of his second state medal in the 3,200. He was seventh at state in the long race in 2021 and finished second in the 1,600 in 4:30.15 at the Festus McCullough-Douglass Invitational on March 26. Harmon is a returning state qualifier in the discus and shot put, finishing sixth and fourth in those events at Festus last month.

“Our goals are always to have fun and compete,” Frank said. “We are a younger team in the sprints, jumps and throws, so we will likely have to get in shape early. We hope to be competitive within the conference and in the district. We have several individuals that we are hoping qualify for state and earn all-state honors.”

“We lost several seniors last season and have a young, inexperienced group,” Hyde said. “Our goal will be to continue to improve each day and be ready to perform at our best when districts, sectionals and state come around. We took six events to state last season and we look to improve on that.”

Festus Tigers

State championships: girls – 1 (1985)

State trophy (top four finish): boys – 3; girls – 7

Head coach: Wes Armbruster (girls), Chris Partney (boys)

Class 4 District 1 at Notre Dame

(Cape Girardeau)

Boys: Freshmen Essien Smith (sprints, jumps, relays), Hunter Bates (sprints, jumps, relays), Jneyvaun Lacey (sprints, jumps, relays), Aiden Cole (distance), Lucas Campbell (distance), Tate Uding (distance); sophomores Landon Bates (sprints, jumps, relays), Cody Evans (javelin), Austin Schutte (discus, shot put); juniors Reece Johnson (100, 200), Cullen Krieg (1,600, 3,200, 4×800), Austin Johnson (pole vault), Arhmad Branch (long jump, triple jump), Ian Schram (3,200, 4×800); seniors Jacob Meyers (800, 3,200, 4×800), Kaian Roberts-Day (110 hurdles, shot put), Anthony Pittman (110 hurdles), Cade Blankenship (200), Dalton Yates (pole vault), Nathan Wolk (800, 4×800).

Girls: Freshmen Olivia Gillam (sprints, relays), Rylie Moore (throws), MyKaila DeClue (sprints, relays), Haley Heibeck (jumps, sprints); sophomores Amiah Pittman (sprints, hurdles), Madison Caskanett (distance), Jeannie Thornborrow (distance), Ciara McDonald (discus, javelin), Angela Bloodworth (sprints, relays), Delanie Willis (jumps, sprints); juniors Ella Shy (pole vault, hurdles), Kayla Roberts-Day (throws), Alexis Biehle (sprints, relays), Presley Perry (sprints, relays), Dari White (distance), Ava Leftwich (distance); seniors Sophie Nolen (jumps, sprints), Kinsey Benack (sprints, relays), Taylor McMillin (throws), My’Kaila Batee (sprints, hurdles, relays), Emma Harris (jumps), Allison Faerber (distance).

The finish line: The Tiger boys (second place) and girls (first place) opened their home schedule with a bang at the McCullough-Douglass Invitational last month. Based on their depth in just about every event, both Festus squads are the prohibitive favorites in the JCAA. The boys, who include two athletes committed to NCAA Division I schools – Meyers to Wichita State University for cross country and track and Kaian Roberts-Day to Purdue University for football – are gunning for their third team state trophy in the last four years. Most of the boys cross country team that won its eighth straight state title last fall will fill up the open and relay distance events. At state last year, Meyers ran a leg on the championship 4×800 relay, finished fifth in the 3,200 and eighth in the 800. He ran a PR of 9:19.56 in the 3,200 at the McCullough-Douglass meet. Kaian Roberts-Day is a two-time state qualifier in the 110 hurdles and despite having competed in the shot put in only one other meet, he heaved it 14.06 meters for third place at the McCullough-Douglass meet. Reece Johnson qualified for state in the 100 and 200 and he is already close to late-season times in the first two meets this spring. Austin Johnson cleared 3.50 meters in the pole vault to set a new PR.

Kayla Roberts-Day finished sixth in the state in the shot put last year and took third at Festus last month. Shy is a state qualifier in the 100 hurdles and pole vault, where she finished eighth. The Festus girls 4×200 state qualifying team from 2021 lost just one of its top six runners. McDonald is poised to make the leap from sectionals to state. Biehle is the defending JCAA champ in the 100 and was a district winner in the 200. Six months after knee surgery last year, Benack qualified for state with the 4×200 and was a sectional qualifier in three other events. McMillin won the conference discus title last year. Injuries have hampered Faerber the last two seasons, but at McCullough-Douglass she ran her fastest time in the 3,200 since her freshman year. Armbruster said Leftwich is the “unquestioned leader” of the Tiger distance runners. Leftwich ran with Festus at state cross country when the Tigers finished one spot away from a team trophy. She’s already set PRs in the 1,600 and 3,200 this spring.

“Our team goal for 2022 is to become the best version of ourselves,” Armbruster said. “We’re very focused on the process it takes to improve daily, weekly, and by the end of the season, but we want to also remember to enjoy the journey.”

Partney has been the boys head coach for 14 years and has served the program for 24. During his time as head coach, the Tigers have won the conference six times and districts five times.

“It’s a little early to see a lot of PRs, so we are proud to have had a lot of promising performances this early,” he said.

Grandview Eagles

State championships: 0

State trophy (top four finish): 0

Head coach: Joseph Cagle (boys and girls)

Class 2 District 1 at Grandview

Boys: Freshmen Damian Maxwell (100), Owen Potter (discus); sophomores Tyler Pruitte (100, 300 hurdles), Ethan Ottoline (discus, shot put), Camron Hagen (100, 200); juniors Royce Haynes (200, 400, long jump), Jordan Quinn (long jump); seniors Brennen Barrale (400, 800, 1,600, 4×400), Devin Parker (400), Justin Sessums (discus, shot put), Clayton Riddle (javelin), Austin Welch (shot put).

Girls: senior Natalee Moore (4×100, 4×200, shot put); juniors Maggie Boker (4×100, 4×200, 4×400, 300 hurdles), Anna Belle Wakeland (400, 4×200, 4×400, high jump), Bridget Morris (200, 4×100, 4×200, 4×400), Danielle McClune (4×100, 4×200), Savannah Patterson (4×400), Irene Rodriguez de Peso (shot put).

The finish line: Parker qualified for state in the 400 last year. Wakeland, the girls basketball team’s leading scorer the past three seasons, qualified for state in the 400 and also was on two of Grandview’s three (4×100, 4×200, 4×400) state-qualifying relay teams. In the first competition of the season at the North County Raider Relays in Bonne Terre on March 23, the Eagle girls finished fourth, with Rodriguez de Peso winning the shot put in 10.17 meters and Moore setting a PR at 9.77.

“My goals for the girls team this year would be to win districts and make the podium in multiple events,” Cagle said. “My goal for the boys would be to get our relays and some individuals to state.”

Herculaneum Blackcats

State championships: boys – 1 (1979); girls – 1 (1983)

State trophy (top four finish): boys – 12; girls – 3

Head coach: Kyle Davis (boys and girls)

Class 3 District 2 at Herculaneum

Boys: Freshmen Cam Harris (100), Nate Wright (1,600), Luke Brice (javelin); sophomores Jacob Moreland (discus, shot put), Zachary Scurlock (discus), Shea Eberhardt (discus); juniors C.J. Asinger (200, 800 wheelchair), Lucas Bahr (long jump), Gabe Watkins (high jump); seniors Timothy Mize (shot put), Michael Moloney (pole vault), Dallin Fuller (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, high jump).

Girls: Sophomores Isabel Blankenship (shot put), Lyndsey Bray (4×200), Amia Moore (200), Eddyson Reeves (hurdles, sprints); juniors Breanna Thebeau (discus), Maria Orellana (4×200, 4×800), Camila Moore (4×800), Raven Vance (4×800), Ella Hoskins (4×200).

The finish line: Davis, fresh off leading the Herculaneum boys to a record-tying 13th state cross country championship last fall, is also the girls cross country coach and pulls double duty in track again this spring. The Blackcat girls qualified for state in the 4×200, 4×400 and 4×800 last year, placing eighth in the 4×800, and those teams return mostly intact. Reeves is the school’s top female wrestler.

Fuller qualified for state in the 110 and 300 hurdles a year ago and Moloney took eighth at state in the pole vault. After being named the JCAA small-schools co-MVP during basketball season, Watkins won the high jump in 1.72 meters at Farmington on March 31. Moloney won the pole vault there in 3.66. Asinger, who was a sectional wrestling qualifier this year, is the defending state champion in the wheelchair 800.

“The big team goals this year are to win district titles on both sides and to take a full bus to the state championships,” Davis said.

Hillsboro Hawks

State championships: 0

State trophy (top four finish): 0

Head coach: Dina Holland (girls); Todd Medley (boys)

Class 4 District 1 at Notre Dame

(Cape Girardeau)

Boys: Freshmen Preston Brown (sprints), Landon Pogue (3,200), Landon Losch; sophomores Chase Sucharski (100, long jump) Gregory Mann (1,600), Clayton Schneider (1,600), Dalton Ross (110, 300 hurdles), Payton Brown (300 hurdles, javelin), Nick Marchetti (javelin); juniors Jonah Allison (400, 800, 4×800), Josh Allison (1,600, 3,200, 4×800), Jesse Gore (400), Orville Mann (800), Noah Holland (200, long jump, triple jump), Gavin Vaughn (3,200), Harrison Voyles (100), Mitchell Lutes (110 hurdles), Nick Doerner (discus, shot put); seniors Tyler Watson (100), Kyle Suedkamp (200), Ryker Williams (110 hurdles, pole vault), Patrick Lee (high jump), Cody Bishop (pole vault), Cruz Valencia (sprints).

Girls: Freshmen Jillian Mayer (1,600), Jillian Woods (100, 400), Lorelei Johnson (100, 400), Kyliee Sullentrop (200, high jump), Ashley Dutton (200, long jump), Emily Wright (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, javelin); sophomores Alivia Branden (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles), Sophia Hamilton (100), Chloe Roam (200, 400), Destiny Thomas (high jump, long jump, triple jump), Krista Miller (long jump, triple jump), Kaylee Hilton (triple jump), Madelyn Shelby (pole vault); juniors Cassidy Herget (high jump), Brooklyn Johnson (800), Anna Crosby (1,600), Lexi Wallace (pole vault), Reese Buettner (4×400), Sidney Buettner (4×400); seniors Michelle Jones (3,200), Maya Wright (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, javelin), Haley Genge (discus, shot put).

The finish line: A few days after the Hawk boys won the Raider Relays and the girls finished second, the Hawk girls (third) and boys (fourth) had respectable finishes in a tough field at McCullough-Douglass. The Hillsboro boys are the defending JCAA and district champions but lost their main scorer, Sam Wright, to graduation. The Hawk boys 4×800, led by the Allison twins, could give Festus a run for their money in a continuation of the rivalry from cross country; Hillsboro was second in the event in 8:17.84 at Festus last month. Lee and Bishop are returning state qualifiers looking for a spot on the medal stand.

Cruz Valencia was another big point producer for the Hawks last year as a state qualifier in the 100, 200 and 400. The senior also plays baseball but a wrist injury that required surgery has sidelined him in that sport. Medley said Valencia is competing in track this spring. Voyles and Holland are superb multi-sport athletes who will join Valencia in the sprints.

The Wright sisters, Emily and Maya, are consistently high finishers in both hurdle events. Maya qualified for state in both last year and finished seventh in the longer race. Herget was seventh in the state in the high jump. Krysta Miller made it to Jefferson City in the long and triple jumps and Holland said she’s poised to break school records in those events. Nichols was a 2021 state qualifier in the 400 and junior twins Reese and Sidney Buettner return to the 4×400, which was a few seconds away from a state medal in 2021.

Both Hillsboro coaches reach milestones in their coaching careers this season; Holland has served as the girls head coach for 25 years and Medley has guided the boys for 10.

“Our goal this season is to improve our marks all the way through the postseason,” Holland said.

“The standard is the standard at Hillsboro,” Medley said. “And that is to be as excellent as possible, no matter what we are doing in practice or meets. There is no such thing as good enough.”

Jefferson Blue Jays

State championships: 0

State trophy (top four finish): girls – 3

Head coach: Justin Horn (boys and girls)

Class 3 District 1 at Notre Dame

(Cape Girardeau)

Boys: Juniors Mason Campbell (discus), Konner Armstrong (discus, shot put), Jess Blankenship (200, 4×400), Sean Usery (110 hurdles, 4×400), Cole Van (pole vault), Ian Ehrhardt (800); seniors Jeremiah Chipps (4×200, 4×400), Chase Politte (300 hurdles, 4×400), Jackson Combs (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, pole vault).

Girls: Freshmen Maggie Wrigley (200, 4×100, 4×200, high jump), Cecilia Ott (100, 4×100, 4×200, triple jump), Lacy Clatto (300 hurdles, 4×100, 4×200, pole vault); junior Allison Campbell (discus); seniors Reagan Kennedy (4×100, 4×200, long jump, triple jump), Kyla Allen (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, high jump, long jump), Maddie Edmond (pole vault), Katie Deevers (1,600), Haley McClung (1,600), Peyton Cattoor (400).

The finish line: After more than a decade as a Class 2 school in track and field, the Blue Jays were bumped up to Class 3 this season. That will put the girls’ streak of seven straight district titles to the test. Jefferson’s girls finished second at state for three consecutive years (2017 through 2019) and were 13th a year ago.

Allen was fifth in the state in the high jump in 1.51 meters last season and won the event in 1.56 at the Blue Jay Invitational last month. She also won the long jump at that meet in 4.76 and is Jefferson’s top hurdler. Wrigley took second in the 200 at Jefferson and her time of 26.76 was close to a school record. The 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams, made up of Wrigley, Kennedy, Clatto and Ott, also could threaten school records.

Jefferson didn’t have any boys qualify for state last year, but Armstrong already has tossed the shot a school-record 15 meters this spring, which would have been good enough for third place in Class 3 a year ago. Chipps, Politte, Blankenship and Usery set the school record in the 4×400 in 3:40.42.

St. Pius X Lancers

State championships: 0

State trophy (top four finish): 0

Head coach: Therese Ruble (boys and girls)

Class 2 District 1 at Grandview

Boys: Sophomore Joseph Halfmann (long jump, triple jump); seniors Nate Ruble (100, discus, shot put), Logan Jacobson (discus, javelin, shot put), Caleb Houston (100).

Girls: Freshmen Bridget Flanagan (100, 200, 100 hurdles, high jump, long jump), P.J. Krodinger (200, 400, 4×400, long jump); sophomore Mya Seek (100, 200, long jump); juniors Hannah Burch (discus, shot put), Rachel Eimer (800), Reagan Edwards (3,200), Michaela Eimer (3,200).

The finish line: Ruble’s son Nate is on the cusp of completing a magnificent senior year in multiple sports. He was the defensive MVP in the I-55 Conference during football season and was named basketball co-MVP (with Herculaneum’s Watkins) for the JCAA small-schools division. All that’s left for Ruble is to stand at the top of the medals podium at Adkins Stadium in Jefferson City next month. That’s where 2021 St. Pius graduate Cole Seek stood after winning the state crown in the triple jump (13.41) a year ago. Ruble won the JCAA discus title last year and then threw it three feet farther (a school-record 46.85 meters) to finish fourth at state. He won the discus at the Jefferson meet in 42.79 last month and was second in the shot put in 13.37.

Jacobson, the Lancer record holder in the javelin (42.24), was fourth in the javelin and sixth in the discus in the conference last year. He finished one place behind Ruble in both events at Jefferson.

On the girls side, Burch was eighth in the shot put in 10.53 at state last year. She placed second in the discus (29.81) and third in the shot put (10.63) at the Blue Jay meet. Krodinger is wrapping up an impressive freshman year that included leading the Lancers in scoring (13 points per game) during basketball season and earning all-conference recognition. She won the 400 in 1:03.23 at Jefferson and came in fourth in the 200 in 27.60.

“I’m looking for Nate and Logan to be strong team leaders,” Therese said. “Both throwers have started out strong with PRs.”

Windsor Owls

State championships: boys – 1 (1978)

State trophy (top four finish): boys – 1

Head coach: Stephanie Dueker-Richmond (girls); Jeff Stoffey (boys)

Class 4 District 1 at Notre Dame

(Cape Girardeau)

Boys: Sophomores Noah Harman (100, 4×100, 4×200), Alex Sullivan (200, 4×200, 4×400), Clayton Blassingame (200, 4×200, 4×400), A.J. Patrick (4×100, long jump, triple jump, high jump), Colin Carter (long jump, javelin), Brenton Shirk (triple jump); juniors Jordan Foster (100), Nick Daugherty (800, 1,600, 3,200); seniors Bradley Ahrens (1,600, 3,200, 4×400), Logan Chaney (4×200, 4×400, high jump), Aiden Ciuffa (pole vault), Alex Julian (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, 4×400), Conner Begeman (4×200, 4×400).

Girls: Freshmen Lily Pauley (pole vault), Abby Lanfersieck (hurdler), Kenzie McCoy (hurdles, high jump), Keira Dixon (sprints), Gracie Pryor (sprints), Ashley Perkins (sprints, jumps), Mia Nilson (sprints), Arianna Mercado (sprints), Hannah Jarnegan (sprints, throws), Audrey Menkhus (throws); sophomores Lauren LaPlant (throws), Adrianna Mancuso (sprints), Kylie Alaniz (sprints), Mariah Guseman (sprints), Maggie Bunton (high jump, throws), Delaney Rapp (pole vault), Sydney Green (jumps), Katie Boyster (jumps); juniors Maria Rafn (sprints), Madelyn Mancuso (sprints), Kaylyn Copeland (sprints), Olivia Plesons (distance), Charlotte Hyldig (distance), Colleen Griffaw (high jump), Emma Lawson (throws), Abby Holland (throws), Reagan Dailey (throws), Alyssa Crossen (jumps), Alyssa Baker (jumps); seniors Andrea Fernandez-Gonzalez (sprints), Jaelyn Sutton (sprints, jumps), Megan Terry (distance, throws, pole vault), Elise Lier (distance), Olivia Bunton (hurdler), Maggie Funston (hurdler, high jump), Alayna Green (high jump), Jade Allen (throws).

The finish line: Ahrens has piled up state medals in cross country and track the past two years and will graduate as one of the Owls’ all-time best distance runners. He was 25th as a junior and 14th last fall at state cross country and won two medals at state track last May, in the 1,600 (sixth, 4:29.27) and 4×400 relay (fifth, 3:31.29). He was the only runner in the 3,200 to crack 10 minutes (9:56.40) at the Old Settlement Invitational in Ste. Genevieve on April 1. The Windsor boys finished in second place at that meet with 106 points, one point behind Potosi. Chaney was the anchor on the Owls’ 4×400 at state last year and holds the school record in the high jump. He finished seventh at Ste. Gen in the high jump in 1.63. Ciuffa was seventh in the state in the pole vault last year at 3.96 and he’s shooting for the school record of 4.1. Julian qualified for state in the 110 hurdles last season and Stoffey said he’s aiming to make it back in both hurdles events this year. Harman won the 100 at Ste. Gen in 11.19.

Sophia Dubis, the only Windsor girl to qualify for state last year, finished third in the high jump and graduated last May. Rapp was fifth in the pole vault in 2.14 at Old Settlement, and Lawson was fourth there in the javelin in 30.67.

“Our ultimate goal is to peak in May,” Stoffey said. “If we can stay healthy, we are hoping to take several kids to state again. We had over 60 boys come out for track this season. (Windsor football head coach) Jeff Funton really helped get kids out. This is one of the deepest teams I’ve had, especially in the sprints. I have a great senior class, along with some very talented underclassmen, so I’m excited to see what they can accomplish this season.”

“I have the biggest team we’ve ever had but (we’re) very young,” Dueker-Richmond said. “My main goals for our young squad would be to gain experience, stay healthy and continue to progress so that in the future we are as seasoned as we are talented and deep.”