SD preparing for another strong season on the track

Mar. 20—With the indoor track season winding down with Saturday Hoosier State Indoor Meet at Indiana University, area track team turn the focus to the outdoor season.

South Decatur

The Cougars and Lady Cougars are preparing for another successful season on the track.

The Lady Cougars have 18 athletes out for the team. Lady Cougars' Head Coach Sariina Kalli will look at these 18 to fill a couple holes due to graduation last year including 2022 MHC discus champ Alli Nobbe and MHC high jump champ Paige Hibberd. The Lady Cougars are the defending MHC champions.

South returns two seniors in Bridgett Nobbe (middle distance) and Elizabeth Flessner (distance). Senior Hope Barker joins the squad as a sprinter.

Defending 2022 MHC and Decatur County 300 hurdles champion Maria Nobbe returns, as does the girls 4x100 relay team of Kiley Best, Clair Schoettmner, Madisyn Danforth and Zoe Meer.

Madisyn Danforth, who placed third at the sectional and qualified for the regional, also returns to the fold. South has six first-time members of the team including a senior, two juniors and three freshman.

Head Coach Dan Wenning's Cougars lost eight athletes to graduation including distance runners Trevor Newby and Josh Shouse, shot and discus powerhouse Ian Frensemeier, and sprinter/jumper Kelby Shook.

Three seniors return to the squad in Jack Hamilton (sprints), Chase Kalli (middle distance) and Rhett Martin (discus/sprints).

Senior Sebastyn Muckerheide (throws, possible distance) is new to the team this season.

Defending 2022 MHC and Decatur County 110 hurdles champion McKinley Shook returns, and the 4x100 relay team of Lucas Ballard, Owen Arreola, Shook and Martin will be a team to contend again with this season.

The Cougars are the 2-time defending MHC champs and have added 10 new athletes to the fold (one senior, five juniors, four sophomores and freshman), including German foreign exchange student Bjarne Karsten in jumps and middle distance.

"Our team is small, but nearly half of it is made up of a group of strong junior athletes. Our seven seniors bring a lot of experience, leadership, and depth to our team, both boys and girls," Coach Kalli said.

"We've pulled back a few runners that didn't come out last year, and we've got some athletes from other sports (football, basketball) that are stepping into track and field for the first time. We don't have a big freshmen group, but they are eager to learn and willing to try a variety of events," Coach Kalli added. "We had a good group of athletes in the weight room over the winter, and those putting in miles on their own, so the off season went well. We feel like we're a little bit ahead of the game compared to previous years, and we're looking forward to getting outside and building on everything we've started."

South opens the season at North Decatur April 4 and host the home opener April 6 against Morristown.

Rushville

Rushville will be taking six athletes to the Hoosier State Indoor Meet this Saturday. The focus then will turn to the outdoor season and hopes are high for another big season.

The Lady Lions return regional qualifiers Olivia Wehr, Cyndi Tush and Jenna Lawler. The Lady Lions have 35 athletes out for the team with a nice mix of talent and depth.

"I am looking forward to producing several Hoosier State qualifiers to compete next weekend at IU. This should set the tone and kick off the rest of the outdoor season," Coach Tush said.

Coach Tush added the Lady Lions have four qualified including Tush and Gabby Pavey in the pole vault, Lawlwer in the shot put and Carly Senour in the long jump.

On the boys side, senior Trenton Dyer is ninth in the high jump with a personal best jump of 6-0. Tristan Norris will compete in the long jump, ranked 10th in the state.

"We are in a good spot this 2023 season, as I feel we have left off right where we ended last spring. When we have Cyndi Tush and Trent Dyer jumping at their PR's in February, things can only go up from here," Coach Tush said. "The girls lost some key points from last year with sectional vhampion hurdler Lily Krodel, but we have made gains in every area. We have sophomore Railyn Combs, healthy, and ready to dominate in the sprints, senior Indya Burnett in the long and high jumps, Katie Ripberger and Trisha Morgan in the hurdles who are ready to fill the shoes of Krodel.

"Cyndi Tush and Gabby Pavey should carry us in the pole vault all season. Senior Olivia Wehr will show her leadership this season in the mid-distance races with a goal to claim my mile school record from 1991. Jenna Lawler will continue to dominate in both throwing events and our regional qualifying 4x800 team should dominate this year," Coach Tush added.

"We also added a few freshmen that will contribute and fill in the holes we had last season at sectionals. Leading the way is freshman Carly Senour in the sprints and long jump, Leonie Boyer in the high jump and relays, Mikayla Herbert and Jentri Wallace in the mid distance," Coach Tush said. "I was a little bitter after last year's sectional championships. We were third by only a few points to Richmond and Connersville. We didn't capitalize on many opportunities. This year we are working for a different outcome. We have the depth, talent, and motivation to have a great season. The Lady Lions are ready to accept any challenge and the girls are ready to work for their goal of being sectional champions this year."

The Lions have 40 members on the team. A strength for Rushville will be depth for Coach Jacob Bentley. Last year, the Lions were fourth at the sectional and fifth at the conference meet.

"Our team goals are of course to improve our standings in both sectional and conference. We certainly have the pieces in place to do so. We had a good turn out for preseason workouts with 40 boys showing up and participating in those workouts. I think our group has a good mixture of youth and experience that will need to be relied upon to achieve our team goals," Coach Bentley said.

Dyer is a key returner for the Lions.

"Dryer is a great kid, and a hard worker that I expect to have a great year in the high jump. Dyer is the type of kid that certainly has an opportunity and the ability to make a deep tournament run," Coach Bentley added. "A couple other key returners are Jayden Roosa and Dylan Thompson. Both are key pieces in the throws that I believe will be a strong area of our team. Roosa is a guy who last year tried throwing for the first time and placed in the sectional. He is a super hard worker and an explosive athlete who I believe can have a lot of success for our team. Thompson is a guy who has some throwing experience, but is such a natural athlete. I look forward to seeing the pairing of Roosa and Thompson in the throws develop throughout the school year."

Tristan Norris will be a factor for the Lions in the long jump.

"He is one that we hope can step up and fill the shoes of a previous senior from last year," Coach Bentley said.

Ot the track, some of the key performers are Harper Miller, who had a good regular season last year in the sprints. Ryan Schindler is a hard working distance kid who has a good amount of experience as the leader of that distance group.

"Some of the key newcomers that I am excited to see how they perform is Dayton Bates. Bates is an incoming freshman for us in the sprints, he has some natural quickness that should make for an instant impact on our team. Braydon Wilson, is another that I am excited to see how he develops throughout the season. Wilson is another naturally gifted athlete who has a lot of speed and acceleration that should help out a lot in the sprints and relays," Coach Bentley added. "Lastly, another is Liam Gurley. Gurley was a kid that qualified for middle school state in the throws last year. He is a long lengthy kid that I think can provide some good depth in throws and a guy who can push the older guys."

"Overall, our goal is to win. I have talked frequently with our team about having a winning season and winning championships. Ultimately that goes back to our team discussions about earning the right to win by pushing yourselves and teammates each and every day," Coach Bentley said.

Contact Aaron Kirchoff at aaron.kirchoff@greensburgdailynews.com.