Members of the Perkins County boys track and field team are (front row, l-r): Matthew McClung, Colton Pouk, Irvin Reyes, Bryder Hickey, Brandon Knoles and Hayden Foster. Middle row: Kyler Bullock, Austin Meyer, Jarin Tines, Erik Snyder, Triston Hite, Trye Hickey, Jeb Kohl, Shawn Lyon, Huntin Taylor and Ashton Meyer. Back row: Matthew Wendell, Ian Sihm, Jace Wid, Caleb Lagler, Alex Patrick, Spencer Ross, Caden Waitley, Jaden Dietlein, Matthew Hahn, Evan Sestak and Emilio Perez. Not pictured: Chase Johnson.
Members of the Lady Plainsmen track and field team are pictured, front row, left to right: Juels Lyon, Meghan Bishop, Kiara Schulze, Hailey Snyder, Bella Fraizer, Miah Long and Kristen Bullock. Back row: Autumn Anderson, Hannah Kempf, Kayton Brueggeman, Dani Burge, Rylee Huff, Maddy Ingold, Hallie Fisher and Kylie Tucker. Not pictured are: Abigail Schmidt, Jessie Craig, Samantha Patrick, Jasmine Perez, Jayden Huntsman and Savannah Clark.
Home meet first for Plainsmen
This year’s track season kicks off tomorrow, Thursday, March 21 with the Plainsmen’s pre-season meet on the E. Lee Todd track in Grant.
Head Coach Shayne Hite has 28 boys and 19 girls out this season, with 10 meets scheduled before districts. Hite is assisted by Dean Friedel, Paula Wurst and Ryan Boldt.
Hite coaches the 400, 800, hurdles, sprint relays, long jump and triple jump. Friedel handles the weight events, with Wurst taking care of the high jump, 1600, 3200 and distance relays. Boldt coaches the 100, 200, sprint relays and pole vault.
Boys
Hite returns 17 letter winners and three state qualifiers. Ten freshmen join the team this year.
Alex Patrick qualified for state last year in the 200, Caden Waitley in the 800 and Evan Sestak in the 110 hurdles. Patrick and Sestak were two of the four members who qualified in the 1600-meter relay.
Patrick was also the SPVA champion in the 100, 200 and 400. The team received the silver at the conference meet.
Hite said they have several juniors and seniors they will look to for leadership and points this season.
“Our numbers for boys are good for us this year and we are hoping we can create a little depth in some events. We have several freshmen out this season and I am hoping they develop fast in some events and contribute points for us,” said Hite.
Seniors—Jaden Dietlein, Matthew Hahn, Emilio Perez, Caden Waitley, Jarin Tines, Spencer Ross.
Juniors:—Trye Hickey, Caleb Lagler, Matthew McClung, Alex Patrick, Evan Sestak, Ian Sihm, Kyler Bullock, Jace Wid, Matthew Wendell.
Sophomores—Bryder Hickey, Brandon Knoles, Irvin Reyes.
Freshmen—Hayden Foster, Jeb Kohl, Erik Snyder, Shawn Lyon, Chase Johnson, Austin Meyer, Huntin Taylor, Colton Pouk, Triston Hite, Ashton Meyer.
Girls
There are six returning letter winners on the girls’ team this season. The team of 19 includes one senior, one junior, five sophomores and 12 freshmen.
“We have a good number of girls out for track this season, adding a dozen freshmen girls. We return the majority of our point scorers this season and hope they will provide great leadership as well. I hope to have some of those younger athletes contribute early in the season” said Hite.
Seniors—Hailey Snyder.
Juniors—Bella Fraizer.
Sophomores—Dani Burge, Rylee Huff, Hannah Kempf, Miah Long, Abigail Schmidt.
Freshmen—Meghan Bishop, Hallie Fisher, Samantha Patrick, Autumn Anderson, Kayton Brueggeman, Kristen Bullock, Kiara Schultze, Juels Lyon, Jayden Huntsman, Kylie Tucker, Savannah Clark, Madelyn Ingold