Jared Helmstadter, the only Class of 2016 senior at CHS to have played a sport in all 12 seasons of his high school career. (John Fisken photos)
Just days after she and the Wolf girls’ basketball team went to state, sophomore Allison Wenzel gets limbered up for the discus.
Sophomore Jacob Smith is one of the key returning runners for the Wolves.
Where did all these people come from?
At the same time softball and baseball have big enough rosters to field JV as well as varsity squads, the Coupeville High School track team has exploded in numbers.
Exploded, I say.
“We are really excited about our track team and what we can accomplish this season,” said CHS coach Randy King. “I’m pleased about all the newcomers that have decided to join us.
“Our coverage of events is going to be better than last year and we should have a bit more depth,” he added. “We have some top notch shots at league number ones, but it is the twos and threes and fours that add up those needed points for winning meets and the league.
“It is early, but I think both boys and girls have a shot to compete for a league title this spring.”
That’s a huge change from recent years, when the Wolves had to aim more at individual accomplishment.
Coupeville, though, kicks off this new season — its last before the school installs a new home track — with 45 athletes (25 guys, 20 girls), almost double from where it finished last season.
A strong middle school program headed up by Elizabeth Bitting has made a huge difference.
“Our middle school program is building and we are going to get excellent help from that group,” King said. “I know it is early, but practice has really been enjoyable.
“We have some excellent leadership from our returning athletes and they are like assistant coaches and advisers to our whole group,” he added. “As we finish up our first week, our coaches are really pleased with team attitude and work ethic.”
King has more help than ever before, as well, with Brett Smedley (conditioning/jumps), Chad Felgar (hurdlers/sprinters), Lincoln Kelley (throwers), Tom Fournier (sprints/jumps) and Laura Luginbill (distance runners) all chipping in.
The coaches have welcomed back 14 of last year’s 15 letter winners (only Marisa Etzell graduated), including five of the six athletes who went to state last spring.
Senior Makana Stone, who has brought home four state medals in three years (two each in the 400 and 4 x 200) heads that list, and she’s joined by senior Dalton Martin (5th in the discus last year) and junior Skyler Lawrence (16th in the shot).
Junior Lauren Grove, senior Sylvia Hurlburt and Stone all return from a 4 x 200 relay unit that finished 3rd at state in 2015, setting a school record of 1:46.64 at Cheney.
Along with Etzell, that quartet also reached state in the 4 x 100, but were disqualified on a bad baton hand-off.
Several younger runners are battling to replace Etzell on Coupeville’s top relay teams, with freshman Lindsey Roberts, who won 22 races across multiple events at the middle school level last year, the early favorite.
Even with his biggest roster in memory, King is still trolling the hallways and classrooms at CHS for more depth.
“We are still working hard to try and convince more to come out and enjoy the group dynamics of kids working on being healthy and having fun competing,” he said. “Us coaches have been excited with this group that we get to work with this year.”
The current roster:
R = returning athlete, L = letter winner
Girls:
Lauren Bayne (middle distance, high jump, throws) R, L
Kyla Briscoe (middle distances)
Jovanah Foote (sprints)
Lauren Grove (sprints, jumps) R, L
Naika Hallam (throws) R, L
Tomi Herrera (javelin)
Sylvia Hurlburt (sprints) R, L
Julia Jones (sprints)
Skyler Lawrence (throws) R, L
Samantha Leese (sprints, middle distance)
Estefanny Liquidano (throws)
Mckenzie Meyer (jumps)
Alexxis Otto (throws) R
Abby Parker (distance, javelin) R, L
Madison Rixe (sprints)
Lindsey Roberts (sprints, hurdles)
Ashlie Shank (sprints)
Emma Smith (throws, sprints)
Makana Stone (sprints, middle distance) R, L
Allison Wenzel (throws, hurdles) R
Boys:
Chris Battaglia (discus, middle distance)
Jakobi Baumann (distance)
Ariah Bepler (hurdles, jumps, throws)
Kyle Burnett (sprints)
Mitchell Carroll (jumps) R, L
Danny Conlisk (sprints, middle distance)
Dominic Dausey (sprints, throws)
Hunter Downes (sprints)
Gabe Eck (sprints)
Jordan Ford (jumps, sprints)
Jared Helmstadter (sprints) R, L
Jesse Hester (hurdles) R, L
Uriah Kastner (sprints)
Ethan Kedrowski (sprints)
Lathom Kelley (sprints, hurdles) R, L
Ryan Labrador (throws)
Nile Lockwood (sprints, throws)
Mitchell Losey (throws) R
Dalton Martin (throws) R, L
Jacob Martin (sprints, throws)
Grey Rische (throws) R
Jacob Smith (sprints) R, L
Keahi Sorrows (throws)
Connor Thompson (jumps) R, L
Henry Wynn (sprints, middle distance)
To see the track schedule (every meet is on the road), pop over to:
http://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/School.aspx?SchoolID=298
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