Tuesday, March 30, 2004

City High takes aim at third straight title

By Jon Klinkowitz
Iowa City Press-Citizen

The City High girls track team should be used to reloading by now.

The Little Hawks will be shooting for their third straight state title this spring, and their sixth in the last eight years. But the losses will be hard to make up.

"Certainly there's an element of unknown over the last couple years," coach Terry Coleman said.

City High dominated the field last year in Des Moines, winning the championship by 40 points over West Des Moines Valley. But several key seniors are gone from that group.

Monica Mims, Meggan Reed and Maya Monitto-Webber were huge relay contributors, Jessica Elliott was a top thrower, and Kelly Sherry was a solid hurdler. All will be missed.

"This year, there's a lot of kids that could potentially fit in there, but you have to prove it out over the course of a season," Coleman said.

Key returnees include Nelle Trefz, who won state titles in the 1,500- and 3,000-meters and anchored the winning 4x800 relay. And Patrice Jones, Katie Krei, Emily Triplett, Ashton Strickland, Megan Hichwa, Kerry Kamber, Camille Jordan and Virginia Dreier all return from state-qualifying relays.

Jennie Funk ran on the winning 4x800 and took second in the 3,000, but was limited to those two events by injuries last year.

Top freshmen include sprinters Kelsey Mims, Elise Mozena and Signe Mueller, and middle-distance runner Sarah Ziggenhorn. Mueller holds the school record in the 200 at South East Junior High.

Junior Corie Wagner is the heir apparent to Elliott in the throwing events, Coleman said.

"The only area where it'd be nice to have some improvement is the jumps," Coleman said. "The high jump and long jump have been areas where we've struggled to score points at state. But other than that, the running events and the throws look good."

Coleman said the key to the season could be the middle distance.

"The 400s and 800s is the area where we lost the most points from last year's team. But so far, the kids have looked good."

Coleman expects strong competition from Valley, Cedar Falls and West High this year.

"At this point, I think a lot of teams are where we're at," he said. "By Drake (Relays) time, you're able to see what other teams' strengths are."

West High

Injuries slowed the Women of Troy at last year's state meet, leading to a fifth-place finish. But that didn't make it any more pleasant.

This year's crop of runners is looking to get back on top. West High won state titles in 2000 and 2001.

The indoor season was the best in coach Mike Parker's seven-year tenure. West High won four events at the Dickinson Relays, and five at the Iowa State indoor meet. Both meets feature huge state-wide fields.

"It's amazing where we've developed," Parker said. "All the returners are so much more prepared. We're ahead of where we were last year."

Alison Dirks has already high jumped 5 feet, 5 inches and is undefeated this season. Cae Lamb and freshman Kolie Eko aren't far behind. The other field events also look strong with senior Steph Koepp, junior Katie Schweitzer and freshman Danica Haight handling the throwing, and Liz Huntley and Eco long jumping.

Freshmen Katie Johnson and Lisa Mellecker will join Huntley and Amanda Judisch among the top sprinters. Chloe Mellecker, Christina Swift, Lindsay Freeman, Kristen Schaeffer and Katie Johnson are back as hurdlers.

Janet Dobyns, Claire Hall, Nicole Novak, Jacqueline Astor, Steph Mount, Naomi Hillsman and Julia Frudden all return as strong middle distance and distance runners, which is where West's table will be set, Parker said.

"We don't have to run out of our minds," Parker said. "We just have to focus on ourselves. Our distance runners can put us in the hunt."

West's not-so-secret weapon is freshman Sara Wickman, who beat defending 3,000 champion Nelle Trefz at the Dickinson Relays and won the state cross country meet.

"Sara is definitely special," Parker said. "That was only the second time she's run the 3,000 in her life. (With Frudden and Dobyns) we had three of the top five 3,000 times in the state at the end of the indoor season."

Parker said those distance runners could be the key.

"Last year we didn't take care of everything we have traditionally at the state meet," he said.

But Parker likes the team's overall balance, and said things could fall into place to challenge the cross-town Little Hawks once again.

"I don't sit down and add up what they have coming back and what's missing," he said. "But I know their program good enough to know that they're going to be good."

Regina

The Regals lost just two top seniors to graduation, but five girls chose to join Regina's new soccer team this spring.

"We are down. We had 33 out last year, and we have 26 this year," coach Chad Swope said. "Everybody who's on this team wants to be here ... We're shorter in numbers, but deeper in some areas."

Leading the pack this year will be junior Carly DuCharme, who can run just about anything and holds the school records in the 100 and 400 hurdles, and contributed to the 4x400 and sprint medley relay records. She won the 60 hurdles at Saturday's Dickinson Relays and took second in the state in the long jump last year despite battling a bad cold.

"She's willing to do whatever we ask her to," Swope said.

Hope Coffin, Katie Hurt, Nicki Steffen, Sarah White, Brianne Wulf, Andrea Hartley and Thao Nguyen will join DuCharme as top returning relay runners or hurdlers.

Katy Synan and Evelyn Ross join freshman Katie Ries on a distance squad that led the Regals to third place at the state cross country meet.

Freshman Lauren Ruppert also ran cross country, but will run shorter races in track. She was just .2 seconds away from DuCharme's junior high 400 record last year.

Freshman hurdler Whitney Hoogerwerf broke one of DuCharme's junior high hurdles records, and freshmen Erin Wagner and Vivian Tomkovitz will add to the sprints and middle distance, respectively.

Freshman Meredith Shive also shows potential to be strong thrower.

The Regals took seventh place in the state last year, and Swope said the team had the potential to equal or better last year's mark.

"The possibility is there," he said. "A lot of it will depend on Carly and Evelyn and these freshmen."

City High
  • Coach - Terry Coleman (5th season).
  • Last year's finish - 1st in MVC Super Meet, 1st at state.
  • Returning letter-winners (24) - Ruhee Arora, jr.; Sara Dietz, so.; Lindsey Diggelman, so.; Virginia Dreier, sr.; Kylee Evans, jr.; Drew Foreman, so.; Annie Fraga, so.; Libby Fredericks, so.; Jennie Funk, sr.; Megan Hichwa, sr.; Patrice Jones, jr.; Camille Jordan, sr.; Kerry Kamber, jr.; Katie Krei, jr.; Laura Krumm, jr.; Maggie Leyendecker, jr.; Cady Ploessl, jr.; Allison Roelf, jr.; Ashton Strickland, sr.; Nelle Trefz, sr.; Emily Tripplet, sr.; Corie Wagner, jr.; Tara Whiting, jr.; Crista Wiegert, so.

West High
  • Coach - Mike Parker (7th season).
  • Last year's finish - 3rd in MVC Super Meet, 5th at state.
  • Returning letter-winners (21) - Jacqueline Astor, so.; Heather Brechtel, jr.; Alison Dirks, jr.; Amanda Drisch, so.; Janet Dobyns, jr.; Jane Ebot, sr.; Lindsay Freeman, jr.; Julie Frudden, jr.; Claire Hall, so.; Naomi Hillsman, jr.; Liz Huntley, sr.; Amanda Judisch, sr.; Steph Koepp, sr.; Cae Lamb, jr.; Chloe Mellecker, jr.; Steph Mount, so.; Nicole Novak, sr.; Kate Schweitzer, jr.; Kristen Schaeffer sr.; Christina Swift, sr.; Annie McAleer, so.

Regina
  • Coach - Chad Swope (6th season).
  • Last year's EIHC finish - 6th (7th at state).
  • Returning letter-winners (14) - Hope Coffin, sr.; Nicki Steffen, sr.; Katie Hurt, sr.; Sarah White, jr.; Katy Synan, jr.; Evelyn Ross, jr.; Alyssa Reichelt, jr.; Caitlin Earles, jr.; Carly DuCharme, jr.; Meg Carney, jr.; Brianne Wulf, so.; Thao Nguyen, so.; Kady Homewood, so.; Maddy Hanrahan, so.

Clear Creek Amana
  • Coach - Jane Astor.
  • Last year's EIHC finish - Second (18th at state).
  • Returning letter-winners (18) - Marcy Rahn, sr.; Kelly Wood, sr.; Angela Ganschow, sr.; Carissa Bryson, jr.; Sami Buck, jr.; Lindsey Hesseltine, sr.; Kelsey Kahler, so.; Taylor Leichsenring, so.; Danielle DeBrower, so.; Christy Loan, so.; Shanda Novak, so.; Carrie Roller, jr.; Kelly Rugger, sr.; Sarah Sedivec, jr.; Danielle Spivey, sr.; Lilly Swenka, sr.; Savannah Walls, so.; Amy West, jr.
  • Outlook - The Clippers look strong up and down the lineup, led by senior Marcy Rahn, the defending state champion in the 3,000. Kelly Wood, Danielle Spivey and Lilly Swenka add depth to the long events.
  Lindsey Hesseltine, Sami Buck, Kelsey Kahler, Danielle DeBower and Savannah Walls return as hurdlers or sprinters, and should contribute to a strong shuttle hurdle relay team.
  Coach Jane Astor said the field events should be strong once again.
  "We sent all four events to state last spring," she said. "I think we'll be very tough there again. When you're strong in the field events, it really helps."
  Freshmen Renata Bryson and Allison Momany contributed in the cross country team. Bryson will continue distance running, but Momany will do the long jump and sprints.
  Clear Creek Amana lost the Eastern Iowa Hawkeye Conference to Mount Vernon by just four points last year.
  "One of the No. 1 goals most girls wrote down was to win the conference," Astor said. "They know in their hearts that they can win it."

Lone Tree
  • Coach - Mike Kautz (43rd season).
  • Last year's SEISC finish - 2nd.
  • Returning letter-winners (12) - Laura Czyze-wicz, sr.; Heidi DeGood, sr.; Rochelle Krueger, sr.; Brynne Zeman, sr.; Amy Smith, jr.; Kelsey Kessler, so.; Melissa Loan, so.; Justine Nixon, so.; Kylie Ronan, so.; Alissa Sotzen, so.; Heidi Swailes, so.; Rachel Yeggy, so.
  • Outlook - Just five upperclassmen return with letters for the Lions, leaving the team short on experience. Five of Lone Tree's top hurdlers graduated, including state qualifier Jessica Smith. But coach Mike Kautz likes the potential of freshman Brittany Danielson, who also can high jump.
  Senior Amy Smith is back as a top hurdler and the conference high jump champion. Also, senior Mallory Yakish will bring some experience to the middle distances.
  Lone Tree is fighting injuries early, and the team's youth makes goal-setting difficult, Kautz said.
  "I would hope that we could be average or better," he said.

West Liberty
  • Coach - Dennis Riley (21st season).
  • Last year's EIHC finish - 8th.
  • Returning letter-winners (11) - Jessica Brown, sr.; Jennifer Davis, sr.; Michelle Pelzer, sr.; Amy Morrison, sr.; Shawn Carter, sr.; Cathy Lambert, jr.; Ashley Martin, jr.; Becca Goos, so.; Cassie Rodocker, so.; Ashley Feldmann, so.; Sam Black, sr.
  • Outlook - Field events and individual running events will be West Liberty's strengths this year. Out of 23 Belles, nine are freshmen.
  Sam Black took fourth at the state meet in the 400 last year and holds the school record in the event. Michelle Pelzer qualified for state in the 100 hurdles, and Shawn Carter took 17th place in the shot put.
  Becca Goos and Amy Morrison high jump, and Cathy Lambert and Ashley Feldmann also throw.
  Sophomore newcomer Cindy Ayelo throws the discus and runs sprints, and freshmen Amanda Elizalde, Rocio Rivera and Celene Espinoza should contribute in the middle distances.
  "We've really had two pretty good years of qualifying," coach Dennis Riley said. "We took five events last year, so we've been blessed with some pretty good individuals. Hopefully, we can get five or six events to state, and we'll try to get a relay."

Mid-Prairie
  • Coach - Mark Hostetler (1st season).
  • Last year's EIHC finish - 11th.
  • Returning letter-winners (3) - Stephanie Patterson; Rexine Miller, jr.; Emily Stout.
  • Outlook - Coach Mark Hostetler is taking over the reigns at Mid-Prairie after coaching at Iowa Mennonite School for years. It looks as if he'll be rebuilding the Golden Hawks.
  Mid-Prairie has nearly two dozen athletes out after working with just six healthy runners last year. But most lack experience.
  "It's going to be a lot of building, learning what each one of them can do," Hostetler said. "Everybody wants to be a 4x100 runner.
  "I'd like to see one or two events make it to state and have the rest of the team go up and watch. If I can get them to do that, I'd be pretty happy."

Iowa Mennonite School
  • Coach - Gilbert Perez (2nd season).
  • Last year's SEISC finish - Not available.
  • Returning letter-winners (4) - Midori Beachy, jr.; Rachel Christy, so.; Jenny Hochstetler, so.; Rebecca Yoder, so.
  • Outlook - There may not be many IMS runners, but they're talented. Midori Beachy is the school record holder in the 1,500. Jenny Hochstetler and Rebecca Yoder are strong middle distance runners, and Rachel Christy is a solid sprinter.
  Freshman Annette Gingerich - who took third place at the state cross country meet - will add power to the distance events. Freshmen Megan Yoder and Maria Yoder are aboard as middle distance runners.
  Coach Gilbert Perez is hoping to get a relay or two to the state meet, in addition to an individual or two.
  "That's our goal," he said.

Solon
  • Coach - Brent Sands (3rd season).
  • Last year's EIHC finish - 7th.
  • Returning letter-winners (14) - Hannah Brumwell, sr.; Kelsey Cannon, sr.; Halle Grantham, sr.; Janette Kelsey, sr.; Lindsey Kidwell, jr.; Jill Lorence, jr.; Dana Manternach, jr.; Quinn Morelock, jr.; Lauren Slater, jr.; Amy Sokoll, jr.; Kaitlin Wilkinson, jr.; Jenni Brumwell, so.; Kelsey Kidwell, so.; Whitney Schwake, so.;
  • Outlook - With 14 letter-winners and several strong freshmen, the Spartans will have a complete squad.
  "We've had talent in the past, but this year we fill things out better," coach Brent Sands said. "We have people to put in all the distances in the medley. And we're solid in the field events."
  Janette Kelsey is back as a state qualifier in the 100 hurdles. She joins Kelsey Kidwell, Dana Manternach and Kaitlin Wilkinson as state qualifiers in the 4x400 or sprint medley relays.
  Freshmen include Stephanie Dolezal, Ashley Hamann, Jodie Krall, Ashley Matteson, Jenny Schuelke and Courtney Strang.
  "The freshmen are a pretty good quality group," Sands said. "They are going to have a pretty big impact."

West Branch
  • Coach - Harlan Ferguson (6th season).
  • Last year's EIHC finish - 5th.
  • Returning letter-winners (9) - Brittney Zimmerman, sr.; Jill Stevens, sr.; Sam Stoolman, jr.; Jess Paulsen, jr.; Bonnie Hahn, jr.; Courtney Casper, so.; Kalyn Harms, so.; Clara Hugill, so.; Jenna Liebergen, so.
  • Outlook - The Bears have depth, with 26 girls out, and they have talent. Bonnie Hahn holds the school record in the shot put, and Brittney Zimmerman took 6th place in the 3,000 at last year's state meet. Brittney's little sister, Nikki, took fourth place in the 3,000 at the Pella Indoor meet two weeks ago as a freshman. Kalyn Harms, Jenna Liebergen and Courtney Casper are back from the shuttle hurdle relay that took second at the conference meet, and Sam Stoolman anchored the conference-champion 4x400.
  One big loss was junior middle-distance Katie Lumpa, who tore her anterior cruciate ligament in basketball season and will not be able to run this year.
  Other strong freshmen include Natasha Sheyko, Jessica Skay, Megan Slagh, Emily Hemmingway and throwers Jade Slagh, Steph Worrell and Alyssa Barkalow.

Williamsburg
  • Coach - Nick Nordheim (1st season).
  • 2003 EIHC finish - 3rd; 6th at state.
  • Returning letter-winners (16) - Danielle Wiebold, sr.; Diana Meyer, sr.; Laura Glandorf, jr.; Tara Knock, so.; Autumn Huinker, jr.; Jessica Huinker, sr.; McKenzie Liechty, jr.; Maria Zuber, sr.; Kristi Onken, sr.; Allison Folkmann, sr.; Annie Jones, jr.; Kelly Marine, sr.; Alyssa Capper, so.; Terran Wertz, sr.; Amanda Stecker, jr.; Kelsey Witte, so.
  • Outlook - Williamsburg heads into 2004 trying to win the state title in the 4x800 for the eighth straight time. But this year, the Raiders will have to do it in Class 3A.
  "It's definitely something we're known for," said first-year coach Nick Nordheim, who takes over for Bill Neal. "I feel a bit of pressure to keep that streak going. It's going to be tough, but that's what we're known for, and it's still our goal to get that sucker again."
  Returning from the 4x800 team last year are seniors Terran Wertz - who was third in the 1,500 at state - and Kelly Marine. Sophomore Kelsey Witte, who also ran on the 4x800 at state, is recovering from knee surgery, and could be back later in the season.
  Nordheim, who ran track at Iowa, is also excited about sophomore Alyssa Capper and freshmen Sara Krippen and Kelly Schafbuch in the 800.
  In addition to the Raiders' strong returning nucleus, Nordheim said sophomore Monica Driscoll may score big points in the high jump for the Raiders.
  "I couldn't be happier with our training," Nordheim said. "I still feel like we are a top three (state meet) team, even though we are up a class."