Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Members of the 2015 Kimball girls track team, pictured front row, from left, are: Lila Moore, Kennedy Lewis, Alex Reader and Hannah Biesecker. Pictured, middle row, from left, are: Olivia Ryschon, Jannel Fiehtner, Raelynn Hinton, Taylor Muldoon and Kaitlin Wurdeman. Pictured, back row, from left, are: Madison Biesecker, Ali Hunsaker, Danika Daum, Mikayla Fiehtner and Ireland Olson. Not pictured: Jessica Hanks and Audrey McDowall.
Members of the Kimball boys track team are gearing up for the season.
A total of 44 spirited young men and women turned out for the first official Kimball High Track practice on March 2nd with 28 boys and 16 girls listed on the roster coach Gene Mohr handed me. Coach Mohr was very pleased with the number of boys but would have liked to see the girl numbers up.
"Yes, I am very pleased with the number of boys we have out with 8 seniors and 10 freshmen. This means we have good leadership and maturity back and that we have a lot of interest from our incoming young athletes. I would like to see more girls, but I will say that we have some real quality athletes on the gir1s squad, but we have on1y one senior."
Lets go ladies first. That lone senior is Jessica Hanks, who will perform in the shot and discus and of course is a returning letter winner who has been a point scorer the past three seasons. There is a total of 7 returning letter winners and two returning state qualifiers in juniors Madison Biesecker in the 300 hurdles after setting a new school record in the event last year as a sophomore, and Ali Hunsaker in the 200 meter dash. Both of these ladies are athletic enough that coach Mohr may explore other events with them as well this season. There are five juniors back and all five are returning letter winners.
Along with Biesecker and Hunsaker, Danika Daum is a returning junior letter winner in the shot and discus, Mikayla Fiehtner a returning junior letter winner in the 100 meter hurdles, and Ireland and Olson a returning junior letter winner in the 300 hurdles. The other letter winner back is sophomore Jannel Fiehtner in the 400.
Coach Mohr lists among his top newcomers sophomore Raelynn Hinton who is expected to shine in the 800 meters. She was injured last year and had to sit out. Two freshmen listed are Alex Reader in the pole vault and Hannah Biesecker in the long jump with both coming off outstanding junior high seasons a year ago.
In his season outlook comments, coach Mohr said, "The size of the team this year is smaller but the quality of the athletes is high. Look for us to be in the top listings at all of our meets. Our district is tough but I hope to see us return some state qualifiers. We have many juniors that placed at meets last year and with some talented new faces, we should do well. Our goal this season is to set more school records and get more athletes qualified for state."
There are 10 returning lettermen on the boys squad and only one state qualifier back in sophomore Jaden Withrow who made the trip last year as a freshman in the triple jump, an event in which he excels, having already moved into the Kimball High School top ten record listing at the number four spot with a best jump of 43'3"! The sky is the limit for this young man as he has gotten stronger and faster and still has great technique.
There are 7 returning senior lettermen including Ryan Muneio, a middle distance ace who will be running track at Midland University in Fremont next season. Damien Rutledge in the shot who finished 4th at districts last season and is also headed to Midland on a football scholarship and is considering track as well. Ben Sauter in the discus and returns stronger than a year ago according to Kimball coaches, and Colton Stull in the long jump after finishing 3rd and just out of a trip to state at last year's district meet. Jonathon Withrow is also a triple jumper like his young brother and wound up 6th at the district meet last season. Justin Mohr is a solid performer in the vault and should be around 12 feet this season the coaches say.
A pair of returning junior letter winners are Ethan Land in the high jump and in preseason he has been around 6 foot already. Trent Rutledge is another vaulter who wound up 3rd at districts last year. Tyrus Gawith, a sophomore, lettered as a freshman in the vault and the Horns are strong in the vault event.
Just like he commented on the girls, coach Mohr said, "Our district is very tough, but the way we competed at district last year made the team and us coaches very proud. Our goals are to finish 1st or 2nd in the conference meets and to get more of our athletes to the state meet."
The coaching staff returns intact with Mohr the head man, Dane Wurdeman working with the weight people, Jim Reeves with the distance runners, and Wade Brashear with the jumpers. Kimball actually opened the season at the Chadron Indoor on March 21, a meet they have not attended prior. They will open outside at their own Kimball Invitational on March 28 with a 9 a.m. start time.