by Ben Murphy
Sports Writer
The Clare track teams have annually been some of the best in the state. Their veteran head coaches expect nothing different this spring, as they look to keep the team hardware and individual accolades pouring in.
The boys will be once again have Adam Burhans as head coach, as he enters his 18th season.
“This is probably one of the biggest teams I’ve had,” he said. “Shifting the pieces throughout the season is key. Lots of moving parts. Lots of Jack-Of-All-Trades that could do a lot of damage at different points of any meet. It’s a good problem to have.”
That bodes well for the Pioneers who have won four straight MITCA team state championships, have won regionals in five of the last six years and have claimed 17 straight Jack Pine Conference titles.
Back from last year’s team will be Aidan Paisley (all-state pole vault, sprints), Matt Morton (all-state sprints), Clayton Phillips (all-conference throws), Ethan Cook (all-conference throws), Jordan McPhall (all-conference throws), Hayden Wood (all-conference runner), Andrew Klaus (all-conference runner), Keagan Paisley (all-conference hurdles), Wyatt Allbee (all-conference hurdles), Karson Tocco (all-regional sprints, jumps), Caden Dunn (all-regional jumps), Ryan Rodenbo (all-conference sprints), Eli Meddles (all-conference sprints) and Dan Stevens (all-conference sprints).
Their big group of newcomers include seniors Garrett Stevenson (sprints, throws), Danny Welch (throws), juniors Ben Betzer (throws) and Sean Bomorra (sprints, throws), sophomores Nic Porter (distance), Logan Nation (multiple events), Alden Tait (distance), Donavan Marshall (multiple events) and Skyler Prout (multiple events).
Also joining are freshmen Ethan Reeves (multiple events), Kelso Baker (sprints, hurdles), Ty Allbee (hurdles), Max Macdonald (throws), James Edinborough (throws), Joey Bouchey (sprints, throws), Brayden Schmidt (multiple events), Caiden Gaskill (mid-distance), Isaiah Mulheron (distance), Ayden Barcia (distance), Carter Peacock (distance) and Hogan Walter (distance).
“(We are) working as a team and for each other,” Burhans said. “We should be balanced across all events. Annual goals remain the same; work together, work harder and the end result should reflect that. Every kid has an individual goal to improve upon the year before. We had tremendous winter training with lots of unknowns who will be known soon.”
As for the Lady Pioneers, who won the MITCA team state championship, regional championship and JPC championship last year, they should be in pretty good shape too.
“We have a great mix of returning veterans and incoming freshmen on this year’s team,” 11th year head coach Kyle McKown said. “The girls are working hard and off to a good start. It will continue to be about how hard that we work, the improvements that we will be able to make throughout the season, and making the pieces fit for our team.”
Returning from last year’s team will be Cayla Barber (sophomore), Kenna Barber (sophomore, state qualifier), Allie Boyd (senior), Paige Carstensen (senior), Alexah Coker (junior), Sofiah Coker (senior, state qualifier), Brooklyn Dangler (sophomore), Kara Forsberg (sophomore), Holley Gilmore (senior, all-state), Siara Gilmore (sophomore), Julia Haggart (sophomore), Ava Harton (sophomore), Holly Huber (sophomore), Morgan Jones (sophomore), Simone Kaechele (junior), Abby Leigh (senior, state qualifier), Ava Long (sophomore, state qualifier), Savannah Reno (sophomore), Teagan Russell (senior, all-state), Isabel Schroeder (senior), Bailey Seibt (sophomore), Tori Stevenson (sophomore), Hattie Veenkant (senior), Lily Ward (sophomore), Kassidy Warner (sophomore), Savannah Woods (sophomore) and Kaden Zelinski (sophomore).
New to the team will be Savannah Buzzelli, Caitlyn Harris, Skyler Kingsley, Calaya Leonard, Allison Nobis, Gracie Schaar, Tayler Seibt, Ella Seifert, Catherine Taft and Mackenzy Warner.
“Our focus so far has simply been on working hard, establishing a strong start to our season, and making progress in the early phases of the season,” McKown said. “We have depth in many events and will be looking for steady improvement throughout the season.”
They’ll obviously have some pretty lofty goals too.
“As a team, we would like to see every athlete continue to improve throughout the season and demonstrate that type of progress that they can be proud of,” McKown said. “Our team goals also include competing for a team state title, regional title, and Jack Pine Conference title. We would like to see continual progress throughout the season, to become deeper in certain events, and to have new athletes try events that may reveal talents that they did not know that they had.”
Clare has its first Jack Pine Conference meet at Meridian on Wednesday.
