Trojans open season next week

Just one week into practice, it’s looking like it could be great 2017 season for the Whitehall High School track team.

Trojans head coach Dan Lacey said they have 31 kids who have come out, which is by far their biggest team in a while.

“We have some very goal minded athletes on this team and we are hoping to see individual improvements week by week and we want to get as many athletes to divisionals as possible,” he said.

On the boys side, Whitehall will be led by distance runner and senior Hunter Flynn who will return as a state placer, and senior Braden Larsen who was a state finals competitor in the 110 and 300 hurdles.

Lacey said they also have a talented group of jumpers back with state meet experience led by the duo of Jake Flynn and Braden Smith. He said others to watch compete in jumping events this year are Wyatt Alexander and Erik Reinschmidt.

Andrew Simon will also return as a state qualifier in the javelin.

Taking a look at the Lady Trojans, Lacey said they have Ann Russell, Alycia Loomis, and Kaya Welch coming back as solid contributors in the sprinting, jumping events, and the javelin.

He said some newcomers he will excited to watch and grow during the 2017 season are freshman Asha Noyes and Madison Loomis.

“We have nine girls out this year which is the most we have ever had. With them, we are focusing on the conditioning side of things these first few weeks to help them prepare for the upcoming season,” he said.

The Trojans will open the season Saturday, April 1 at the Sheridan Invitational in Dillon.

Lacey said the first few weeks the athletes are going to focus on getting back into track shape.

“We have a lot of basketball players that still need some rest from a successful basketball season, so we are giving them time to recover from that season as well. Are female athletes are very anxious to get competing. With the amount of boys we have out this season a district top three finish is something we are going to work hard to try and accomplish,” he said.