Wolverines return 10 girls from last year's state team

Editor’s Note: This online version reflects a correction in which Maddie Weston was incorrectly omitted in the print edition as having been a member of the 4x100, 4x200 and sprint medley relays.

The school calendar has turned to the spring sports season as outdoor track and field meets begin in less than a week’s time. That beginning always brings some excitement to the area as the Nodaway Valley Wolverine girl’s track and field team begins its public path to the state track and field meet in Des Moines in May.

Preseason workouts began in February and now that hard work will start to show in meets. The Wolverines first outdoor meet is scheduled for March 26 at the Bedford Bulldog Relays.

“We have had some good weather and that has helped out in getting ready for the season. We have had only one day where we have been inside so far (going into the week of March 18),” said Nodaway Valley head coach Brett Welsch. “Our times are better at this point of the year than last year, and that is exciting.”

This year the roster will consist of 16 girls. Of those, there are six seniors, three juniors, four sophomores, and three freshmen. Of the 16 out, 10 return from last year’s team. There are six new faces on the team this season.

Last year, the Wolverines sent eight events to the state meet with nine athletes, placing eighth in Class 2A. Nodaway Valley scored 26 points, and was four points away from a top-4 team finish and seven points from being the Class 2A state runners-up.

The Wolverines were Class 1A runners-up in the 4x100-meter relay with Maddie Weston, Abby Engles, Emma Lundy, and Annika Nelson, and runners-up in the 4X200-meter relay with the same quartet. Lundy placed fourth in the 200-meter dash and has seven career state medals going into this season. Also placing fourth was the Wolverines’ sprint medley relay team with three returning runners in Lundy, Weston and Grace Britten. Nelson is the only returner on the Wolverine shuttle hurdle relay from last year while Jorja Holliday was 23rd in 1A in the shot put last year.

Back from that team are seniors Annika Nelson, Emma Lundy, Grace Britten, and Jorja Holliday. Junior Maddie Weston returns as well from state last year. Graduated seniors Fry and Engles depart while juniors Liv Laughery, Taylor Day, and Bailey Carstens are not out. Sophomore Caroline Britten is recovering from a knee injury sustained in the volleyball season. Sophomore Kacie Ford also is not out this year. Lundy has committed to Northwest Missouri State to run track, Grace Britten likely will wrestle in college, Davis is committed to play basketball at Upper Iowa University.

Also back from last year’s team are senior Megan McCall, juniors Jazz Christensen and Joanna Larson, and sophomores Haisley Zoubek and Kylie Nelson. Larson was a sprinter while Christensen, Zoubek, Nelson, and McCall ran distance events last year.

New faces out this year will be senior Lindsey Davis, sophomores Chloe Rardin and Izzy Eisbach, and a trio of freshmen in Allie Cornelison, Ashlyn Lund, and Addison Glade. Davis was out as a freshman and was on the second best 4x800-meter and distance medley relay times that season for NV. Both Davis and Eisbach were out for golf last year, helping the Wolverines to a Regional Final appearance a year ago. Rardin also plays softball and the trio of freshmen are coming to the program after completing basketball this past winter.

“We have some competitors on this team, and some high goals,” said Welsch. “There is a lot to be excited about from the seniors down to the freshmen. I think it will be a good year.”

The schedule will feature 10 meets, the Drake Relays, and the POI meet on April 29 at Mount Ayr. The Drake Relays are April 25-27 in Des Moines. The Wolverines will host a meet on April 1.