Wolverines carry lots of optimism into track season

Nodaway Valley track and field coach Brett Welsch has plenty of reason for optimism entering the season.

Favorable early-spring weather has allowed the Wolverines to log quality practices, and the boys team brings strong numbers with more than 20 athletes out. The girls roster is smaller at 12, but coaches still expect to score meaningful team points and send top events to state.

“The boys numbers I’m happy with; the girls, I’d rather we have like 15,” Welsch said. “The Iowa State indoor went very well. Everybody kind of ran at their PR already before the season starts.”

Nodaway Valley is also implementing a new training approach this year — shorter, more intense practices focused on efficiency and form.

“We’re trying to get the kids out of here quicker,” Welsch said. “We want to get the central nervous system going. We’re trying to teach the kids to go all out with good form and trust that the process will be there by the end of the season. That’s completely different than I used to coach. I’m buying into it, and I think it’s really starting to work.”

On the girls side, three members of last year’s state-qualifying distance medley relay return: Haisley Zoubek, Allie Cornelison and Izzy Eisbach. The quartet — which also included Maddie Weston — placed 23rd in Class 1A with a time of 4:29.56. Eisbach also qualified individually in the 1,500m run, finishing 16th in 5:04.22.

Senior Emma Boswell, who competed at state last year for Orient-Macksburg in the long jump and high jump, has shown promising early results in both events at the first indoor meet. Welsch is also expecting strong contributions from Kylie Nelson in the sprints and freshman Abby Nelson in the mid-distance events.

Eisbach and Zoubek are currently dealing with minor injuries, but Welsch is confident both will recover.

On the boys side, distance runner Gabe Winkelmann returns as the team’s lone state qualifier after placing 18th in the 3,200m run in 10:19.14. He opened this season with a 10:23.56 in the same event at the first indoor meet.

“Gabe’s work ethic in the offseason is always really good,” Welsch said. “We’re also just trying to pay attention to his body, making sure he’s feeling good. Whenever I ask him how he’s doing on a scale of 1 to 10, he says ‘21.’ Great attitude.”

Welsch expects additional distance contributions from Paul and Luke Kading and Cherubim Mercado, while Haden Colton will compete in the mid-distance races. In the sprints and hurdles, Collin Akers, Cassius Burnside and Titan Foster have stood out early.

The outdoor season begins Tuesday, March 31, at Bedford. The Wolverines plan to use that to build their base to work from.

“We’re going to fill some events and get some times,” Welsch said. “It’s going to be exciting to see what we can do and put together. On the boys side, our goal is second, but maybe we can give Mount Ayr a run in the conference. We’ve got to get people in events. It’s just different because we haven’t been able to have all events filled.”