The Heartland Track Team will compete today at the annual Doane University Class C Indoor Meet. The schedule is listed below, with the field events starting at 1 p.m. and running events at 3 p.m.
The Heartland Huskies are up and running despite the recent snow days! They will compete today at their first indoor meet of the year at Doane University on Friday, March 21st. There are 47 students out for track—22 girls and 25 boys. Head Coach Christa Lindsay is hopeful that a wide range of individuals will qualify for state this year.
“We have 10 state returners this year, and we are moving up from Class D to Class C this season. We will be one of the smallest Class C schools making the move up by only one student,” Coach Lindsay said. She sees it as a challenge for the Huskies and an opportunity to compete against different athletes this spring within their district. Besides a new district, the track schedule will be the same as that of previous seasons.
Due to the snow days without school or practice, the team hasn’t had as much time to prepare for the indoor meet at Doane, but Coach Lindsay said it will be a good chance to see where everyone is at with their events. With a quick turnaround, the team will travel to Sutton next week for their first outdoor meet.
A few newcomers this year are Heartland’s two foreign exchange students–Ariene Solouze and Enzo Okuyama. “It will be fun to see how they can contribute. Ariene will probably run the sprints, 400, and the 4 x 4 relay, and Enzo is more of a middle and long-distance runner,” said Coach Lindsay.
A returning standout for Heartland is Tara Buzek, who placed 4th in the 1600 and 14th in the 800 last year at State. She was also on the 4 x 400 relay at State, placing 8th. Coach Lindsay hopes to see Carter Siebert and Sam Quiring improve in the high jump, and Hallie Tessman will be competitive in the pole vault.
With the change to Class C, Districts will be held in Woodriver.
Mike Bergen, Ben Lindsay, Heidi Ruhl, Corbin Tessman, and Erik Wetjen are the assistant coaches, and former Heartland graduate Austin Stuhr will volunteer to help with the sprinters.
HEARTLAND GIRLS TRACK TEAM
Front row L to R: KatrinaMarie Epp, Emersyn Oswald, Isabel Johnson; 2nd row: Laura Splinter, Abby Nolan, Faith Hiebner, Grace Splinter, and Hallie Tessman; 3rd row: Madalyn Janzen, Meggan Friesen, Ariane Solouze, Tara Buzek, Kinsley Friesen, and Amanda Goertzen; 4th row: Ashlyn Rotter, Katelyn Farrall, Cadence Swim, Sophie Minary, Kate Haidle, Julia Tessman and Kali Barta. Not pictured Riley Quiring
HEARTLAND BOYS TRACK TEAM
Front row L to R: Luis Alvarez, Brady Goertzen, Carter Siebert, Thane Wetjen, Sam Quiring, and Enzo Okuyama; 2nd row: Samuel Friesen, Braden Janzen, Brayden Ogorzolka, Will Regier, Trenton Goertzen, Holden Switzer, and Joshua Goertzen; 3rd row: Kaleb Ostrander, Zaine Swartzendruber, Nevada Gloystein, Maddox Regier, and Lane Farrall; 4th row: Brooks Burgess, Jonathan Friesen, Adrik Friesen, River Glinsmann, Rigs Newton, Waylon Tessman, and Brian Bearinger. photos courtesy Cody Farrall
