2nd in state in long jump and 100 hurdles last spring
(photo by Jim Lindquist)
Last spring the Tigers roared to a school-best fourth place finish at the Class AA State Track and Field Championships. Based on the large number of returnees from that squad, the 2012 season offers even more promise.
"We have 65 girls out this year," coach Tom Hart said, "so it always helps to have depth. We have a good number of experienced athletes returning and early on we will be getting our younger athletes experience at our indoor meets.
"The girls who ran at state last year are hungry again, so I look for good things from them both in leadership and performance....So far the intra-team competition has been great to see. It is making everyone better each day at practice."
Leading the list of veterans are senior hurdler/sprinter Alyssa Parco and junior hurdler/jumper Naida Lorencz.
Alyssa Parco
3rd in state in 300-meter hurdles in 2011
(photo by Jim Lindquist)
Lorencz finished second at state in both the 100-meter hurdles and long jump while Parco capped her third straight trip to state with a third place finish in the 300-meter hurdles. Parco also ran a leg of the 4x400 meter relay team that placed fourth at state.
Junior Maria Kiminski and sophomore Izzie Ferm, both all-Missota Conference performers last spring, also ran on that relay team and will be counted upon to score a lot of points in the sprints and middle distance events.
Sophomore Kelli Elmer (sprints/jumps), another all-Missota performer last season, heads the list of other returnees that includes seniors Jessica Arey (hurdlesl/jumps), Abby Haugen (vault/jumps), Elizabeth Okikiolu (sprints) and Kayla Watne (vault/sprints); juniors Alex Frost (distance), Courtney Johnston (sprints) and Kelsey Lindell (sprints/jumps); sophomores Kathryn Beckett (hurdles/jumps), Ally Grebner (throws/sprints), Kelly Kornmann (sprints), Maricia Pacheco (distance) and Hannah Seitzinegr (distance); freshmen Meghan Graham (middle distance) and Tori Jacoby (distance) and eighth-grader Marciello Pacheco (distance).
"We also have a good group of new upperclassmen and ninth graders," Hart said, "and many of them look like they will be able to help us."
While strong in many events, Hart said his team will have to fill some holes in others in order to reach its goals.
"We need more experience in the short sprints and our distance runners need to start moving up in places." he said. "In the field events, we'll need scoring from our throwers, pole vaulters and high jumpers...As always, how healthy we stay will play a big role in what kind of success we have."
Hart said his team hopes to challenge Chanhassen and New Prague for Missota Conference honors with the Tigers, Lakeville North and Lakeville South the three teams to challenge for the Section 1AA crown.
Hart said he is always looking to improve his team's conference and section finish.
"Being the champion is always our goal," he said, "and at the section meet we want to place as many performers as possible and qualify as many as we can for the state meet."
Lisa Lippold (distance), Joe McCarthy (middle distance) Julian Buss (pole vault), Maggie Endersbe (hurdles/jumps) and Justyn Helgeson (throws) will serve as assistant coaches this spring.
The Tigers have two early indoor scrimmages and then open their regular season Tuesday, Apr. 3, with a home dual meet with Missota Conference rival Shakopee.
