Posted: 4/16/03

Girls track team will need to be balanced

Berk Brown
Sports Editor

Forest Lake may enter the girls track season without a dominant athlete to score a lot of points, but coach Janet Howe isnít concerned.

She thinks the Rangers can overcome a lack of a premier point scorer with a balanced attack of excellent athletes in nearly every event.

At least, she said, thatís what it is going to take for the Rangers to make a run at knocking off White Bear Lake for a trip to the state true team meet this year.

ìFor us to do well, weíre going to have to pull points from every area,î Howe said. ìEven if we donít have any first-place finishes, we need to be in the thick of things in every event.

ìSome of the girls with experience are going to have to take the next step forward and take ownership in wanting to do well and perform in every meet.î

Forest Lake has four sprinters back this year with state meet experience in Samantha Haseltine, Ashley Bayer, Becky Schirmer and Carrie Evenson.

Freshman Lacee Enfield also has impressed Howe with some of her times in the sprint events this spring.

In the distance events, Howe will have Laura Edlund, Kristen Howe, Shawna McNamara, Betsy Garritsen to count on while Rachel Charpentier has done well early this season in the middle-distance races.

In the jumps, as well as adding depth in the sprints, Howe has back Julia Kouneski, Katie Bolenbaugh and Jackie Larson.

In the throws, school record holder in the shot put Ashley Wintheiser returns and she will be joined by Stephanie England and Becky Alexander.

Beth Zienty returns as one of the top pole vaulters in the Suburban East Conference this spring and Howe said it wouldnít surprise her if Zienty sets a new school record in the event by the end of the year.

Schirmer, Zienty and Joanna Koski look toe the teamís top hurdlers thus far in the season, Howe said.

While the Forest Lake sprinters got their experience at state two years ago, Howe said she expects them to want to get back even more in their final season of high school competition.
ìI think itís really important that they realize this is their last shot,î Howe said. ìI think they will put in the time and the effort it takes to reach (the state meet).

ìTheyíve been there and theyíve gotten a taste of it and now I think they want to get back there.î
Forest Lakeís distance runners could also stand a good chance of reaching state, Howe said, with the departure of the Rangersí own Stephanie Howe and some of Grand Rapidsí top runners.

ìI think they know their chances are a little better this year,î Howe said. ìI think, in the past, they havenít gotten their due recognition because of the other runners who were there. Now theyíve got their chance to step up and show their among the best distance runners in the state.î

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