Posted: 4/13/05
Girls track team is a young team with potential
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Joe Drennan
Sports Editor
This yearís Forest Lake High School girls track team is a large team that is made up mostly of freshmen and sophomores, but that doesnít bother head coach Janet Howe.
ìItís encouraging and exciting that we have such a young group out this year,î Howe said. ìThe goal is to continue getting those big numbers in the lower grades and keep them as they get older.î
Leading the sprinters is state participant Kristi Buerkle as she leads a crew that is filled out by Kelsey Kosmon, Brittni LaFontsee and JoAnna Koski. Freshmen Audrey Mills and Christy Newell are two freshmen Howe thinks might earn some points for the Rangers as well.
Newell and Koski will be clearing the hurdles with Chelynne Pringle.
Possibly the Rangers strongest area is distance. The distance runners Howe expects to step up are Auralee McGary, Shauna McNamara, Annie Dehmlow and nordic skier Sarah Wright is out for track for the first time this year.
The throwers will be led by state participant Becky Alexander and teammate Stef England. Kierstin Nygaard will join the two atop the pack.
ìKierstin worked incredibly hard in the offseason and is reaping the benefits of her hard work,î Howe said.
In other field events jumper Brittni LaFontsee will be the top jumper.
ìWeíre looking to fill in the other areas with the young athletes and weíre looking to have the older athletes learn a new trade quickly,î Howe said.
Competing in one of the strongest conferences in the state, Howe says the Rangers wonít be focusing on regular season meet team results, but instead working on bringing times down in races and extending the heights or distances of the field athletes.
ìWeíre still a young team and we have some good potential,î Howe said. ìOur goal as coaches is that by the end of the season to tweak things to bring together a good squad.î
Peaking at the end of the season is exactly what Howe hopes the Rangers do, qualifying as many athletes for the state meet as possible. The past several seasons the Rangers have sent multiple athletes to the state meet and Howe doesnít see why that canít happen again this year.
ìOur goal each year is to try and have a lot of fun, to see improvement in each of their times or distances and ultimately get as many girls to the state meet,î Howe said.
The Rangers next meet is today, Thursday, when they host the Forest Lake Invitational at 3:30 p.m. at the track at Century Junior High. Academy of the Holy Angels, Minneapolis South, Stillwater, Tartan and Woodbury will all be competing against the Rangers at the invite.
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
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