Posted: 4/12/06
Girls track team looking for youth to develop
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Joe Drennan
Sports Editor
They may be young and not have much depth, but the Forest Lake High School girls track and field team does have talent.
ìWeíre really young, but I think we have some real good talent,î Rangers head coach Janet Howe said. ìWeíre not a deep team or a team that has strength in all areas, but there is a lot of hope that we have kids that will develop.î
The Rangers graduated some seniors from last yearís team like state participant Becky Alexander, leaving this yearís team made up of mostly ninth graders and sophomores.
Returning to the team is junior state participant Kristi Jo Buerkle. At the state meet last year Buerkle competed in both the 200 and 400 meter dash.
ìShe stands out to be the best leader of the group,î Howe said.
Another returning athlete is junior Brittni Lafontsee who has also competed in the state meet two years ago in the long jump.
She is a great jumper,î Howe said.
Sophomore Suburban East Conference high jumper Christy Newell is back and looking to defend her title.
Other high jumpers include sophomores Audrey Mills and Mary Blake.
ìWe look to be pretty strong in the high jump,î Howe said. ìThatís an area of strength for us.î
Sophomore Tracie Anderson is another jumper that Howe expects to blossom into a quality jumper.
The long jump is another area of strength for the Rangers as Lafontsee will be accompanied by a few younger jumpers.
In distance running junior Auralee McGary and senior Shawna McNamara are expected be place high in meets. Sophomore Annie Dehmlow will be another distance runner the Rangers will look to for points.
ìAnnie has been on the varsity team since seventh grade and I see big things from her,î Howe said.
Junior Kelsey Kosman will be one of the Rangers top sprinters. Sophomore Rae Moen was a bright surprise last year in sprints and this year Howe expects her to continue progressing as a top sprinter.
In the hurdles sophomore Danielle Boldenow will be looked upon to score the Rangers some points.
ìI see good things out of Danielle as I think sheíll come on strong,î Howe said.
The throwers will certainly miss the talents of Alexander, but junior Kierstin Nygaard and senior Nicole Schroeder will try to match those talents.
ìItíll be hard to replace Becky (Alexander), but those two girls will be the go to girls,î Howe said.
The pole vault is an event that the Rangers are searching for somebody to step up in.
ìWeíre kind of in a rebuilding stage in the pole vault,î Howe said.
Eighth grader KC Pringle, the younger sister of former Rangers pole vaulter Chalyn Pringle and Newell will probably be the top jumpers, and senior Krista Skoglund is trying her hand at the event for the first time.
Competition
The Rangers were supposed to open their season last Saturday at the SEC relays in Roseville, but Mother Nature ended the event early when it started to rain.
The Rangers next event is at 3:30 p.m. today, Thursday, at Woodbury.
Forest Lake Times
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