Colby in hot pursuit of the Cloverbelt

Experience & talent return to Colby in ‘21

There will be no problem filling events with sprinters, runners and jumpers for this year’s edition of the Colby Hornets track and field teams. Head coach Chrisie Wright says the 2021 Colby boys and girls track teams boasts one of the deepest rosters she’s seen in her 18 years of leading the program.

In all, nearly 50 athletes will run, jump and throw for Colby High, and those numbers have both coaches and athletes looking forward to the season.

“We . . . couldn’t be happier with our numbers,” Wright exclaims. “We have more opportunities for growth, as our numbers with our younger athletes are up. That makes for a more competitive team as they work through the season.”

Not having a season last year will be a hurdle to overcome, as coaches work to assess athletes’ strengths and weaknesses, but Wright says this will be a common problem for all teams.

“Being that the entire state is in the same boat, we aren’t focused on that part and need to move forward.”

Wright and fellow coaches Bryon Graun, Joe Kleinschmidt and Anne Rau know they can’t get last year back, but the WIAA, as it has done with all spring sports, is giving schools 15 contact days to get back into a routine.

Colby’s Kaylee Podevels, a state qualifi er in the high-jump in 2019, is attacking those contact days with a will. She hopes her hard work will be an example to others to work just as hard.

“I hope what the team gets out of this is realizing these fifteen days are serious and important,” Podevels says. “You can’t take it easy and these fifteen days should be used to get better and learn to work together.”

Podevels is taking on a greater leadership role this year, and she’s hoping that others can learn from her and her run to the state meet two years ago.

“I know what it takes to get to that point, and I want everyone to have a shot at making it,” Podevels says. “I want the freshmen to know how much time and effort it takes to get that far. I hope everyone is on the same page and puts in the hard work.”

Obviously coaches want their athletes to succeed, but regardless of the circumstances, Wright says her focus always remains the same, no matter who she has on her teams.

“This is my 18th season as head coach, and my expectations are always for them to be prepared mentally and physically, and perform how they have practiced and prepped for,” Wright says.

That includes reminding the athletes that they are not just a team, but a family.

“Track and field is different than any other sport, and we are so glad the boys and girls teams, along with all the coaches, work together,” she said. “We all know what’s going on and no one gets left out.”

While Wright doesn’t focus much on titles and medallions, her athletes certainly do. With the girls team bringing in a ton of talent, many have voiced the desire to win the Cloverbelt Conference.

The Colby girls have come close, finishing runner-up in 2018 and 2019. A strong group of distance runners should lead the way for the Hornets. After all, the Colby girls cross-country team is coming off an appearance at the state meet on Colby’s very own home course.

“Coming off state, it’s exciting,” Wright says. “Those girls are so ready to continue right into the track season. Many stepped up and are looking great.” That success gives sophomore Willow Oehmichen more motivation, not like the sophomore needs it, after having to wait a full year to run track.

“I think that I have a higher standard that I hold myself to now,” Willow says. “Now that I have a taste of the state experience, I definitely want more.

“I want to have a big season that I can build off, so the goal is to get better at every meet, and hopefully PR at every meet and see improvement.”

Willow, along with fellow cross-country runners Hanna Meier, Daisy Feiten, Payton Roth and Regan Schraufnagel should help Colby in events like the one mile, two mile and 4x800-meter relay. Feiten has already earned all-conference honors, and her fellow distance runners all want to do the same.

Podevels will be there for the jumps, but with Hailey Voelker having graduated last year, the high, triple and long jumps need Hornets to step up.

Same goes for the throwing and sprinting events. Mercedes Sarkkinen will be one to watch in the 400-meter race, and Anna and Emma Kroll will help in the 100-meter and 200-meter run. Katrina Gosse will be another to watch at the throwing events, and Hayden Willner and Jazmyn Heeg can do just about any event asked of them.

Wright says she’s confident every event will feature at least one Hornet once the season gets underway.

The first meet will be in Colby, on Tuesday, April 27.

“We will have our events covered and athletes will have to continue to push each other for those spots, relays included.”

The Colby boys track and field team is looking to surprise the Cloverbelt Conference in 2021. There have already been several welcome surprises even before the season begins, and that starts with the sheer number of participants.

This year’s Colby boys team features over two dozen student-athletes, from seasoned seniors, to freshman and sophomores who are trying to find the event that best suits their abilities.

“It’s great to see our numbers so high for the boys. [That means] gaining leadership and filling a lot of voids,” Wright says about the increased numbers. “We shouldn’t have many, really none, events that will not be filled because of that.”

On the distance side of things, Colby will be led by senior Chase Oehmichen, who is coming off a stellar senior crosscountry season, in which he earned first team all-conference.

Oehmichen finished just two seconds shy of qualifying for state in his sophomore year in the 800-meter, 1,600-meter and 3200-meter run.

“Cross-country helped me a lot, just looking at my mile splits, two mile splits, and seeing what I could do,” Chase says. “It showed me I can push myself farther and cut those times down.”

Brandon Voelker has steadily improved in the mile and 800-meter run, and cross-country runners Carter Roth, Talon Severson and Richard Streveler should pick up points in distance events.

It’s not only the distance events that show promise for the Colby boys. A plethora of football players, eager to get faster and stronger for the 2021 fall season, have come out for track and field.

“Getting them out for shot put and getting them to run is really going to help us for football,” junior Brent Jeske says. “I think it’s important we have as many guys out as we do because track can help us for all our sports.”

Brent is looking to build off a solid freshman campaign in which he ran under twelve seconds in the 100-meter dash. He and his brother Derek are both going to be in the throws, along with junior Carter Grewe. Caden Healy and Mason Voss will run sprints, and the in-house competition should be intense.

“They will have to push each other and fight, even a bit more than the ladies, to get spots. It’s really exciting,” Wright says. “I can’t wait to watch them perform, because so many are new to the program. It will be great that they have to push hard to get those spots.”

With all that talent coming in or returning, the Colby boys, like the Colby girls, are hoping to make a big impact on the postseason. Chase feels winning the Cloverbelt is a definite possibility, given the dearth of talent.

“We have a lot of talent in everything this season, not just the distance. We have guys that can jump, some fast sprinters, and some guys that should do well in the throws, and we should be good in the relays too.

“If people are putting in their best effort, and working to be more competitive, I think this team can win the conference, or at least put up a strong fight for it.”

COLBY BOYS TEAM -In the first row, left to right, Seth Hopperdietzel, Jeremiah Bridger, Parker Johnson and Max Adams. In the second row, left to right, is Chase Oehmichen, Evan Podevels, Ivan Haemer, Erik Martinez, Talon Severson and Caden Kleparski. In the third row, left to right, is Braxton Smith, Grant Oelrich, Carter Roth, Joseph Streveler and Derek Jeske. In the fourth row is, Jay Irizarry, Brody Decker, Brandon Voelker, Richard Streveler and Cory Steen. In the fifth row, left to right, is Carter Grewe, Caden Healy, Brent Jeske, Brayden Boyer, Josiah Bridger and Mason Voss. STAFF PHOTO/ROSS PATTERMANN