Girls numbers high, boys numbers low for Loyal track
Numbers will be sort of lopsided between the Loyal girls and boys track teams this year, with 25 girls and only nine boys representing the Greyhounds on the track. Because of the difference in numbers, the girls team will be set on more team-oriented goals while the boys will focus on the successes of the individual athletes.
Coach Jim Genteman said the boys team is continuing its trend over the past few years of having lower numbers of participants. Both small and young, he said there will be a struggle for the boys to be able to compete as a team and fill in most events.
'They have had low numbers the last few years and this year is no exception,' he said. 'With nine kids on the team and three kids returning from last year, we will be young and short on experience.'
On an individual level, Genteman said the boys have some strong athletic backgrounds which should help them to score high in their separate events.
'All nine are good athletes and will have some good placings,' he said. 'It will be hard to compete as a team, but should make up for it with some good individual placings.'
The boys have one senior on the team in Bo Bogdonovich. He will compete in the 400m, 800m and long jump events. He will be joined by juniors Sully Hanson (shot put, sprints, relays) and Aydan Collins (sprints 400m, relays) and sophomores Connor Genteman (800m, 1600m, relays) and Peyton Farmer (shot put, discus, sprints). Four freshmen make up the remainder of the team. Devon Roehl and Jaden Smith will both participate in the shot put and discus events along with fellow freshman Preston Farmer, who will do sprints in addition to the field events. Parker Smith will run in the 400m, sprinting and relay events.
The girls track numbers for the Greyhounds are much higher than the boys this year, with a healthy mixture of both experienced runners and newcomers. Genteman said the numbers of girls this year will help the team fill out a majority of events at each invitational and perform strongly in those events.
'We have good numbers this year,' he said. 'We have a good mixture from all grades. They all seem focused and a majority have previous experience and knowledge of the events. They should be strong on the field events, relays and sprints.'
While most of the team's positions look to be filled fairly easily, Genteman said one area that will need some work will be in the distance running events. There is only one returning distance runner for the team in junior Maci Bogdonovich this year, so the team will be looking for other runners to help fill those spots as well.
'We have only one returning runner in the distance and we are hoping to get another one or two girls to experiment on running distance,' he said.
There are seven seniors on the girls team this year: Devani Hinkelmann (shot put, discus), Paige Smith (100m, 200m, relays), Abrial Kubista (triple jump, long jump, hurdles, 400m), Haven Peroshek (shot put, discus), Emma Clausen Skjong (shot put, discus, hurdles), Carlotta Sartorazzi (sprints, pole vault), and Lisa Steffens (sprints, pole vault). The Greyhound girls also have six juniors: Alyssia Zvolena (high jump, sprints, relays), Hannah Smith (shot put, discus), Leah Scherer (sprints, relays, long jump), Shalisha Buchanan (shot put, discus), Aubre Robida (sprints, relays) and Maci Bogdonovich (400m, 800m, 1600m).
Three sophomores will also be on the team. Riley Waldhauser will be running both the 200m and 400m events while Sheila Tellock will participate in the pole vault and relays. Ella Rand will also be in the pole vaulting event along with running the 400m and 800m events. For the freshmen, there are eight: Estrella Bolanos-Bautista (sprints, jumps), Alexis Brecht (400m, 800m), Alexis Meyer (high jump, hur- The Loyal girls track team consists of (front from left) Alexis Brecht, Sheila Tellock, Olivia Nikolai, Estrella Bolanos-Bautista, Ella Rand, Riley Waldhauser, Maci Bogdonovich (second row), Alexis Meyer, Hannah Strey, Hope Peroshek, Noelle Teschner, Molly Zvolena, Aubre Robida, Leah Scherer, Hannah Smith (back), Paige Smith, Autumn Zvolena, Alyssia Zvolena, Devani Hinkelmann, Haven Peroshek, Emma Clausen Skjong, Carlotta Sartorazzi, Lisa Steffens and Abrial Kubista
dles), Olivia Nikolai (pole vault, sprints, hurdles), Hope Peroshek (shot put, discus, relays), Hannah Strey (sprints, jumps), Noelle Teschner (200m, 400m, jumps), Autumn Zvolena (400m, 800m, high jump, hurdles) and Molly Zvolena (triple jump, sprints).
The Greyhounds track team have already participated in their first invitational held indoors at Neillsville on March 22. They will next compete at another indoor invite on April 1 at UWSP. Their first outdoor meets will be held on April 5 at Wausau West and on April 12 at Pittsville.
The Loyal boys track team is made up of (front from left) Preston Farmer, Connor Genteman, Peyton Farmer, Bo Bogdonovich, (back) Parker Smith, Sully Hanson, Devon Roehl, Jaden Smith and Aydan Collins.
