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2017 girls track roster will fill all events
by Norv and Mary Coblentz · Sports · March 09, 2017
The 2017 West Branch girls’ track and field team is 24 strong this season.
“We will be able to fill out all the events at track meets,” Co-Head Coach Carol Lumpa said. “The girls have been working hard, and we are working to instill a competitive edge to our workouts.
“We have a lot of talent and potential; we are working to instill a confidence as the preseason progresses. It is so important for the girls to believe in themselves and their teammates as the season progresses.
“We hope to be competitive as a team in all of our track meets with a goal of finishing in the top three in all of them.”
Highlights from the 2016 season include winning the Chad Gates Invitational (the West Branch home meet), finishing fourth at the River Valley Conference meet, and placing in two events at the State Meet.
The team has three returning state qualifiers. Seniors Abby Knoop and Paige Miller and junior Tatum Koenig were all state qualifiers in the shuttle hurdle relay. Miller and T. Koenig were also state qualifers in the 4x200, and Miller ran the 400m hurdles at State.
Other returning letter winners are senior Kaylee Montgomery (shot put and discus), junior Hanna Tisinger (shot put and discus), junior Taylor Tisinger (shot put and discus), sophomore Autumn Kolpin (100-800m), sophomore Clare Muckler (800-3000m), Lexie Whede (800-3000m), and Riley Vaughan (100-200m).
Newcomers this year include seniors Haley Mullinnix and Aurora Eilertsen; juniors Hannah Kerchner and Lauren Whaley; sophomore Jessica Depoorter; and freshmen Aubrey Baylor, Kaiya Luneckas, Mikayla Prusha, Jaylen Votroubek, Taylor Thein, Mackenzie Heise, Grace Kerchner, Hope Evans, and Taylor Boelk.
Two teams from the North half of the River Valley Conference, Cascade and Monticallo, are expected to finish at the top of the RVC.
“We have a lot of work to do yet,” Lumpa said. “Our first indoor meet is the RVC Indoor March 23 at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon. No score will be kept, but it will be a good opportunity for our girls to compete.
We begin our outdoor season on March 28 in Tipton. We look forward to the competitive portion of our season as the girls will reap the benefits of their hard work.”
Lumpa is beginning her 15th year coaching girls track at West Branch. This is her eighth as co-head coach. Scott Kelly is beginning his 13th year as coach, also his eighth as co-head coach. The throwing coach is Dan Zuniga, the strength coach is Phil Johnson, and the volunteer coach is Nikki Koenig.
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