Girls track notes
City League
Carroll will be young but balanced. Cara Detmer is a favorite in the pole vault, while the Eagles will be strong in the distance races with Kaelyn Balch and Katherine Dillard.
East has some promising underclassmen, but will be led by a solid core of Cate Dunn and Kristen Lumpkins in the distance races, Jaquita Jones in the sprints and Haleigh Lewis in the throws.
Heights is always strong in the sprints and the hurdles, but the Falcons expect to score in the field events this season as well. The entire 6A state champs in the 400 relay return with Krystal Iheme, Ashlyn Hermann, Tahlia Pope and Taylor Chandler. Other state qualifiers include Madison Wheeler (pole vault) and Bailey Bahner (hurdles).
Kapaun returns scorers from last year's state meet in distance runner Mackenzie Maki, sprinter Angie Vailas and javelin thrower Rachel Shearrer.
North has a nice mix of scoring in the field events (Danielle Jones and Lauren Sullivan) and the distance races (Amber Eichkorn, Sydney Kniep, Latreece Patterson, Halle Suderman and Hannah Dykstra).
Northwest is still working to build its numbers up on the team. While the Grizzlies might not win too many team races, they expect individual success out of senior Tondria Nolen, a state qualifier in the long and triple jumps.
Southeast will once again be one of the top teams in the state with a good balance. The top returners will be Brittany Mason (400, 800), Kerisha Broadus (jumps), Sequoyia Henderson (throws), Alison Meeth (pole vault) and Sarah Masood (distance).
West will feature a returning state qualifier in jumper Tabitha Carter. She will be joined by distance runners Elena Jimenez and Wendi Harris.
Area schools
Andale once again should be strong, returning state qualifiers Emily Rowland (pole vault), Maddie Behny (hurdles), Jill Ast (400), Emma Orth (relays), Kaitlyn Pletcher (relays) and Abby Simon (long jump).
Andover will be led by junior Kimberly Clark, who has qualified for state two years in the high jump and triple jump. Alexa Fritz is a state qualifier in the javelin.
Andover Central features two returning state qualifiers in McKenzie Wills (distance) and Brae Stiverson (throws).
Bluestem will be inexperienced, but will get points from Colleen Turner (throws) and Alex Emmons (sprints).
Youth will be the theme for Campus , but it does have a leader back in junior Kaitlyn Keck, a state qualifier in the high jump.
Senior Merissa Quick should be the top point-getter for Cheney , scoring mostly in the throws.
Circle has experience back in state qualifier Page Lindstrom (400), as well as Kyrstie Ehm and Mollie Wartick.
Hurdles will be a strength for Conway Springs , which returns state qualifiers Emily Doffing and Rachel Becker. The Cardinals also return their entire 4x8 relay team that placed sixth at state.
Clearwater will feature state champion Hannah Tjaden, who won the 100 hurdles last year, and also qualified in the 300 hurdles. Other state qualifiers include Alex Mumma, Molly Mills and Tayler Akin.
Collegiate has slowly built numbers in its program. It should be ready to compete with state qualifiers Megan Duggins (distance), Tessa Aldag (jumps), Grace LeMaster (hurdles) and Claire Provenzano (jumps).
Douglass has senior pole vaulter Amanda Gardner, the 3A champ. Other qualifiers include Dellsea Nachbor, Cassie Hollenback, Sarah Bergley, Savannah Wright and Sarah Wright.
League champions Haley Pitko (javelin) and Ashlen Schwartz (pole vault) return to Eureka .
Goddard lost a lot from last season, but return two key parts in Shelby Zoglman (distance, relays) and Jenae Fischer (sprints).
Numbers are low for Goessel , but state qualifiers Jennifer Van Horn (relays, jumps), Brittny Czarnowsky (distance), Jessica Harvey (relays) and Tia Goertzen (hurdles, sprints) return.
Halstead will look to kick off its rebuilding efforts with senior Rachael Jacobs at pole vault and Hannah Robinson in the distance races.
Hesston return the majority of its scoring from last season's league championship team. Mollie Nebel (800, hurdles), Shelby Spencer (sprints) and Dominique Chew (throws) are the top returners.
Junior Callie Serene (800) is the lone state qualifier returning to Hillsboro .
Hutchinson will have a nice blend of veterans in Lauren Jacobs, Autumn Iverson, Megan Thurston and Madison Shrock, as well as a dose of newcomers in Shalonda Maple, Brooklynn Culbert and Latasha Scales.
Independent returns every scorer from the team that placed third last year in 3A. Seniors Imani Fenner and Tina Liu will score the majority of the points in sprints and jumps.
Kingman returns state experience with Amelia Govert (throws) and has high hopes for Hayley Mertens (hurdles) and Jenny Boroughs (distance).
Maize has doubled the size of its team this year with over 60 athletes. The top returners will be Lisa Tomasu (hurdles), Courtney Stuckey (throws), Corinne Penner (distance), Jurnee Reid (jumps) and Janelle Wilgers and Megan Kroll (pole vault).
Maize South will be led by juniors Hannah Grubbs, Rachel Grubbs and Brixey McWhorter. Also returning are sophomores Kylie Williams and McKenna Poynter.
Four are back with state experience for McPherson in Kaley Kinnamon (sprints), Leigh Loving (800), Brittany Odermann (relays) and Courtney Pavlik (hurdles).
Newton should have a strong team once again with plenty of experience returning in Katelin Gaeddert (sprints), Shannon Ahlstedt (distance), Riley Roberts (sprints, hurdles), Brooke Regier (throws), Jamie Hansen (hurdles) and Katie Loescher (jumps).
Nickerson returns a strong core in Cassie Caswell (shot put), Ashley Almquist (long jump), Gabby Martinez (hurdles) and Abby Van Buren (hurdles).
Senior Lauren Pickens returns to Peabody-Burns as one of the most decorated runners in the state. She won the 100, 200 and 400 last season.
Pretty Prairie will be led by Katie Graber, Anne Elpers, Chandler Haury, Emily Moore and Selena Wapelhorst.
Rose Hill will be led by returners Katelynn Slade (400, 800), Katie Gilbert (jumps) and Keanu Bradley (distance).
Udall has one key part back in senior Abby Hettling, a returner from the state-qualifying 1600 relay team.
Valley Center will have sophomore Morgan Wedekind, a two-time state champion in cross country, and sophomore Meagan Williams, the school record holder in the javelin.