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Track seniors — Front from left: Kayla Barton, Jace Boone, Preston Owens, Morgan McCullough. Second row from left: JT Kuertz, Laz Massey, Chandler Summers, Jacob Warren, Colby Martin. Back from left: Evan Balthazor, Zach White, Broc Adams, Mason Orr. Not pictured: Dylan Scheer, Chance Sowers.

PREVIEW: State qualifiers return for track team
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: April 02, 2015

The Valley Center High School track team will return a variety of state qualifiers and a large number of young athletes looking to jump onto the big stage this season.

Coach Caleb Smith said about 80 students came out for track and field.

"We're so young," Smith said. "We're going to have to do some trial and error these first few meets, how we want to place people in events. Hopefully, by the time we get to league, we'll peak."

For the boys, Zach White returns for his senior season, looking for a fourth state appearance as a sprinter. White qualified in the 400-meter dash as a freshman, placed fifth in the 100 as a sophomore and was seventh in the 100 last year.

"We have high expectations for Zach," Smith said. "He'll have to work hard to place again."

White also could be part of a contending 4x100-meter relay team for Valley Center. The Hornets just missed qualifying last year.

Newcomer Chandler Summers could help the cause. Summers was a Class 4A state qualifier in the 400 last year for Chanute. He'll run the 400, 800 and 4x100 for Valley.

Evan Balthazor, a senior, will look for a return trip to the state tournament in the javelin. Balthazor placed third as a sophomore, but failed to make the cut last season while recovering from an injury.

"Evan is a lot healthier this year," Smith said. "We expect him to do pretty well in the javelin."

Smith said senior Colby Martin and freshman Tyler Brown could do well in the long jump and triple jump. Martin had a solid junior season but just missed qualifying for state.

Senior Laz Massey also could do well in the high jump, Smith said.

On the girls' side, distance runners should dominate the headlines again for Valley Center.

Returning are junior Kalee Owens, who placed eighth in the 3,200-meter run at state last season, and senior Kayla Barton, who was 10th in the 3,200. Owens and Barton also were part of the 4x800-meter relay team that placed fifth.

"Hopefully, we'll have a really good season," Barton said. " … I want to qualify and go to state one more time."

Smith said the squad will borrow a couple of distance runners and sprinters from the soccer team to help with some relay events.

Also returning to the squad with state experience are a couple of sophomores.

Madison Runnion placed sixth in the high jump and Sydney Ernst competed in the 400-meter dash at the 2014 state meet.

Assistant coaches are Jayson Artaz, Terry Orr, Amber Russell and Kaitlyn Woellhof.

Valley Center will open the season April 2 at the Andale Relays. After the KT Woodman at Wichita State April 9 and 10, the Hornets will host an invitational April 17.






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