Published: April 16, 2008 03:18 pm            

Fox track teams ready to get started

By CHARLES PENDELL

Sports correspondent

McLEANSBORO — It’s a brand new track season for the Hamilton County Lady Foxes and Foxes, who have a little experience to fall back on.

Head track coach Roger Lee, entering his 15th season, has five returning senior girls and four senior boys to build on.

On the girls' side, seniors Rachel Campbell, Amanda Harrawood, Jennifer Rodgers, Delilah White and Ann Marie Wiggins will use their experience to help mold the rest of the girls in green this year.

In the distance events — the 800-, 1,600-, 3,200-meter runs and the 3,200-meter relay — Lee has seven girls to choose from in Wiggins, cross country specialist Kelci Thomas, Julianna Karcher, Sarah Aydt, D.J. Zachman, Paige Rawls and Lexi Karcher.

Julianna Karcher is out with an injury at this time, but Lee and the rest of the Lady Foxes can look to Violet Jackson for inspiration. Jackson returns to the track, coming back from major trauma after being hit by a car last year.

Jackson was in a coma for several months and was not expected to walk again, but she, along with Harrawood, Julianna Karcher, Lexi Karcher, Alex Lewis, Kirsti Auten and Rawls, will be counted on in the 400-meter dash and the 1,600-meter relay.

"She was one of my best sprinters last year, and one of my 400 runners, too," Lee said of Jackson.

In the 100- and 200-meter runs and the 400- and 800-meter relays, Lee will look to his youth in Breanna Brock, Tara Hartley, Mia Hodges, Whitney Miller, Cady Ragan, Zachman, Lewis and Lexi Karcher.

Throwing the shot put and discus this year will be Campbell and Rodgers. Handling the long jump and triple jumps will be Miller and Aydt. And taking care of the 100-meter high hurdles and 300-meter low hurdles will be Ragan, Zachman and Hodges.

On the boys' side, seniors Nick Burke, Jeff Robinson, Justin Williams and David Wilson return.

In the distance events, Lee has Burke and Wilson, both cross country aces, plus Jacob Norris, Bryce Lueke, Matt Owen, Dakota Watkins, Clayton Smith, Henry Dykstra and Ben Hamson.

In the 400-meter dash and 1,600-meter relay, the Foxes look to Robinson, Matthias Campbell, Jonathan Cantrell, Zack Miller, Jesse Beckman, Lucas Johnson and Bryce Lueke.

In the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the 400- and 800-meter relays, Lee will look to Seth Thomas, Williams, Logan Frymire, Robinson, Dylan White, Campbell and Johnson.

In the shot put and discus, it will be Williams, Jeff Stewart, Robinson, Randy Newcomb and Henry Dykstra; in the long jump and triple jump, Thomas, Burke and Campbell; in the high jump, Thomas and Robinson; and in the 100-meter high hurdles and 300-meter low hurdles, Burke, Thomas, Campbell, Johnson and White.

The Lady Foxes and Foxes have been practicing for the season for about six weeks, but they've only been able to work out on the track one day last week. They've been working out in the school parking lot because the weather has pretty much left the track field under water and muddy.

“This group has good work habits, and they all have very positive attitudes," Lee said. "They are all very coachable and an enjoyable group to coach. These kids will go out and do anything you ask them to.

"I have three good coaches to assist me in Brian Ward, Dustin Haile and former runner Shawn Jones. They help me a lot."

Seth Thomas and Matthias Campbell are out right now with injuries, Lee said.

"We ask the kids to give 100 percent and to be competitive," he said. "We want them to run up to their potential, and they work hard for us.”

        

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