With an early April season-opening track meet on the schedule for Laurel-Concord-Coleridge, the team will also compete in Laurel twice.
Similar numbers are out again for LCC girls who will have 21 along with 15 boys during the track & field season but have seen a slight decline from years in the past.
Shannon Benson will be starting his 10th year as the head coach for Laurel-Concord-Coleridge girls and boys track & field and has been coaching for 19 years. Coach Benson, who will work with the jumpers and some relays, said the team will be fine-tuning their footwork along with some of the newer kids filling out in other events.
“We’ll just keep working on footwork, steps on jumps and hand offs in relays,” said Benson. “Kind of the same thing everybody is working on too. We’re really trying to just making sure we’re ready to go come that first track meet.”
Nate Sims (sprints/pole vault/relays), Zeke Stephens (shot put/discus), Brandi Settje (distance) and Nick Puppe (hurdles) will be the assistant coaches.
Senior Tali Erwin will be the top returner who is coming off an injury sustained at the end of volleyball season that sidelined her for the entire basketball season. She qualified for state last year in the high jump and 100-meter hurdles.
Juniors Kate Tasler and Addy Hoeppner will help with the distance program along with junior Tyler Recob in mid-distance and relays among others.
Senior Preston Rose qualified for state last year but was unable to compete due to a broken leg and senior Carter Korth (coming off an injury from last season) will lead LCC boys. Juniors Shane Langford, Noah Larson and Jalen Carpenter were also highlighted.
LCC track & field has set a goal to compete every meet and get better each time.
“They just want to make sure they’re getting better every track meet and every event,” Benson added. “As the year goes on making sure that they’re at their best at the end of the season. That’s kind of what we (coaches) want. We want to make sure that we’re giving our best efforts every track meet and better yet every track meet as the season goes on.”
The first Laurel-Concord-Coleridge varsity track & field meet is scheduled for Friday, April 4 at Plainview.
Coach Benson mentioned it’s nice to showcase their team at home and appreciates the support from the community.
“We’re just always trying to get better,” Benson mentioned. “We have a great turnout from our community support during our track meet. So, it’s really nice to make sure that everybody gets up there and I appreciate everybody’s hard work. Students and community members are making sure our football field and track always look good. It’s nice to have everybody up there when our track meets are going.”
The LCC Invite is scheduled for Tuesday, April 22 along with the Winside Track & Field meet being held in Laurel on Thursday, May 8.
