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HARTINGTON — Eight seniors are set to lead the Hartington-Newcastle Lady Wildcat track team this spring. While the Wildcats are short on experience, they are long on talent heading into the 2024 track season.
“Our seniors are excited for their specific events and are working hard to build our team,” Lady Wildcat coach, Mandy Hochstein said. “This group of girls is very dedicated and I’m excited to see what personal goals they will surpass this season.”
Hochstein welcomed in the eight seniors, but the lone returning state qualifier is Jade Ford who placed 24th at last year’s state meet in the triple jump as a freshman.
The eight seniors include Abby Anderson (middle and long distance), Karli Bruning (throws), Zoey Gratzfeld (triple jump and hurdles), Olivia Grutsch (discus), Lauren Howell (shot put), Mani Lange (sprints, middle distance, pole vault, long jump), Madelyn Rosener (sprints) and Emma Wubben (discus and shot put).
Five juniors will look to fill in some spots. McKenzie Bruning (shot put and discus), Carmen Buschkamp (long and middle distances), Ryell Haug (middle distance), Abi Rice (sprints and long jump) and Maddie Steffen (middle distance and high jump).
Ford will be joined by classmates, Hazel Hochstein (sprints, middle distance, pole vault, high jump, hurdles) and newcomer, Kora Kneifl.
Karissa Bruning and Emily Klimer will be two freshmen looking to help out.
Wildcat coach, Dylan Behnk, welcomed his first team to track practice a couple of weeks ago and likes what he has and has coming back.
The Wildcats return seven letter winners from last year’s team and a talented group of young runners making the leap from junior high to varsity competition.
Cole Rosener is the lone returning state qualifier and he brought home a medal last season in the long jump where he placed eighth in his sophomore campaign.
Two returning letter winners are seniors, Landon McIntosh and Kale Korth, one is junior Cole Heimes and three sophomores, Brayden Lammers, Mason Krause and Isaac Santiago.
The rest of the team consists of junior, Logan Opfer, sophomores, Keatyn Arens and Dane Gotch, and 11 talented freshmen.
“We are a fairly young team with lots of potential,” Behnk said. “The boys are excited about the season and excited for the opportunity to compete. I look forward to seeing what this season will bring.”
Both teams opened the 2024 season at the the Dan Lennon Invitational in Vermillion March 19. They were slated to follow that outing with four consecutive meets at the Hartington Community Athletic Complex. The Cedar Catholic Invite was slated for March 26, but poor weather wiped that out. The HNS Invite is set for April 2, the Trojan Invite on April 9 and Wildcat Invitational on April 15.
The Tom Martin Track Invite is set for April 18 at Pierce, Norfolk Classic qualifiers will compete on April 25 followed by the Lewis & Clark Conference Meet on April 27 in Ponca.
The Norfolk Catholic meet is scheduled for May 2 and the D-3 District Meet will be back in Hartington on May 8 for both teams.
The Nebraska Track and Field Championships will run May 17-18 at Burke Stadium in Omaha.
