After making the switch from Class 5 from to Class 4, the Jefferson City track and field team is looking to compete in the state meet and maybe bring home a state title.
“With both teams coming down a class, I want to be more competitive,” Jefferson City coach Marshall Talley said. “On our boys side, I want to be competitive. Getting a state qualifier in every event would be the largest goal for us. Being competitive in the state meet would be huge. On the girls side being a two-time district and sectional champ in Class 5, my goal and my hope is maybe we can break that hump and be a state champ.”
With big aspirations, the girls team is going to lean heavily on Elicia Theroff, a state qualifier in high jump and was on the state-qualifying 4x100-, 4x200- and 4x400-meter teams that placed seventh, seventh and 10th, respectively at the state meet last season.
“We have very high standards for her,” Talley said. “We believe that she can definitey contend for a state title in the high jump, if not win it. She will also be on the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400. She will be on all the lead relays and working hard to try and bring the glory back to us. Her versatility has really made her stand out so far this Spring.”
The girls team has saw some of its younger girls take big leaps from last year to this year.
“Cheria Galbreath, she is having a heck of a year this year and Emmarie Graham who is also having a really good year,” Talley said. “They are both doing hurdles and one is also doing triple jump.”
Other returning state qualifiers returning for the girls team are Bryla Taplin and Zaliah Dunbar from the 4x100 team, Riley Schonhardt for the 4x200 team, Seleena Morris for the 4x400 team and Anna York in the discus.
There are only three seniors on the girls roster and their leadership will be really important.
“Dunbar and Taplin are our big seniors that are coming back, we are really relying on their leadership,” Talley said. “For them being seven year track athletes, they have a lot of leadership. One from the T.J. side that has come to Jeff City and one from the L.C. side that has come up here and brought different work ethics and things like that to us.”
The boys team will be looking to compete at a higher level in Class 4 after qualifying just two, Parker Gourley and David Bethune, to the state meet last season.
Gourley has really stood out so far this spring and Talley has high expectations for the senior.
“Parker Gourley, moving down a class, has really helped us with the one-time hurdles, long jump, high jump and pole vault,” Talley said. “In pole vault, I’m expecting him to be at least in the top eight of the state meet. For a team that’s been in Class 5 for the past 30-40 years, we think he could crack the state meet in hurdles, long jump, high jump and pole vault.”
Bethune’s leadership is highly regarded after being on the football and basketball teams so far this season and Talley expects the same results this Spring.
“David Bethune coming back this year, had a great year last year and an excellent football season in the fall,” he said. “With us going down a class, we project him as a top-three guy in the 100 and the 200 as well as leading our 4x100 and 4x200 teams. It’s just going to be whatever David is excelling at that time. It’s nice we have options for him.”
The boy’s team will receive a boost from Tommy Roehl, who missed out on the state meet last year due to injury.
“He’s a four-year varsity runner who came in ninth place in cross country state last year and eleventh this year,” Talley said. “He’s coming back for a really, really strong track season this year.”
The Jays will get their first look at their track teams today in a quad against Helias, Rolla and Lincoln College Prep at 4:15 p.m. at Adkins Stadium.