The Helias Crusaders and Lady Crusaders are sprinting forward in track and field.
“We have a lot of excitement around the track program,” Helias track coach Phil Pitts said as the Crusaders and Lady Crusaders get set to start the season today in a triangular with Jefferson City and Rolla at Adkins Stadium.
There are a combined 98 athletes out this season for the boys and girls, a marked increase from as Pitts enters his third season as head coach.
“We have great numbers with a lot of very talented athletes and a lot of experience back across the entire team,” Pitts said.
Mikah Edwards, a senior, is an eight-time state medalist the past two seasons for the Lady Crusaders. The Pittsburg State signee was third in the 200- and 400-meter dashes and ran on a pair of medal-winning relays at last year’s Class 4 state track and field championships.
“Mikah is so determined, she is one of the toughest athletes I’ve ever coached,” Pitts said. “She obviously is physically talented, but on the mental side, she is so tough and refuses to get beat.
“It will be exciting to watch her this year put it all together in a great season.”
Other Lady Crusaders seniors include:
• Dani Buker, who will be splitting time between soccer and track. Soccer will take priority when there are conflicts. Buker will run in the distance events and relays.
“When it fits in her schedule, she is going to run with us,” Pitts said. “We’re excited to have her.”
• Tauny Gore, who finished fourth in the triple jump two years ago and holds the school record in the event. She also may be in the 100-meter hurdles.
“The talent is there and she’s looking great,” Pitts said. “We will lean on her to have a good season.”
• Savanna Huckstep in the distance events.
“She’s looking great coming off an injury last year,” Pitts said.
• Madilyn May in the throws.
“She’s been our best shot putter so far,” Pitts said. “She’s really the leader of our group of throwers.”
• Schyler Phillips, who has signed with Washburn, in the sprint relays, the long jump and pole vault.
“The next thing for her is to score at state in her field events for us,” Pitts said. “We’re expecting a gigantic senior year from Schyler.”
• Tori Schmidt in the pole vault, hurdles and the throws.
“She has worked really hard to have the best senior season she can have,” Pitts said. “She’s looking to find an area in which she can excel.”
• Lily Delk and Romane Vallon, a foreign exchange student. Both will be in the group of sprinters.
Some of the underclassmen for the Lady Crusaders include:
• Isabelle Struemph, a junior, in the sprints and sprint relays.
“She looks blazing fast, she’s had a great preseason,” Pitts said.
• Mary Lorang, a junior, in the throws. She is the school record-holder in the javelin.
“She is focused and she has the potential for a big season,” Pitts said.
• Kenadi Harrison, a sophomore, in the sprints.
• Lauren Verslues and Iris Morrisey, both sophomores, were on the 4x800-meter relay team that advanced to state.
“We’ve got a lot of competition for spots and that’s exciting,” Pitts said. “It will be going on all season.”
There are nearly 60 boys out for track for the Crusaders.
Matthew Malmstrom, a junior, returns after finishing second in the 300-meter hurdles and a qualifier in the 110-meter hurdles at state.
He is recovering from an injury suffered during the football season.
“He’s has everything you are looking for,” Pitts said. “He’s athletic, he’s strong, he’s got size and he wants to be successful. He has his sights set on being on the top of the podium at state.”
Korbin Fisher, a senior, also is recovering from an injury during football. He was a member of the Helias 4x400-meter relay team that took third at state last year.
“It’s great to have him back,” Pitts said. “He’s tough, we know what we’re going to get out of Korbin.”
Other seniors include:
• Tyler Groose in the jumps.
“I think this will be a big year for him,” Pitts said.
• Landon Hoelscher in the hurdles and relays
“He’s a really good athlete and when you mix that with good technique, it can be a good season for him,” Pitts said.
• Jack Klebba in the throws.
“He’s somebody who pushes himself, he’s done everything he can to have a big season,” Pitts said.
• Phillip Knox, who played soccer in the fall, will be in the jumps.
“He had some big meets for us last year,” Pitts said. “I think playing soccer has really helped him heading into the spring.”
• Trevor Kolb, a thrower out for track for the first time.
“He looks every bit like a points scorer at state,” Pitts said. “He’s going to open some eyes.”
• Tanner Lalk, another thrower.
“He’s done everything to have a great season,” Pitts said.
• Jacob Lanigan, who will run in the sprints and relays.
“He had a great time trial the other day and he’s poised to have a big season,” Pitts said
• Henry Neuenswander in the sprints and relays.
“He’s always a great leader, he wants nothing but to excel,” Pitts said.
• Brady Voss in the distance events.
“Brady has done a great job as a leader that group,” Pitts said. “The distance guys have had some issues at the end the last two seasons and I think they’re looking to put that to bed this year.”
• Jonathan Wieberg in the distance events.
“He’s going to be exciting to watch,” Pitts said.
• Ethan Wilson in the distance events.
“He’s on a mission, he wants to set himself apart this season and I wouldn’t doubt him for a second,” Pitts said. “There are going to be a lot of people who are going to say ‘wow’ when they watch him.”
• Alex Neiman, who is battling an injury, will be in the sprints when he is healthy.
Among the underclassmen are:
• Harrison Knernschield, a junior who ran cross country in the fall and will be in the sprints this spring.
“He’s going to be someone who opens a lot of eyes in the sprints,” Pitts said. “He’s got great race speed.”
• Mason French, a junior, in the pole vault and sprints.
“Mason is making great improvements and should have a big season,” Pitts said.
• Deven Crisostomo, a junior, in the sprints and relays.
• Nick Ammons, a junior who ran cross country and played soccer in the fall, in the district events.
• Alex Marberry, a sophomore, in the sprints.
“He’s fast and as he learns more about track, he’s going to continue to improve,” Pitts said.
Helias will host its first varsity meet this season when the Crusader Athletic Complex is the site of the Central Missouri Activities Conference championships.
“That’s going to be a lot of fun,” Pitts said.