WARDSVILLE -- For the Blair Oaks Lady Falcons, winning a district track and field team championship last season was nice.
But the bigger picture is to perform their best when the Class 3 track and field state championships arrive in late May.
“We return a lot of the kids that were part of the district championship last year,” Blair Oaks girls coach Marc Keys said, “and we’ll be in a district that’s similar to last year.”
Before they look too far ahead, the Lady Falcons and the Falcons open their season this afternoon with their only home meet, the Blair Oaks Invitational, at the Falcon Athletic Complex.
Keys said the Lady Falcons will continue to be strong in their usual events: the hurdles events, the 4x400- and 4x800-meter relays and the throwing events.
“In our typical areas that we excel in, we have a lot of the same people,” Key said. “And we’ll see how the younger kids develop.”
Ansley Casey, one of seven seniors on the Lady Falcons’ roster of 31 athletes, qualified for state in three events last season. In addition to the 800-meter run, she also competed in the 4x400 and 4x800 relays.
Blair Oaks returns three runners from last year’s 4x800 relay in Casey and juniors Clara Lackman and Chelsi Forck. Taylor Yoder, a senior, will look to take that open spot in the relay.
“Those are our top four at the time,” Keys said. “We have some other individuals that will slot in there throughout the season. And we’ll probably have similar folks in the 4x400, with the addition of some of the sprinters.”
Keys also expects those four to lead the Lady Falcons in mid-to-long distance individual events.
“The 400 and the 800, I think that’s going to be our strength,” he said.
Senior Abbi Wieberg is the Blair Oaks girls’ only returning state medalist from last year’s meet, taking eighth place in the discus. She’ll also throw the javelin for the Lady Falcons. Senior Alayna Roling will compete in throwing events as well.
“They will be our core people,” Keys said.
Junior Zoe Caviness will be a sprinter and a hurdler, while junior Baley Rackers and sophomores Madison Vaughan and Ava Willson will also be sprinters.
“We have strong people that have experience and they’ve worked well together,” Keys said.
Blair Oaks is still developing athletes in the pole vault and jumping events.
“We really haven’t had enough practice (outdoors) for the kids to feel comfortable to compete in those events,” Keys said. “As we get going, in maybe another month, we’re hoping to have some people who can fill those roles and do well.”
Blair Oaks was assigned to Class 3 District 5, with includes nearly the same teams as last year’s district meet. The only change is Buffalo replaces St. Clair.
“We chose our district correctly,” Keys said with a laugh. “We have a good opportunity.”
The Tri-County Conference meet May 4 at School of the Osage will be a tough test to wrap up the regular season.
“You’re prepared during the conference meet,” Keys said. “A lot of the teams that you see during the season, you’re going to see at state.”
The Blair Oaks boys team has 32 athletes this season.
“This is a great bunch of kids,” Blair Oaks boys coach Nathan Holtmeyer said. “We’re really young -- more than half the team is freshmen and sophomores -- but they’ve been working their butts off and we’ve seen huge improvements.”
Although the Falcons are not returning any of their runners from last season’s state-qualifying 4x800 relay, senior Luke LePage was a state qualifier two seasons ago in the pole vault.
“He’s a huge leader this year,” Holtmeyer said. “He really sees the big picture. I’m excited to see what he does.”
LePage holds the school record in the pole vault at 14 feet, 3.25 inches.
“I don’t think Luke will pick up where he left off,” Holtmeyer said. “I think he’s going to exceed (that mark) already.”
Filling out the boys 4x800 to start the season are sophomores Logan Bax, Carter Kempker and Issac Stafford, along with freshman Phillip Boessen.
“We’re young, but we’ve converted two guys from sprints to get in there,” Holtmeyer said. “I’m excited to see what they’re going to do there.”
As for the remaining three relays, the Falcons won’t have much overlap in their lineup.
“All of our relays are different people because we’re so deep,” Holtmeyer said. “We’re able to spread those sprinters out.”
Sophomore Jaxon Engelbrecht will be a sprinter and a hurdler. He’ll also help out in the sprint relays.
“He could really be a decathlete,” Holtmeyer said.
In the field events, senior Adam Hall led the Falcons in the long jump last season, but due to offseason shoulder surgery, he won’t return until late April or early May.
For the time being, Holtmeyer said Hall is acting like another assistant coach for the Falcons.
“Once we get Adam back, I think he’s going to pick up right where he left off,” Holtmeyer said.
Seniors Sean Casey and Ethan Forck, along with junior Judah Batiste and freshman Carson Luebbering, will handle the throwing events for the Blair Oaks boys.
“Our seniors have stepped up,” Holtmeyer said.
Thomas Gonzalez, a freshman, will be the Falcons’ second pole vaulter.
“He has been working out with Luke all winter,” Holtmeyer said. “I expect, by the end of the season, for him to be doing very well.”
Freshman Brenden Rackers will compete in the high jump, while junior Noah Barker will compete in the triple jump.
Blair Oaks will compete in meets next week at Eldon and Linn. The Falcons and Lady Falcons have added Jefferson City’s Licklider Relays to the schedule April 15.
The goal is to build up for a strong finish in May.
“Everything we do is for the conference championship, and then after that, it’s to get in the top four at districts,” Holtmeyer said. “Because we’re young, I really think we’re going to grow and learn throughout the season. I’m excited to see what we do.”