Both the Greensburg girls’ and boys’ track teams boast
something that they sometime lack - depth.
Last year, the Pirate boys finished second in the conference to East
Central. And they finished second in the sectional event - to East Central.
“East Central is hard to beat with all of that depth,” boys’ coach Eric
Schreiber said.
The team consists of 32 boys, an improvement in numbers over last year, and
it is led by a returning state qualifier. Landon Wenning qualified in the
800 meters last year and he wants to return this year.
Photo by Gary
Dudgeon,
Greensburg Daily News
“One of my goals is to make state,” Wenning said. “Last year, most of the
runners were seniors. There were only seven or eight who were freshman,
sophomores or juniors.”
With the majority of last year’s middle distance runners graduated, Wenning
expects to improve on his results from 2007.
“My PR is still from the regional last year, 1:58.9. I can’t tell until our
first meet, the first 800, whether I have improved. I think I’m pretty
close. I know I’m in better shape than I have been.”
He also is ready to aid the team by tackling more events,
“I want to get good times in the 400 (meters) and the mile,” he said.
Added depth can also give Schreiber an edge when he has other runners who
are willing to run more events without significantly wearing themselves
down.
On the girls’ squad, one of its 20 athletes has proven great versatility -
Taryn Owens.
“She was All-Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference in both hurdles events, and
she qualified for regionals in distance, the 4X800 relay, the 4X400 relay
and both hurdles,” girls’ coach Troy Davis said. “She’ll do what you ask her
to do.”
Photo by Gary
Dudgeon,
Greensburg Daily News
The Lady Pirates also have returning conference and sectional champions in
both throws. Mollye Leas won at conference and Erica Schwering at sectional.
In the recent East Central Indoor meet, the two Pirates finished second and
third behind the host school’s leading shot putter. All three exceeded the
previous best distance for the event.
Davis was also glad to see extra depth.
“We had regional qualifiers last year, but didn’t get anyone to state,”
Davis said. “We should be better than that this year. We only graduated one
senior and we got seven freshman out. Depending if the freshman progress the
way I think they will, we should be deeper.”
Davis’s optimism was echoed by Schreiber.
“We have a lot of kids out. They have worked real hard, and I’m excited abut
the season.”
The first meet for the Pirates track and field athletes is April 3.