DEEPER THAN EVER

WASILLA — For the last few years, Wasilla track and field coach Gary Howell has watched his team steadily grow. This spring, Howell has seen his squad absolutely explode.

More than 90 athletes are on the roster of a Wasilla squad that finished third in both the boys’ and girls’ team standings of the Northern Lights Conference Championships last year.

‘We’re deeper than we’ve ever been,” Wasilla head coach Gary Howell said early in the season. “We finally have bodies to put in every event.”

The Warriors boast 46 athletes on both the boys’ and girls’ squads. Wasilla returns the bulk of the 18 athletes who qualified for the state championship meet last season. But a key this season could be the influx of new talent.

On the girls’ side, Wasilla welcomes a solid freshman class led by distance runner Jenna Ford, who won an NLC cross country title in the fall. The boys’ squad will be made up largely by upperclassmen.

“We’re senior-laden on the boys for sure,” Howell said. “A lot of first-time seniors.”

A number of standouts in other Wasilla sports decided to join the team this year. That group includes senior Cody Pfiefer, an all-conference selection in both football and basketball, and senior Jeff Frey, who is a two-time state champion in swimming.

Pfeifer is competing in the high jump and triple jump, while Frey is throwing the shot put. Howell said these are the types of events that these natural athletes can thrive in.

Leading Wasilla on the boys’ side is senior John Knowles, the 2009 state champion in the shot put. Knowles swept the throwing events at the NLC meet last year and already holds the top marks in the state in both the shot and the discus this season. With Knowles, Frey, junior David Green and seniors Gilbert Perez and Kaulen Pevan, the throwing events could be an area of strength for Wasilla.

Wasilla should also be strong in the distance and mid-distance events. Sophomore Simon Fischer, a state qualifier in the 3,200-meter last year, leads a group that also includes sophomores Michael Johnston, Noah Ripley and Josh Pahkala.

Senior Drew Ford, another Wasilla basketball standout, has joined the team and will compete in the 800 and 1,600.

Howell is pleased with the work of senior Taylor Owens, who qualified for state in the 400 last season.

“He’s looked good early,” Howell said of Owens.

Seniors Chris Bydlon and Manny Curtis, a pair of state qualifiers last year, are also back. Bydlon could be a leader in the sprints and long jump. Curtis has already hit 5-foot-10 in the high jump.

The Wasilla girls are led by five athletes who competed in multiple events at the state championships last year.

Seniors Keri Clump and Brooke Nelson lead the Warriors in the mid-distance events. Junior Alice Okasaktaruk and sophomore Kiera Rust are among the top jumpers on the squad. Ford and fellow freshman Mandi Rinnenberg join junior Allison Kelley in the distance events.

Senior Skyler Nuss, a 2009 state qualifier, is back to run the hurdles.

Seniors Kaitlin Pevan and Jillian Troisi, junior Chayna Ward and freshman Alexis Imoe are among the throwers on the girls squad.

Sophomore Morgan Dampier, a state qualifier in three events last year, is also back. Dampier has already posted the state’s No. 2 times in both the 400 and 800 this year.

Another freshman to watch, Howell said, is sprinter Dejanae Harris.

Wasilla will head south this weekend to compete in the two-day Skyview Invitational in Soldotna. The Warriors hit Palmer High School for the Palmer Invitational on April 30.

** Editor’s note: This is the final piece of a four-part series previewing the Mat-Su Valley 4A prep track and field teams. See the team previews for Colony, Houston and Palmer at frontierman.com/sports.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.