Warrior girls seek track superiority over Knights

Wasilla Warrior track coach Dan Michael is optimistic about seeing 62 kids try out for his track team this year, especially when he asked them to show up at 6:30 in the morning.

"I do think our team is really positive," Michael said during last Monday's practice. "They've been working really hard. We had a tremendous turnout this year."

Angela Smith tops Wasilla's list of returning sprinters. She finished fourth in the 200 last year and will be a favorite to win a state title in that event this year. She also was part of Wasilla's fourth-place 4x400 relay team last year, and, according to Wasilla coach Brenda Schutt, she will be looked upon to lead the Warriors in the sprinting and jumping events.

"We are encouraging our sprinters to do at least one jump this year," Schutt said.

Warrior senior Amy Williams returns as Wasilla's top-100 hurdles prospect. She finished fourth at state in that event last year and her coaches expect more of the same from her this year, along with junior sprinter Stefanie Farris, who finished fifth in the 400 at last year's state meet.

The Warriors only finished two points behind the Colony Knights at last season's regional competition, so with a regiment of returning athletes this year, Schutt expects to make Colony work to defend its Region III title.

"I'm expecting a very strong showing from our girls this year," she said. "I think we're going to be very strong in our sprints."

Michael, Wasilla's throwing coach, has high expectations from his throwers as well.

Johanna Schmitz fell just 10 inches short of a state championship last year in the shot put.

Although she finished second, the Wasilla senior has qualified for state three years, and she has returned to the track ready to throw.

"She's really strong this year," Michael said. "She's having a good camp."

Sophomore Marsha Schirack finished basketball season and jumped right onto the grass along with Miranda Hocker. They both will compete with Schmitz in the throwing events.

Sarah Novak, Arianna Smith and freshman Katie Schurosky will compete in the distance events while trying to fill big shoes left by the departure of 800 state champion Sarah Dimmick.

Schutt said Schurosky came to Wasilla with high recommendations from her middle school coaches.

"Her coaches have been telling us for three years to watch out for her," Schutt said.

Three juniors will try to break the boys' state tournament barrier for Wasilla in the discus and shot put events. Ben Luer was the only point-getter for the boys' track team last year with his third-place finish in the discus last year. He graduated, so Robbie Teeling, K.C. Tillery and Peter Broady will try to lob enough steel to qualify for the tourney this year.

Senior Alec Radford is one of Wasilla's most promising jumpers.

He will compete in high jump and the long jump. He also placed seventh at state last year in the triple jump and will return to compete for a top spot in that event.

Abe Salmon spent the last three months waiting for a separated shoulder he suffered in a snowboarding accident to heal, and is ready to compete as a sprinter and a jumper.

"He better be right at the top," Schutt said. "He's very strong. We expect a lot out of him."

Sophomore Jeff Perkins and freshman Matt Elder will join Salmon in the sprint events. Perkins will also compete as one of Wasilla's top hurdlers.

Although Wasilla track coaches don't know much about Charles Boyle, they are confident he will have a strong showing this season as a converted cross-country skier in Wasilla's distance running events.

"He's a real quiet kid, but seems to be a very good runner," Schutt said.