BGM hopes to get back to state

BROOKLYN — Last season did not end the way BGM boys track and field team had hoped for.

The Bears did not qualify an event for the state meet.

“Last year ended with a lot of disappointment,” BGM coach Matt Smith said. “We had high hopes of getting a couple relays through and possibly some individuals.”

The good news is the Bears return almost their whole team from last season and have some exciting newcomers.

“We only had two seniors last year, so we return quite a bit along with a large number of freshmen,” Smith said.

The closest event to qualifying last season was the 4x200-meter relay, in which the Bears return three of four members of the quartet (Landen Cooling, Nathan Findlay and Zach Clayton).

The relay placed third at the state qualifying meet with top two automatically qualifying.

Individually, Findlay placed fifth in the 100 and sixth in the 200 last season at the South Iowa Cedar League meet.

Dakota Heishman brings potential to improve in the 110-meter high hurdles, placing sixth at conference in a field with three state qualifiers.

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A couple of freshmen to watch are Caleb Rhodes and Carter Corona.

Rhodes won junior high conference in both the 110-meter and 200-meter hurdles. In high school, it will be 400-meter hurdles instead of 200.

Corona will bring the potential to score points for the team on the distance side, nearly qualifying for state cross-country in the fall.

“We have 18 kids out, which is the lowest we've had since COVID year,” Smith said. It will be a sound group that will not win many meets or relays but should finish with very good times.“

The Bears open their season March 31 at Meskwaki Settlement.

Schedule

3/31- at Meskwaki Settlement

4/1- at East Marshall

4/3- at Union Community

4/8- at Lynnville-Sully

4/10- at North Mahaska

4/14- at Baxter

4/17- at Nevada

4/22- BGM home meet

4/24- at Eddyville

4/28- at Belle Plaine

4/29- at South Tama

5/2- BGM COED

5/6- SICL meet at Colfax-Mingo

5/8- at Iowa Valley

5/12- at Pleasantville

5/15- SQM at TBD

5/22-24- State Meet at Drake University