Roberts returns as state champion for Warriors

VICTOR — The merging with Tri-County has been a positive across all sports for HLV, and girls track may have benefited more than any last year.

“I don't think anyone really knew what to expect when it came to how we would hold up to the other South Iowa Cedar League schools at the beginning of the season,” HLV-TC coach Austin Roberts said of last season.

“The SICL Indoor meet really opened the coaching staff's eyes to the team's potential.”

The Warriors nearly won an outdoor conference title last season, two points shy of English Valleys’ team score of 115, and qualified six events to state.

The highlight of those events was Ema Roberts taking gold in the Class 1A high jump with a jump of 5 feet, 7 inches (1.70m).

The state title gave the Warriors 10 team points, and their total of 11 was the highest in the SICL at the state meet.

Roberts was one of the best in all classes last season in the event, also placing fifth at the Drake Relays.

Roberts also qualified in the individual 400-meter run and was on the team’s qualifying 4x400 relay.

The other medalist for the Warriors last season was Aaliyah Cooper. Cooper placed eighth in the 400 hurdles and also ran on the 4x400 and distance medley relays.

All other members of the team’s qualifying relays return this season in Lily Randall, Ayla Hall and Emery Hall.

The distance medley relay was just shy of getting a medal, placing ninth at state.

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As a freshman, Emery Hall also qualified in the 800.

The Warriors return all of their state qualifiers from last season and have some potential point contributors in newcomers Caidyn Schmidt and Karley Moore.

“We hope to score more points each meet as a team with the same girls returning and more girls filling and competing in every event,” said Roberts. “Want to keep seeing the girls' times improve throughout the year and having fun while doing it.”

The Warriors will compete in one indoor meet this season, at Wartburg College, and open up the outdoor season March 31 at Meskwaki.

Schedule

3/25- at Wartburg

3/31- at Meskwaki

4/1- at Belle Plaine

4/8- at Lynnville-Sully

4/10-at North Mahaska

4/11-at CCA

4/14-at Iowa Valley

4/17-at Benton Community

4/22-at EBF

4/24-at Mid-Prarie

4/25- at BGM

4/28- at Belle Plaine

4/29- at Sigourney

5/1-at WACO

5/6- SICL meet at Colfax-Mingo

5/8-at Iowa Valley

5/15- SQM at TBD

5/22-24- State Meet at Drake University