Everybody back for W-MU track

The Winfield-Mt. Union girls? track and field team didn?t lose a single athlete to graduation, and they?re bringing back a number of state qualifiers ? including the school?s first individual event winner, senior Cassie Kingery, who was a Class 1A state champion in the 100-meter hurdles.

?We didn?t graduate anyone from last year?s team so we have a really strong core of returners,? Coach Allyson McCarty said. ?We have some girls that have had success and are driven to repeat that, including multiple state qualifiers.?

Kingery was also part of the Wolves? shuttle hurdle relay team, which placed fourth overall at the state tournament last season. Two of her teammates in that event ? Emily Mathews and Karlie Wade ? are also back this season.

They did lose Shelby Therme, one of their hurdlers, to golf, but the team also adds a promising new hurdler, one of four freshman on the team.

?Our shuttle hurdle should be extremely strong again this year with the addition of freshman Cassidy Lennie, as well as our returning state qualifiers,? McCarty said.

The team brings back another hurdler in Anna Crawford, who was a state-qualifier in the 400-meter hurdles.

The 4x200-meter relay team from W-MU ? made up of Kingery, Wade, Mathews and Paige Breon ? also competed in Des Moines last season.

Returning for the Wolves in the throwing events is sophomore Lou Krieger-Coen, and the team adds a newcomer in the field events: freshman Raelyn Gipple will compete in the long jump as well as sprints.

The team is still short on distance runners, and that will be their biggest weakness this season.

?I am excited to see what this season brings and I know the girls are anxious as well,? McCarty said.

McCarty is in her sixth season as the head coach of W-MU girls? track; she is assisted by Dana Shappell.

The Wolves open their season with a co-ed meet in Mediapolis on Tuesday.