MP track looks to continue SEC dominance

The Mt. Pleasant track and field teams are just four days away from their first home meet, and the Panthers will be running locally this week with early meets at West Burlington. Mt. Pleasant has just entered indoor season and it's time again to see if MPCHS can take home another dual-SEC championship.

The track teams swept the conference track and field championships last season and both teams look like clear favorites to take home the crown in 2019.

The boys' team returns talent in every facet. Although the Panthers lost three-fourths of their state-finalist shuttle-hurdle relay team from 2018, they'll still have plenty of talent in the sprints and hurdles. Chase Lamm comes into 2019 as the favorite to lead the boys' shuttle-hurdle squad and has already made some noise in the 100-meter and 500-meter hurdles.

The Panther boys' distance crew is led by Cody Mertens. Not only did Mertens take both the 3200-meter run and the 1600-meter run at the SEC meet last season, but finished fourth and fifth respectively at the state meet. Mertens won the Class 3A state championship in cross-country last fall, and will be one of the favorites this year on the longer events.

The Panthers are stacked in the field as well. Rylan Seberg is a returning state-qualifier in the long jump. Sam Beatty returns after a top-15 result in the high jump, and the Panthers have a handful of the best throwers in the area, including Zach Beason, who finished fifth in the discus throw at the state meet.

New girls' head coach Scot Lamm has plenty to work with in 2019. The Panther girls scored 16 points last season, and they return all 16 this season.

The Panther girls had two second-place finishes to get those 16 points last spring. Maggie Cristoforo was second in the 400-meter hurdles, and Lexie Magnani took second in the shot put.

Mt. Pleasant has a handful of returning state qualifiers in the field events. Maddie Williamson leads a tough group of sprint and hurdlers and perennial state qualifier Abby Ryon will be someone to watch once again in the distance events.

The Panther boys will be at West Burlington tonight (Monday) at 4:30 p.m. The girls will run tomorrow at the same time.