The 2018 boys’ track season and is in full force. The members of the team are looking to have an exciting year and to finish well at the state meet.

Returners from last year’s state qualifiers are seniors George Durin, Jax Junge, and Joe Scieszinski, juniors Aaron Larson and Braden Stovie, and sophomore Josh Volk. Their end goal this season is to finish better than they did last year.

“The team goal this year is to do the best we can and get as many people as possible to state,” senior captain Beau Van Berkum said.

This goal will be accomplished through the hours of practice these boys have completed and the many hours that have yet to come. However, Van Berkum says he started preparing for his final year of track long before the first official practice of the season.

“Really, you prepare all four years for your senior season. I started a few weeks after the football state championship and really started to grind for track,” Van Berkum said.

Not only does the team have high expectations for themselves, but the coaching staff holds them to these high standards too. Coach Russ Camacho, who just came off of a girls’ bowling state qualification, says the boys are perfectly capable of handling high expectations.

“As a coach, we always want our players to rise to the occasion and meet the ultimate goal of returning to the state meet,” Camacho said.

The boys had their first indoor meet on March 9 at Cornell College. They then attended to the Mississippi Valley Conference Indoor Meet on Monday, March 12 held at the University of Northern Iowa. Here, senior John Pape placed second in the 3200 meter and Volk placed first in the shot put. The team participated in their first outdoor meet on Thursday, March 22 at the Washington, Iowa Relays. Their next meet is on Thursday, April 5 at 4 p.m. at the Davenport Central Invitational.

Maria Steffen

Assistant Sports Editor