PANORA — Panorama track head coach Greg Thompson will have 16 letter winners return for the Panther girls and 10 for the Panther boys this season, and those numbers should bolster the chances for a successful campaign, he said.
“Our numbers (for the boys) are significantly up this year, which will provide us greater flexibility and team depth,” Thompson explained. “We have 30 boys on the roster, many of them out for the first time since competing in junior high.”
Three seniors, nine juniors, six sophomores and 12 freshmen are on the current slate of thinclads.
“We should be a much better team this season as compared to last year,” Thompson said. “It is too early to tell who will be scoring a lot of points for us, but I see some good potential for some relays with a few good individual events.”
Matt Webner qualified for the state meet in the discus last season and returns, but is not yet fully recovered from knee and shoulder injuries.
“The throwing events will develop throughout the season,” Thompson said. “We will have a good mix of jumpers and sprinters and will have two or three good middle distance runners.”
The 24-member girls team is without a senior, as six juniors, 12 sophomores and six freshmen will compete for the Panthers. The team will be lead by Bailey Beckman, Brooke Halterman, Morgan Johnk, Lydia Knapp and Devyn Kemble, all of whom participated at the state meet last spring.
“I expect a good balance from the girls squad as well,” Thompson said. “Brianna Hoffman just missed qualifying for state in both the 1500 and 3000, but we will probably focus more on the 400, 800 and 1500 with her this season. I think the girls will have a good balance with some good field events, good sprint relays, good middle distance races, and scoring in the hurdle events as well.”
Thompson was been the girls head coach since 1998 and the boys, since 2011. Chris Webner as been as assistant for most of those years and returns this year, along with Caden Duncan, Lindsey Kruse, with Sandy Leiferman a volunteer assistant.
“Both team need to develop some good, strong leadership,” Thompson stated. “If that develops, I see a good, strong team that cold contend for some meet championships.”
Thompson said he expected traditional powerhouse Madrid to be the top contender, for both boys and girls, in the West Central Conference. Earlham and Van Meter are both expected to be strong, he said, along with AC/GC — particularly on the girls side — while Woodward Academy should field another solid boys team.
