Members of the NU Lady Cat track and field team are from left, front row, Charlee Brestle, Ashey Hayward and Krya Knox; second row, Alyssa Frisco, Shawna Cooley, Kennedy Grubb, Lacetyn Riffle, Gillian Stone, Maryanna Thompson, Hannah Carney and Cora DeBoer; third row, Lauren Hall, Savannah Amstutz, Lindsay Willis, Alexis Monroe, Catherine Hinkle, Evie Clark, Auuna Kasler and Anna Crusey; fourth row, head coach Cole Krawczyk, assistant coach Ivan Leavitt, Lillian Leavitt, Kaylee Brestle, Lara Schiemann, Dallas McIntire, Riley Hamminger, Montana Donohue, assistant coach Penny Cunningham and assistant coach Syd Bacon. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)
North Union’s boys track and field team is pictured from left, front row, Traven Reber, Brennan Burke, Wyatt Davis, Richard Weigand and Levi Bard; second row, Jackson Huff, Owen O’Reilly, Zane Temple, Owen Hoffer, Cayden Lassiter and Lincoln Harrah; third row, Zack Ellis, Henry Hayward, Tyler Fout, Griffin Salyer, Max Cronley, Braedon Scowden and Mitchell Marlette; fourth row, head coach Cole Krawczyk, William Popovich, Owen Davis, Trey Bossaler, Noah Lewis, Ayden Hawkins, Ethan Young, assistant coach Penny Cunningham and assistant coach Syd Bacon. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)
The numbers are there for the North Union girls track team.
The task for head coach Cole Krawczyk is to find the right combinations to produce points.
“I believe our greatest strength is our numbers,” Krawczyk said. “Putting them in the right places to score points will be crucial to the success of the team.”
The Lady Cats lost only four athletes to graduation and have more than two dozen listed on the roster.
“We have done a good job of retaining talent and bringing more than we had last season,” Krawczyk said. “Depth is going to be an issue, but I am optimistic that we can contend with the top of our conference.”
Leading the distance runners are senior Ashley Hayward and junior Kendall Music, both Central Buckeye Conference special mention last season. Hayward also earned first-team honors this past fall in cross-country.
The distance team will be helped by freshmen Savannah Amstutz, Catherine Hinkle and Lauren Hall, along with juniors Anna Crusey and Aunna Kassler.
The sprinters will be led by sophomores Audrey Benedict, Cora DeBoer and Riley Heminger, all CBC special mention in 2021.
Looking to contribute will be senior Lacetyn Riffle, juniors Hannah Carney, Shawna Cooley, sophomores Kennedy Grubb, Alexis Monroe, Lindsey Willis and freshmen Montana Donohue, Dallas McIntire, Gillian Stone and Maryanna Thompson.
The discus and shot put throwers are a young group.
Junior Kaylee Beastle and sophomore Lilly Leavitt lead the throwers. They will be supplemented by freshmen Charlee Brestle, Alyssa Franco, Kyra Knox and sophomore Lara Scheimann.
Sophomore Evie Clark is the lone pole vaulter listed on the roster.
BOYS TRACK
There is both good news and bad news for the North Union boys track team.
The Wildcats have a solid group of sprinters, returning several from last year’s team.
“We will have to rely heavily on our sprinters, where we return a lot of firepower from last season,” said Krawczyk. “They will be a great asset to our team as long as everyone stays healthy.”
Leading the group are seniors Ricky Weigand and Ethan Young, both Central Buckeye Conference special mention selections in 2021.
Juniors Owen Davis, Tyler Fout, Lincoln Harrah, Owen Hoffer, Cayden Lassiter and Brennan Burke also will be key contributors, as will sophomores Zack Ellis and Zane Temple and freshman Wyatt Davis.
Krawczyk, who is in his third year as head coach and fifth with the program, has depth with his sprinters.
The distance events, though, are currently a work in progress.
Five runners from last year’s team have graduated.
“Traditionally, that’s the side we lean on for a big strength of our program,” he said. “We are having to shuffle athletes around to do some longer distances, which isn’t necessarily ideal.”
Junior middle distancer Trey Bossaler earned second-team CBC honors last year and leads the group.
Also competing as distance runners are sophomores Levi Bard and Tyler Huff, juniors Mitchell Marlette and William Popovich and freshman Traven Reber.
Huff was named to the CBC first team in cross country last fall.
Junior Drue Duncan is currently injured and not able to participate in the throwing events. He was CBC second team last year and reached the regional meet.
Hoping to pick up the slack will be junior Griffin Salyer, sophomores Ayden Hawkins, Owen O’Reilly and freshman Noah Lewis.
Sophomore Henry Hayward will be competing in the pole vault and long jump, while sophomore Zane Temple is slated to compete in the long jump.
Despite some of the uncertainty, Krawczyk still feels his team can contend in the CBC.
“I am optimistic that we can contend with the top of our conference and expect to place well into the top three,” he said.