Uniontown track season opens Thursday

UNIONTOWN -- Interest is high in track this season for Uniontown High School, which is welcoming 22 athletes -- 15 boys and seven girls -- out for the 2015 season.

"We are very excited about our numbers this year," Coach Jackie Hall, who started at Uniontown in 1982, said. "It's the largest number that we have had in some time."

Hall is assisted by Dustin Miller. Together, the coaches will have the luxury of filling spots through the varied track and field events.

"We will have the opportunity to fill events with competitors, and perhaps have multiple relays which will maybe help us be in the running for some top team finishing in both the boys' and girls' division," Hall said.

The Eagles have multiple returning athletes on both the girls' and boys' side. Shalina Harper, a sophomore who competed at State last year in the javelin, returns in that event, as well as the 800 meters and possibly the 1,600 meters.

Returning on the boys' side are Cole Schafer, a senior, who will compete in the long jump, sprints, and the 4x100; John Reed, a junior, who will compete in the high jump, sprints, and the 4x100; Lane Sutterby, a senior, in the field events; junior Zach Davis in distance and relay; junior Gavin Miller in the hurdles and javelin; junior Josh Wisely in the sprints and 4x100; junior Tommy Joles in the long jump, sprints, and 4x100; junior Austin Ehrman in the triple jump and mid-distance events; and sophomore Jon Harp in the distance.

Newcomers to the boys' side are Colt Sutterby, Shawn Wisely, Zach Schwalm, Ben George, Nick Ragan, and Garrett Elder.

Sutterby, Wisely, Schwalm and Elder are all working in the field event area. Ben George is focusing on the high jump, sprints, and mid-distance. Nick Ragan will compete in the sprints.

New additions on the girls' side are senior Giulia Bertea for the field events, junior Chelsie Monroe in the 800 and 1,600, junior Lindsay Nietfeld in the javelin and high jump, sophomore Jimme Keller in the sprints, freshman Lorenza Burris in the sprints and freshman Tori Reed in the sprints.

The Eagles' first meet will be at Galena Thursday afternoon.

"This is a new meet for us, so it will be exciting to see how we do in competition," Hall said. "We had a great first week of practice. The weather was wonderful.

"All of the athletes are working hard, so it will be exciting to see how the season progresses. We hope to have our kids improve from meet to meet, and peak at Regionals, where they could have the opportunity to advance on to State."

2015 UNIONTOWN TRACK

April 2..........................at Galena, 3 p.m.

April 7........................at Oswego, 4 p.m.

April 21.....Waverly meet at Burlington, 9 a.m.

April 23.....Southern Coffey County meet at Burlington, 3 p.m.

April 27......UNIONTOWN INVITATIONAL, 3:30

April 30......................at Neodesha, 3:45

May 7........Crest Invitational at Iola, 3:30

May 14..........Three Rivers League Relays at Oswego, 10 a.m.