Plenty of new faces greet Wooster’s Reynolds

  • By Brian Questel
  • March 29, 2010
  • 525
                        
Every year brings new questions and new challenges for any coach. Wooster High coach Nikki Reynolds started her track and field season by having to match a lot of new names to new faces. Missing from last year’s roster, whether due to graduation or choosing not to participate this year, are 21 athletes who wore the Blue and Gold a year ago. As a result, one thing is certain: there will be plenty of chances and opportunities on the track and in the field for Reynolds’ green Generals. “I think there are a lot of unknowns and we don’t know who will go in what event,” said Reynolds, who enters her 26th season at the Generals’ helm with 43 athletes on her roster. “After we go through time trials, we will figure out our best lineup, but that could change every meet until we find the right combination.” One place she already has the right combination is in top returnee Aly Weeman. The senior finished 11th in the state in the discus last year and she was the team’s top 800-meter runner as well with a 2:33.95. Sara Green (pole vault, sprints) is the only other senior to have earned a varsity monogram. “Aly’s goal is to get the school record and get back to State and place,” said Reynolds of Weeman, whose top throw last season was 128-8. Three of the four juniors with letters are sprinter/hurdlers. Jenn Fox and Alyssa Reed share the top returning time of 18.1 in the 100 high hurdles, with Fox turning a 51.0 300 intermediate time. Martina Fraga has the top 400 time (64.9), while Ashley Evans’ had a throw of 33-10 in the shot put. Wooster’s most veteran distance runners are a pair of sophomores who lettered as first-years, Claire Miller and Allie Schwartz. Miller not only lettered, but also broke the school record in the 3200 with an 11:35.12. There are eight others who competed for the Generals a year ago – seniors Rachel Myers and Caitlin Ratliff; juniors Jessica Gillman, Emily Haight and Erica and Liz Lust; and sophomores Kailee Hagen and Kate Persinger. “We lost quite a few quality athletes from last year’s team, but we will still look to our veterans and new athletes to step up and fill those positions,” said Reynolds. “We’re going to expect a lot (from our eight letter winners) and the veterans we have to go with them. They are going to have to do more in the early season and help our young athletes who are new to track. “There will be much improvement as we progress through the season since over 60 percent of our athletes are new to the team.” Wooster opens its season at home against Nordonia March 30. By the end of the season, Reynolds is hoping that tint of green surrounding her team will have simply faded away.


Loading next article...

End of content

No more pages to load