The 2022 BEA girls track team features a mixture of veteran, experienced athletes and many younger members looking to make their mark on the team. Sitting on the floor, left to right, are: Cadence Gunhammer, Kadince Helton, Taryn Oswald, Aaliyah Worden, Raygen Njoes, Makayla Ankeny, Abbey Lorenz, Aubrey Woodwick, Sidney Eitzmann, Caitlyn Pickerel, Emmalee Laehn. Sitting, first row: Madison Enger, Hope Goette, Sarah Dohm, Tailor Douglas, Ruby Ziegler, Taylor Ripley, Jackie Martinez, Grace Schavey, Ruby Allis, Carol Schrader, Addison Smith, Gracelyn Murphy, Lola Faulhaber. Sitting, second row: Hailey Becker, Maddie Dulac, Addison Armstrong, Haley Kalis, Sophie Keister, Alicia Machecek, Chloe Groe, Lauren Survis, Lizzy Uecker, Allison Redepenning. Standing, back row: Callie Ferguson, Lauren Bleess, Elizabeth Jacobson, Sydney Eastvold, Marianna Rincon, Jazmyn Lunz.

The 2022 Blue Earth Area track season is already underway with the boys and girls teams competing in an indoor track meet in Mankato on Friday, March 25.

“We are back to a more ‘normal’ season schedule in 2022,” BEA head coach Tom Plocker comments. “We will have three indoor meets along with our traditional invitationals.”

Helping coach the squads this year are: Rob Norman, who will coach the throwers; Donna Nawrocki, the field event coordinator and relay specialist; and Katie Kaluza, who will work with the horizontal jumpers.

Two Buccaneer track and field alumni also return to assist in coaching this year. Jake Zebedee, BEA’s school-record holder and All-American in the pole vault, will be working with the Bucs’ vaulters. Nyla Anderson, a horizontal jump specialist, will also be working with the leapers at BEA this season.

New to the coaching staff is Chris Voss, the BEA girls basketball coach.

“He is a high jump specialist who has a wealth of experience coaching for Fairmont,” Plocker says.

The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) has added a third class for track and field beginning this school year.

“We will be in the smallest (Class A) division,” Plocker shares. “Most of our area teams will be back in the Sub-Section and Section, but the format will feature two Sub-Sections instead of the usual four. Three former Section foes, Fairmont, Belle Plaine and Glencoe-Silver Lake will now compete in Class AA.”

Maple River will be the site of the Section True Team Meet and the new Sub-Section meet. The Big South meet will be held in Windom.

Girls Team

The BEA girls team has seven seniors returning this year. Lauren Bleess runs in the sprints and relays. Sydney Eastvold competes in the jumps. Jazmyn Lunz is a pole vaulter. Calli Ferguson and Aubrey Hueper are distance runners. Elizabeth Jacobson is a mid-distance runner and Marianna Rincon throws the discus and has experience in the shot put.

The juniors return Section bronze medalist Sophie Keister in the high jump and she will also be a member of relay teams. Eloise Blair is still rehabbing a shoulder injury from last fall but hopes to be ready to compete in the hurdles by the start of the outdoor season. Haley Kalis will perform in the horizontal jumps and relays and Alicia Machacek is a newcomer who will look to contribute.

Sophomores on the team are Addison Armstrong, Haley Becker, Leah Becker, Maddie Dulac, Chloe Groe, Allison Redepenning, Lauren Survis and Lizzy Uecker.

“The sophomores are an excellent group of athletes who will have a big impact on the 2022 squad,” Plocker notes.

A host of ninth graders are also on the team including: Sarah Dohm, Tailor Douglas (2021’s outstanding rookie), Lola Faulhaber, Hope Goette, Jackie Martinez, Anna Mwangi, Addison Smith and Ruby Ziegler.

Eighth grade squad members are: Ruby Allis, Gracelyn Murphy, Taylor Ripley, Grace Schavey and Carol Schrader.

Seventh graders on the team are Makayla Ankeny, Sidney Eitzmann, Cadence Gunhammer, Kadince Helton, Emmalee Laehn, Abby Lorenz, Raygen Njoes, Taryn Oswald, Caitlyn Pickeral, Aubrey Woodwick and Aaliyah Worden.