Colfax track team returns with veteran talent, numbers

Colfax track team will crank up this year with a lot of talented competitors from last year and a lot of competitors who could add to the program. Coach Jason Cooper, starting his ninth season, said the turnout tally this year totals 60 tracksters which he believes sets a record.

“The girls team this year is very strong. We have a lot of the people back from last year, and we have a lot of new talent,” Cooper commented.

The Bulldog girls won their first state B trophy at Cheney last year with 57 points, nine beans ahead of Wakiakum, the number two finisher.

Top finishes for the girls at state were wins in two of the three relay events, the 4 X 100 and the 4 X 200.

Seniors Kami Lowe and Carli Herman graduated off those two teams, but Kayla Johnson and E.B. Hatley are back. The team Tuesday ran tryouts for the two vacancies and Amelie Bruya, a freshman, and Hannah Harazin, a sophomore, won the assignments.

Coach Cooper said the coaches are pretty confident that Harazin and Bruya will keep the relay very competitive through the season.

Kayla Johnson also stacked up points at the state meet with a fourth in the 100 hurdles and a fifth in the 300.

Another returnee who looks forward to the state campaign is sophomore Morgan Willson, winner of the B cross country run last November at Pasco.

As a freshman, Morgan placed second in the state B 800 and 3200 and third in the 1600.

“She has been training a lot to fit into the distance events for track,” Coach Cooper said.

Another freshman with a lot of promise is Taylor Lange who will be in the sprint events.

Rebecca Hardie, a sophomore, and Kim Heiner, a junior, return to the distance events and can be expected to generate team points.

Megan Pearson, a senior, will be back in the middle distance events and in the 4 X 400 relay.

Another freshman, Taylor Cai, figures to make a mark in the discuss events.

On the boys side, Stetson Steiger, who placed fourth in the 100 at state last year, returns as a senior. The coaches have also worked during the practice season to convert Damon Buck, a junior, from middle distance to the sprint events and the experiment seems to be a success, Cooper said.

Sophomore Justin Berarducci will be back in the jumping events, the 4 X 400 and the 4 X 100.

Junior Alvin Lee will be in the 4 X 100 and other sprint events and Jay Hart, a sophomore, will be in the middle distance races.

A couple of freshmen with a lot of promise to produce points in the upcoming season are Brandon Gfeller who will compete the in the 110 hurdles and Kellen McNannay who could add points in the pole vault

The Bulldogs open the season April 2 with another visit to the Carnival of Speed at Milton-Freewater. Coach Cooper is also keeping an eye on the entry for the prestigious Pasco Invitational April 17. Morgan Willson, Kayla Johnson, Steiger, and Buck could get a shot at the event.

Coach Cooper has a lineup of assistant coaches back in action to ride herd on the 60 tracksters.

Mark Brown will work with the field events, and Randy Daniels is back helping with the jumping events. Jennifer Fulfs is again coaching the distance runners. Brain Deltosso, a DeSales grad, is helping with the sprinters and relay teams, and Todd Vanek is a volunteer assistant for the distance runners.