PREVIEW: Wildcat return 13 letter-winners

Published by admin on Wed, 03/28/2018 - 9:25am

The Maquoketa Valley boys track and field team, first row from left: Sean Hucker, Brock Hillers, Derek Becker, Brody Sevart, Mitchell Neuzil, Chad Neuzil, Mitch Heims, Mason Lubben and Canyon Richardson. Second row: manager Hunter Glass, Andrew Kloser, Alex McCusker, Owen Mensen, Chance Downs, Gianpaolo Pillon, Daniel Hunter, Teige Hunt, Zach Digman, Devante Strickland and Derek Mensen. Third row: head coach Pat Meehan, assistant coach Jason Helle, Tate Trenkamp, Brenden Hogan, Evan Hoefer, Jon Seibert, Blake Becker, Andrew Hildebrand, Ethan Doyl, Norm Wilson, Brian Heims, Michael Feldmann, Alex Digman, and assistant coaches Curt Feldt and Sara Dever. Not pictured is Isaac Kramer. (Photo by Diane Temple)
BOYS TRACK

   There are 13 returning letter-winners among the 31 athletes out for the Maquoketa Valley High School boys track and field team this season.

     The team has seven seniors, nine juniors, seven sophomores, and eight freshmen.

     “This team has a good mix of seasoned veterans and talented newcomers which will allow it to compete very favorably in scheduled meets,” said Pat Meehan, who co-coaches the team with Curt Feldt.

     Meehan said this year’s team is better balanced than previous teams, and that all areas of the lineup are well represented with talent and depth.

     Seniors Brock Hillers and Brody Sevart are the top returning scorers. Hillers will lead the hurdle corps and Sevart the throwers.  Seniors returning as state qualifiers are Brock Hillers (110 hurdles, shuttle hurdle relay), Mitch Neuzil (distance medley relay), and Brenden Hogan (1600 , 4x800 relay). Sophomores returning as state qualifiers are Chad Neuzil (shuttle hurdle relay), Chance Downs (4x800 relay), and Derek Becker (4x800 relay, distance medley relay, shuttle hurdle relay).

     Other returning letter winners who will make an impact in the 2018 season are senior Alex McCusker, juniors Blake Becker, Tate Trenkamp, Evan Hoefer and Daniel Hunter.  Seniors who will add more depth and leadership to the roster are Sean Hucker and Gianpaolo Pillon.

     The conference race looks to favor Lisbon. The Lions have been 1A state champions the past three years and look to have a good nucleus returning this year. Teams to look for in the conference race will be Lisbon, Maquoketa Valley, and North Linn.

     “Our goal is to make the effort to do the best of which we are capable of doing every day,” Meehan said. “We believe consistent effort that focuses on improvement in the present will lead to success in the future. We feel things will turn out as they should as long as we do the things that we should.”

     Assistant coaches are Sara Dever and Jason Helle. Student managers are Hunter Glass and Emma Beitz.

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