Number of athletes up
After losing only two seniors of note to graduation from last year’s squad, International Falls’ girls track and field team returns the bulk of its athletes — including both state qualifiers — along with some new additions to a young team that will be filling out the four relays and 14 individual events with several freshmen and sophomores.
As a team last season, the Broncos won their Subsection meet for the first time since 2006 and then ended up finishing third at the Section 7A meet. Falls also placed second at the Iron Range Conference meet along with three first-place finishes at invitational meets and some other second- and third-place team finishes.
Jen Erickson enters her 14th season as the Bronco girls head coach with her key graduation losses from last year being Courtney Olson and Alicia Hendrickson.
Olson ran in the 100-meter dash and 4X100 relay, while Hendrickson competed in the maximum-allowed four events, which were the pole vault, long jump, triple jump and the 4X100 relay.
Hendrickson, who holds the school record in the pole vault at 10 feet, 2 inches, received All-Conference honors in the pole vault, long jump and 4X100 relay. Olson also received All-Conference honors in the 4X100 relay.
“They leave some big holes to fill, but we have girls on the team with talent to jump in and do well in all of the above events,” Erickson said.
Another member of the 4X100 relay, sophomore Breanna Shofner, returns after having qualified for the Class A state meet last year in both the 100 and 200, finishing seventh in the 100 and narrowly missing the finals of the 200.
In her freshman season, Shofner became one of the Broncos’ top-10 all-time fastest runners in both the 100 (fourth fastest) and 200 (seventh fastest).
Shofner “will be a top contender in the 100- and 200-meter dashes,” Erickson said. “Look for her in the 400-meter dash as well this year and possibly a field event.”
The other returning state qualifier from last season is freshman Savanah Olson, who placed runner-up in the shot put at the Section 7A meet and was the Broncos’ top competitor in both the shot put and discus as an eighth-grader.
Olson is “already throwing better in practice than she threw at the end of last season,” Erickson said. “She is still considered ‘young’ in the two events she competes in.”
The Broncos also return two other sprinters besides Shofner who were part of the Section 7A runner-up 4X100 relay team, sophomores Jaci Scholler and Blair Johnson.
“They are back to run that race again, but we also have a large number of sprinters that will be fighting for a spot on that relay team,” Erickson said.
This year, Erickson said the Minnesota State High School League will now be advancing two relay teams to state instead of the usual first-place team only.
“This is what the girls have been waiting to hear for a long time — too bad it hadn’t been that way last year,” she said.
Sophomore Kaitlyn VanHeel is another one of Falls’ returning sprinters.
Runners on Falls’ girls cross country team that qualified for the Class A state meet last fall will also be part of this spring’s track and field team, including Sydney Raboin, Amber Harms, Rachel Foss, Bailey Bernard and Amy Auran.
“These girls are part of the distance group that covers everything from the 3200-meter run to the 4X800 relay,” Erickson said. “Amy is our top (pole) vaulter also.”
In the shot put, senior Michelle McDonald returns after being a Section qualifier last year. Other returning varsity throwers include senior Brittany Fisher, junior Liz Hansen and freshman Anja Silvers.
The returning hurdlers include sophomore Lexi Owen, who ranks seventh all-time among Bronco girls in the 300 hurdles, eighth-grader Jessie Foreman and senior Therese Youso
Owen was also Falls’ top high jumper last year. Other high jumpers this season include senior Ashley Hasbargen and sophomore Hailey Fentem. Erickson said Fentem will also be trying the hurdles.
Two eighth-graders, Maddie Dahle and Abby Kostiuk, return as the team’s top 400 runners last season. Erickson said she expects they will be “stronger and faster this year.”
Erickson said this year’s incoming group of seventh-graders is a “big group with a lot of talent, but we’ll have to wait for the first outdoor meet to see how everyone does.”
The team captains this year include seniors Therese Youso, Kelsey Eibler, Bailey Bernard, Brittany Fisher and Michelle McDonald.
“The leadership in our team captains, work ethic and high energy of the girls are just a few of the strengths this team possesses,” Erickson said. “Our numbers are the highest they have been in several years. There are several talented athletes on this team and we just have to find the right fit as far as events to make it a successful season for everyone.
“This is a hard-working group of girls that wants to perform well this year, and they are willing to put in the time and effort it takes at practices to make their season successful. There is a core group that enjoys the challenge of a hard practice, and they set the example for the rest of the girls, encouraging them to work hard.
“Many of these girls are coming off successful sports seasons from cross country, swimming, hockey and basketball, and we want that momentum to carry over into the track season.
“We have a group of captains who have been with the program since seventh grade, and they know what is expected of them as athletes and leaders of the team.”
Erickson said the number of young athletes the Broncos have this year “can be considered both a strength and a weakness for the team.”
“For the program, you want large numbers in junior high grades,” she said. “At the same time, many of the younger girls don’t have the confidence or the experience behind them like the older athletes, and that can have an effect (on) the athletes’ performances.
“Some of these younger girls will step forward to fill the holes left by graduating seniors from last year. The younger group has a high energy level and an eagerness to do well in events they are just beginning to learn.”
Erickson said one team weakness this year might be in the number of distance runners.
“We have quality runners in that group, but not the depth we would like to see,” she said. “We may not be able to put together three runners for the mile (1600 meters) and 2 mile (3200 meters) at each meet.”
Erickson said one team goal “is to see gradual and steady improvement in every athlete’s performances throughout the season.”
“We also want to keep everyone healthy and free of any injuries and advance as many athletes as possible to the Section meet,” she said. “We would like to place well as a team at the IRC meet and of course take home the Subsection trophy.
“Our final goal is to advance several athletes to the state meet as possible and place well as a team at the Section meet.”
While the weather can be a concern with a spring sport, Erickson said, “We have been fortunate this year with the warmer temps at practice and are taking full advantage of the opportunity to get extra practice time in on the field events.”
Erickson said she is looking forward this season to “working with this group of girls and seeing them succeed as a team and individually throughout the season.”
“I think we will have several surprises this year as the younger girls find events that suit their talents while the more experienced athletes combine their understanding of an event and maturity to excel in their performances,” she said. “This is a very talented group, and I think they are going to do very well this season.”
In the Iron Range Conference, Erickson said, “Grand Rapids is a powerhouse in track and field.”
“Hibbing and Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin are also very good teams, but ones we can compete with in the IRC’s,” she said. “As far as the Subsection meet (is concerned), Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin is the team to beat, although Mesabi East could have a very good team this year as well.
“In the Section meet, Esko has dominated the meet for several years, but we would like to close the point gap between us and Esko as well as come out ahead of GNK.”
The Broncos begin their track and field season Tuesday when they head to Bemidji for the Paul Bunyan Invite.
