GHS set for new season

GREENCASTLE -- Track season is around the corner with both Greencastle squads looking to improve on what was an impressive 2006 run.

Never willing to settle for anything less, coach Garry Anderson is already setting the bar high for his girls' squad.

"I'll be content if we finish like we finished last year, undefeated," he said.

Team captains Megan Clodfelter, Francie Glenn, Bethany Schroeder, Erica Soster and Laura Weatherford will be leading a 36-member team, that the coach feels could go at possibly four deep in each event.

"This is a good group to work with good foundation," Anderson said, "We'll be able to put three girls in each event if not more."

One area of concern is in the field events. After losing its top two throwers, GHS will be looking for some young members to rise to the occasion.

"That's probably our weakest area right now, we're very young," he said. "If I had to pick one area that we're not as strong as we'd like to be, that would be it."

The area that Anderson feels the team is the strongest would be in short distances, but also thinks the team is stronger this year in longer distances.

"We're better off in distance this year. We have more girls now that in the past with the 1600 and 3200," he said.

For the boys, coach Mike Schimpf is looking to his senior leadership to pave the way for another successful year.

"We're pretty thick with seniors. Andy Weatherford, Mark Jedele, Cameron Humphries, Ty Buchanan and Joel Bottoms. They really good guys and great role models to look up to," Schimpf commented.

With the season young, Schimpf is feeling good about his squad even though he acknowledges they've not tasted true competition yet this season.

"I'm pretty optimistic. You have to be at this point. We just don't have any measuring sticks yet," he said.

Even with a team of talented young runners, attention will no doubt fall on senior Andy Weatherford. Weatherford will be gunning for his third straight state title in as many years.

Schimpf was cryptic when talking about Weatherford goals on the season, so county teams might want to take notice.

"He wants to three-peat," Schimpf said. "He has aspirations in what he want to do in the mile."

Greencastle is known by its distance dominance but Schimpf seems confident that his sprints will be better than last season.

"I feel pretty decent about our sprints. Distance is where our strength lies though."

A big concern for the Tiger Cubs is field events. Schimpf will be looking for some of the younger member of the team, to set up a do well.

"We're kind of hurt. We lost our top three high jumpers last year," Schimpf said in regard to the field events.

Another plus for the Tiger Cubs is Schimpf will have addition help to prepare his squad for the season. Former track member Will Cath will be helping with the pole vault and hurdles and John Sibbitt will be helping with throws.

Both squads will kick off the season when they host Southmont and South Putnam April 3 at 4:30 p.m.