6
Cottage Grove Track and Field
Cottage Grove sprinters complete a speed workout.
Cottage Grove sprinters and distance runners work on their core strength.
Team Rundown:
There are high hopes heading into
the track season for Cottage Grove.
On the boys’ side, the sky is the lim-
it for the team.
“Going into this year, I think this
is the first time in the last three
years that I – and as much as I hate
to say it because I don’t like to be a
favorite – I think the boys are this
year,” said head coach Ricky Knut-
son about the team's chances at dis-
tricts. “We really only graduated two
guys that scored at the district meet.
We bring back almost every single
guy.”
Included in that list are Jacob
Woods (100, 200, long jump), Kon-
rad Raum (1500, 3000) Erick Giff-
en (high jump, triple jump), Hunt-
er Hall (javelin, shot put), Markus
Julien (triple jump) and Jared Sim-
mons (discus) who are all among
the top returners in their respective
events.
With a loaded team coming back,
there is both a level of confidence
that this team has what it takes to
compete for a state title – or even
earn its first trophy at the state meet
since 1977 – and a level of caution
about counting its chickens before
they hatch.
“Things have to go well. We have
to be healthy, we have to get a little
lucky and we have to have a really
strong performance at Hayward
Field once we get people qualified,”
said Russo. “Because obviously, we
can’t overlook the district meet.”
On the girls' side there is an air of
uncertainty hanging over the Cot-
tage Grove team.
“There are a lot more unknowns
on the girls’ side. So, it’s going to be
fun to see – a lot of girls are going
to have opportunities,” said Knut-
son.
A year after finishing second by
just five points at the district meet,
the Lions enter the season with a
Hannah Albrecht-sized hole on
their team. Albrecht, a senior last
season, scored 26 individual points
at the district meet last season in ad-
dition to being on the 4x400 relay
team that claimed second place.
“I think the most exciting thing
on the girls’ side is seeing who is
going to step up and fill in some of
those spots. We’re going to have re-
ally rely on girls that are brand new,”
said Knutson.
The top returners on this year’s
team include Zarah Wemple (100,
200), Cassidy Herbert (shot put,
discus) Faryn Dahlen (100 hurdles),
Tyra Gordon (100 hurdles), Keara
Murphy (high jump, triple jump)
and Sydney Boxberger (triple jump).
Team Perspective with Jacob
Woods
On what he’s looking forward to this season
I’m looking forward to training to get
better. I really want to beat the school
record this year (in the 100). It’s 10.98.
(My personal record is) 11.17. It’s been
the record a long time. At least more
than 10 years.
That’s the biggest goal. And then
pretty much just PR in everything and
I actually want to win state in the 100,
too.
On the success of this team
I definitely feel that our team can get
the league title again considering how
many people we brought through our
senior year and everything. But all the
guys that come out this year and hope-
fully a few more come and we can defi-
nitely get some points in the state meet
and it’s possible to place and it’s also, it
would be hard, but it’s possible to get
that first place.
/WWL4]KS3QL[
HORNERS INC.
FOREST & GARDEN EQUIPMENT
79132 Hwy. 99 North
Cottage Grove
541-942-5781
942-4415 • 2775 Row River Road • bradschevy.com
