The Ashby-Brandon-Evansville track and field team is always faced with a unique challenge in that the program does not have a home track to get ready for a season on.
Athletes and coaches have to get creative in preparing, and second-year head coach Zach Traphagen said the best way they improve is by getting into meet situations. After no season in 2020 due to the pandemic, A-B-E could not be more excited to do just that.
“I think our kids are hungry to get out and compete,” Traphagen said. “Our boys team returns a good nucleus of athletes with multiple years of experience....For the girls side, we don't have as many upperclassmen out, but the girls we do have that are seniors and juniors are very valuable to our success and will be leaned on to be leaders.”
There are eight seniors for the boys’ team in Nathan Baumann, Anakin Bosek, Cade Carlson, Zach Buck, Nolan Bitzan, Deklin Goeden, Kobe Reiland and Jake Rein. Traphagen said the team will lean heavily on that group, while the girls’ team has one senior in Cailey Schlosser, along with juniors Catherine Koefod, Katrina Buchholz and Taylor Yeats.
“We have a nice group of sophomore and freshman girls and also could see some of the 8th-grade girls get a chance to make some noise at the varsity level,” Traphagen said. “Our expectations are to be putting in our best performances at the end of the year and get as many kids to advance onto the section meet and state meet as possible. We also want to be pushing for the Pheasant Conference championship, as well as competing at a high level at the True Team section meet.”
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Traphagen said the sprints and relays should be a strength of this boys team, and that overall depth is encouraging.
“For girls, we don't have the depth that the boys have as far as experience goes, but we have a number of girls that we believe will have a very good chance at making it through to the section meet,” Traphagen said. “It's really hard to predict how the season will go for some of these kids because of not having a competitive season for two years. Once we get a few meets in, we will know a lot more about where we stand.”
Building that depth on the girls’ team will be a point of emphasis throughout the season. Field and distance events are areas where A-B-E needs to develop more athletes.
“For the boys, it is just being consistent with work ethic and never allowing ourselves to be satisfied,” Traphagen said. “We have some nice pieces in place, but when it comes to meet days, none of that matters if we aren't ready to compete.”
Traphagen has been encouraged by his kids’ attitudes as they get ready for their first meet on April 20 in Ortonville.
“They have shown the ability to have a good work ethic at practices, and appear to be very eager to learn and their willingness to be coached has been encouraging,” he said.
2021 ASHBY-BRANDON-EVANSVILLE TRACK AND FIELD ROSTER
BOYS SENIORS - Nathan Baumann, Anakin Bosek, Cade Carlson, Zach Buck, Nolan Bitzan, Deklin Goeden, Kobe Reiland, Jake Rein; JUNIORS - Abram Fossell, Derick Novotny, Wes Siira; SOPHOMORES - Nathan Anderson, Logan Froemming, Dierk Goeden, Ryland Yeats, Spencer Olson; FRESHMEN - Kaleb Burkey-Reque, Micah Fossell, Solomon Wales, Cohen Reiland; EIGHTH GRADE - Donell Lee, Evan Jante, Micah Fuller, Parker Henneman, Justin Lederman, Gavin Nicholas; SEVENTH GRADE - Kenneth Spielman, Kaleb Fuglseth, Jacob Sorenson
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GIRLS SENIOR - Cailey Schlosser; JUNIORS - Catherine Koefod, Katrina Buchholz, Taylor Yeats; SOPHOMORES - Gretchen Bredberg, EmmaLee Brethorst, Kennedy Daniels, Valerie Deshence, Grace Otto; FRESHMEN - Skylar Bitzan, Naomi Fournier, Kiatta Korkowski, Ashley Paulsen, Lucea Wales; EIGHTH GRADE - Addi Olson, Jessica Schlundt, Karlee Baumann, Courtney Brethorst, Lilly Luthi, Taylor Dingwall; SEVENTH GRADE - Lacey Siira, Mary Fossell, Lillian Tollefson, Hannah Korkowski
COACHES - Head coach - Zach Traphagen - second season; Assistant coaches - Robert Bosma, Peter Nelson, Shellee Hansen, Adam Wagner
ASHBY-BRANDON-EVANSVILLE TRACK AND FIELD SCHEDULE
April 20 at Ortonville, 4 p.m.
April 22 at Wheaton, 4 p.m.
April 29 at Morris, 4 p.m.
May 4 at Minnewaska 4 p.m.
May 6 at Minnewaska, 4 p.m.
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May 10 at Wheaton, 4 p.m.
May 13 Pheasant Conference Championships at Wheaton, 3:30 p.m.
May 20 Sub-section 22 meet at Wadena, 3:30 p.m.
May 27 Section finals at Fergus Falls, 11 a.m.
