For the Minnewaska boys track and field team, this season will feature a mix of familiar faces but could also potentially contain a handful of new faces as well.
Leading the Lakers on the experienced side of things are Maeson Tank, Ike Koenig, and Noah Danielson who were three of the four runners on the 4x800 meter relay team that placed 16th at the state championships last spring.
“Our biggest strength is definitely our experience coming back,” Minnewaska head coach Riley Gustafson said. “We have a lot of seniors, which is great. Team chemistry is at an all-time high, morale is up. Everyone is excited about the non-covid season.”
The Lakers return 18 athletes with varsity experience but are also maybe expecting a bit of a youth movement.
“[We have] lots of new faces this year that we hope will contribute to our program,” Gustafson said. “Coach [Gabriel] Eisenbasher and I are really excited about our program growing to 35 athletes this year.”
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Minnewaska is in its first year in Section 5A and is looking to work its way into the top portion of the conference and section pack.
The Lakers have five goals this season, which include maintaining skill development and good communication throughout the entire program, providing necessary experiences to harvest growth in and out of the sport, teaching the team how to compete with “desire, determination, and dedication,” getting a good amount of one-on-one contact and increase the participation numbers in the Minnewaska Speed and Strength program.
2022 MINNEWASKA BOYS TRACK AND FIELD
Head Coach - Riley Gustafson, 7th year; Assistant Coach - Gabriel Eisenbasher, 3 years (other schools)
Schedule:
April 1 at Concordia-Moorhead Invite, 5 p.m.
April 7 Home Invite, 3:30 p.m.
April 12 at MAHACA Invite, 4:30 p.m.
April 19 Home Invite, 3:30 p.m.
April 21 at Benson, 4 p.m.
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April 26 at Barnesville, 4 p.m.
April 28 at Sauk Centre, 4 p.m.
May 5 at New London Spicer, 3:30 p.m.
May 10 True Team Section, Holdingford, 2:30 p.m.
May 12 at Melrose, 3:45 p.m.
May 17 Hosting Conference Tournament, 4 p.m.
May 21 at True Team State, Stillwater
May 24 Subsection at Sauk Centre
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June 1 Section 5A Meet at St. John’s
