The Berthoud track and field teams have made a habit of finishing the season near the top of the Class 3A team standings at the state meet.
Two years ago, the girls team was the state runner-up. Last spring, both teams finished third. Despite losing some key pieces of those teams, the Spartans believe they have enough returning experience to make another run to the top.
“We’re usually pretty good,” Berthoud senior middle-distance runner Aidan Malherbe said. “We lost a couple of big guys from last year, but then some of us have gotten better. We have a lot of contenders for state championships and then a lot of people that didn’t really score last year that are really looking good. So, I think it will be a good year, hopefully.”
Leading the returning boys state qualifiers is thrower/sprinter Samuel Whitaker, who won the discus last season with a throw of 154 feet as a sophomore. His personal best is a school-record 160 feet, 6 inches, which he recorded at the Longs Peak League championships last April.
He hopes to build on last season’s success this year. He threw the discus 144-3 to finish second at the Max Marr Invitational last weekend. Even though he enters the season as the reigning 3A champion, the feeling isn’t any different than it was a year ago.
“Every time I break a PR, it’s a new school record, “Whitaker said. “Just breaking a PR, there is the same feeling this year as last year. The state meet, there’s still competition. I need to just stick to my form, my way. Because at the end of the day, anything can happen.”
Another member of the boys team looking to contribute is Malherbe, who finished sixth in the 800 meters (1 minute, 57.82 seconds) at the state meet last season. He was also part of the Spartans’ second-place 4×400 and 4×800 relays.
Despite coming off an injury he sustained during cross country season, he is healthy and ready to finish higher on the podium than he did last year. He was actually a little disappointed with his finish last May at Jeffco Stadium because he entered the 800 seeded third.
He first broke the school record in the 800 as a sophomore and did it again last season with a 1:55.38 at the NoCo Qualifer meet hosted by Mountain View and Thompson Valley at Max Marr Stadium last April.
“I actually got injured during cross country, so I had to deal with that,” he said. “So, I was doing a lot of biking, swimming, aqua jogging and then I started in January running again. So, I’ve been running since January, getting my miles up, getting in shape again so I can do good this season.”
Another key piece of the boys team is senior Jayce Newbill, who was third in the high jump at state last season and participates on relays as well. He jumped 6-7 at state last year, one inch off his personal best of 6-8. He started the season with a jump of 6-6 at last weekend’s Max Marr Invitational.
On the girls’ side, the top returner is sprinter/jumper junior Sofia Sigg. Last year at the state meet, Sigg was second in the 100 in a personal best 12.41. She was also fifth in the 200 (25.91) and seventh in the long jump (16-2.5).
She has only been back on the track for a few days after finishing basketball season with the Spartans last Saturday. She holds the school record in the 200 (25.51) and hopes to get off to a good start and hit records in both the 100 and 200 this season.
“I think I kind of came into the season last year a little slower than I wanted to,” Sigg said. “Partially because basketball went a little longer last season, and this season, than I expected. But I think overall, once I got back into it, I started getting a couple of PRs. I started getting back in the flow. I didn’t think I was going to do that well in the 100.”
Jumper Libby Wilson is also back after she finished fourth in the triple jump (34-8) at the state meet. She was also ninth in the high jump (5-1) and 13th in the long jump (15-0).
Another returning state qualifier is sophomore Anna Bagley, who finished fifth in the two-mile (11:49.33) as a freshman. She was also 16th in the 1,600 (5:32.81).
“I think, especially since we lost so many from last year, it’s going to be difficult at the start, but we have a lot of younger girls coming up and a couple are injured right now,” Sigg said. “But once everyone comes back, and I think we start getting in the flow of everything and find out how all our relays are going to line up, I think we’ll do pretty well at state.”
Other returning state qualifiers for the Spartans on this year’s rosters include hurdler Julia Schnell; middle distance/distance runner Benjamin Clopper; jumper Rhys Sattler; pole vaulters Caylei McNeff and Dooley Cleveland; and several more who ran on relays.
There is also a long list of athletes besides last year’s state qualifiers that head coach Blaine Voth believes will be major contributors by the end of the season.
In CHSAA’s preseason polls, both teams were picked to finish third, just as they finished the season last spring.
Loveland Red Wolves
Head coaches: Girls — Taylor Buschy (second season); Boys — Reid Bauersfeld (second season)
Last year: Boys fourth at conference, sixth at 5A state; Girls sixth at conference
Returning state qualifiers: Boys — Jackson Conroy, Deontaye Christopher, Ashton Daly, Cody Diekmann, Cam Hendricks; Girls — Adley Knopp.
Others to watch: Boys — Gabe Castillon-Juancorena, Preston Evans, Ryan Farrell, Chris Guest, Jacob May, Brycen Gonzalez, Tyler Price, Connor Rockwell, Jackson Stulp, Vince Wimmer; GIrls — Ellory Anne Bauersfeld, Sydney Brantley, Aubrey Connot, Ella Gervais, Ava Gintoli, Sia Gomez, Sofia Ledermann, Sadie Lussenhop, Hallie Prete, Eliza Stewart, Macy Schliewack, Brynn Torres, Ava Wankleman
Coach’s outlook: “We are excited about the team’s potential this year. Both our boys and girls teams have grown and put a lot of work into the offseason. We’re looking forward to taking another step forward towards the state championship.”
Thompson Valley Eagles
Head coach: Ryan Williams (Fifth season)
Last year: Boys — Second at conference, third at 4A state; Girls — third at conference, 16th at 4A state
Returning state qualifiers: Boys — Zack Bakker, Jacob Crisman, Trent Gabrielson, Antheney Herre, Grant Pierson, Gio Rodriguez, Levi Smela, Isaac Vasquez; Girls — Meg Bakker, Libby Jarosik, Alice Lehnherr, Marin Rossman, Kiera Schra, Hadassah Shiver, Delia Spadafora, Courtney Trainor, Hadley Weir, Carson Chou
Others to watch: Girls — Christine Brandner, Brier Jensen, Charli Parrish; Boys — Blake Chleboun, Karter Christensen, Tyler Korthaus, Trevor Leidig, Aidan O Prey, Hunter Talley, Brody Van Essen
Coach’s outlook: “We have a really hard working group this year. There is a good mix of veterans and some promising young talent. Our coaching staff is very excited to see what this group can do. Our boys team will continue to be very competitive this year as we have been the past couple of years, and I think we have the athletes on the girls side to make a run at some great finishes this season.”
Mountain View Mountain Lions
Head coach: Matt Hall (Sixth season)
Last year: Boys — Eighth at conference; Girls — Sixth at conference, 15th at 4A state
Returning state qualifiers: Girls — Madeline Clark, Parker Clark, Addison Roark, Olivia Gurrini, Timber Campbel, Kaiden Money; Boys — Kane Kenders, Christian Wood, Everett Williamson, Ronin Bussard
Others to watch: Girls — Genevieve Laferriere, Bella Heim, Hailee Gullickson; Boys — JJ Phillips, Anthony Ervin, Leo Martin, Suvam Singh.
Coach’s outlook: “Our girls team should be quite strong this year. Led by Madeline Clark, Olivia Gurrini, and Addison Roark, we have also added some solid depth pieces. This will allow us to be able to diversify and put some good relays together. Here at MV, relays are always a focus. On the boys side, we have a deep team of solid speed guys, and this will allow us to have success in all the sprint relays. Our staff believes strongly in this team, and we will continue to work, improve, and be ready for the state meet.”
Resurrection Christian Cougars
Head coaches: Boys — Mark Roggy (Seventh season); Girls — Eileen Phillips (Sixth season)
Last year: Boys — First at conference, second at 3A state; Girls — Fourth at conference, fifth at 4A state
Returning state qualifiers: Boys — Trevor Lim, Lincoln Fagerlin, Britton Walston, Jonah Morris, Ryan Olson, Mwanje Peterson; Girls — Tatum Van Pelt, Gwyn Kingry, Bethany Vrooman
Coach’s outlook: “We are hopeful that the boys program will contend for a conference championship. The girls will surprise a few people this season.”
