After last year's layoff, Bucs track and field eager to start 2021 season
Apr. 12—Two years after Grand Haven's girls track and field team finished 10th at the state finals, the Buccaneers will start their season this week with 22 freshmen on a team of 45.
While there may be some growing pains from an experience standpoint, a number of standout individuals for both the boys and girls teams will hope for minimal rust following a number of lost sophomore and junior seasons in 2020.
The Bucs kick off their season on Wednesday by hosting East Kentwood, one of the state's top teams. Perhaps the most intriguing question facing teams statewide will be a simple one: after having a season's worth of development taken away last year, how will student-athletes take to the first weeks of the 2021 season?
"This is a unique year with a lot of unknowns," Grand Haven boys coach Joe Nelson said. "Some of these events, we haven't been able to work on for almost two years, high jumps, hurdles, pole vault. That will be a big question mark for us."
Two Grand Haven seniors recently made their college commitments in past weeks, and will headline a boys team that feels its strength is in throwing events.
Brendan VanderMeer pledged to compete at Michigan State after a strong indoor season in February and March. In the Michigan Indoor Track Series, VanderMeer was a state champion in the shot put and third in the discus.
Eli Nelson qualified for the state meet in the pole vault in his freshman and sophomore seasons, and will contribute as a sprinter as well. He's headed to Youngstown State next year, and both seniors are expected to contend for OK Red conference titles.
"The distance crew is solid," Nelson said. "Christian Colvin had a successful cross country season, Ethan Jhamb was one of our leaders in 2019 as a sophomore and we've got two strong cross country returners in sophomore Nolan Clark and freshman Seth Norder."
Seniors Gabe Chittenden and Tanner Williams are both new to track, but Nelson is excited to see what they can add to the sprinting group alongside fellow senior Evan Schuster.
On the girls side, the distance group mirrors the boys' side, with a strong group from cross country season making the natural move to track for the spring.
"Our strengths will be in distance and the field events," girls coach John Tarr said. "Our distance runners have a lot of potential and they've been running all winter."
Senior Allison Kelly will be joined by freshmen Payton Hosley and Laurel Tolliver, who were both all-conference runners in the cross country season. Halle Bovee and Marissa McManus will join a number of other cross country followers to add to a crowded distance group.
Avery Keefe will have a busy season ahead, as the senior will be a key contributor in the long jump and high jump in addition to her work as a sprinter.
"She's a great all-around athlete," Tarr said. "She's got the ability to be both all-conference and all-region this year."
In field events, junior Chloe Brackenbury will be a top Buc in throwing events, while Lynsey Light has potential as a pole vaulter.
The focus for both teams will be competing with both East Kentwood and Rockford, who are typically top-five teams in the state. While the girls team will take some time early in the season to adjust, Tarr knows there's a talented bunch to coach.
"We just need to keep them healthy and positive to stay motivated," Tarr said. "They're definitely an enthusiastic bunch."
You can email Kyle at kturk@grandhaventribune.com or find him on Twitter @KyleTurkGHT.
