GHS preps for new journey in 3A with experienced roster

After a relatively quiet indoor season with 10 athletes available, the Glenrock High School outdoor track & field team is ready to put in the work. Head coach Peter Fenster is excited about the potential as his group prepares for a new journey.
The Herders will move up and compete at the 3A level this year, bringing with it new competition and welcoming challenges. They have plenty of talent back this year to make it a smooth transition.
Glenrock welcomes 55 athletes to start the season, 32 girls and 23 boys. Fenster’s expectations for each of them is to be a little better than the previous meet and to chase their own individual times and marks.
“My expectation for each athlete is to keep breaking their personal records,” he said. “For each of them to compete in every event to the best of their ability while competing with each other in practice every day.”
The coach also said his squad will have to find ways to be more competitive since the Herders have moved up from 2A. He has several talented returnees who will help make it an easier transition.
One of the leaders of the pack is Isabella Taylor who just made the podium at indoor state track in long jump. She will be a force in the 100 meters, 200 and long jump where she placed in the top  three at state in all three events last year.
The Herders have several speedsters back in running events. Hayden Lythgoe will be tough in the 400 and triple jump, while Logan Jones will bring his quickness from football and basketball and compete in the sprint races - 100 and 200.
GHS is fairly deep on the girls’ side. Also back with experience are Makenzi Partridge (100, 300 hurdles, high jump), Megann Farley (400, pole vault) and Gracie Sixbey (100, 200, triple jump).
In field events, Glenrock has a couple of basketball players who will bring some much needed muscle to the team. Ann-Marie Young and Rylan Bloem with throw both shot put and discus. Young is the returning discus state champion with a mark of 117 feet, 3 inches.
In addition, Erica Dority and Tyne will be ones to watch in pole vault.
“Our biggest losses from our team last year were John and James Halvorsen, Adelaide Williams and Aiden Orozco,” Fenster said of the void that needs filled this spring.
On the bright side, Glenrock returns many athletes who excelled last year with a crop of new but talented athletes. It’s just a matter of getting them in the events that bring out their best before state 
“We have a good mix of athletes this year,” Fenster said. “Last year we were a very young team, this year we have a good mix of older athletes with younger ones.”
Glenrock has some new faces this year that will ones to watch as the season unfolds. Move-in Julia Sarvey, fresh off an All-State effort in basketball, could bolster the team in the 200, 400 and long jump.
Ayden Moulton will be a force in the 800 and 1,600, while Charlie Schowengerdt will be chasing a qualifier in the 400 and long jump.
Two freshmen who could give the veterans from other teams a challenge are Caitlyn Williams and Lucy Ticknor. Williams will rely on her strength in the shot put and discus, while Ticknor, fresh off a second place finish at state wrestling, could be the team leader in distances in the 1,600 and 3,200.
 
Returning placers
• Isabella Taylor- 3rd in the 100m, 3rd in the 200M, 2nd in the Long Jump
• Gracie Sixbey- 8th in the 100m, 3rd in the triple jump
• Hayden Lythgoe- 3rd in the 400m, 5th in the triple jump
• Megann Farley- 7th in the 400m, 8th in the pole vault
• Makenzi Partridge- 3rd in the 300 hurdles, tied for 4th in the high jump
• Ann-Marie Young- Tied for 4th in the high jump, 3rd in shot put, 1st place in the discus
• Erica Dority- 3rd in the pole vault
• Tyne Loyd- 4th in the pole vault
• Rylan Bloem- 5th in shot put, and 8th in discus