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NORTHFIELD SPRING SPORTS
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD
Raiders return many with speed By MATT PAULSEN
mpaulsen@northfieldnews.com
While only sending one to the state meet last season, Northfield had multiple girls make the section finals and a number of underclassmen step up and show promise as a new season gets underway. Mya Jirik will return for her senior season after representing the Raiders at the state meet last year. Jirik made the Class 2A state finals in both the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash. She placed seventh in the 100 with a time of 12.59 seconds, while finishing
ninth in the 200 with a time of 25.92. Jirik has run in the Class 2A state meet the past three consecutive years. Back in November she signed a Letter of Intent to run track at Minnesota State University, Mankato next year. In addition to Jirik, other Raiders made it to the Section 1AA finals last year. Both Grace Acheson and Bailey Hoffer made the finals in the 100-meter hurdles. Hoffer will be a senior on this season’s team, while Acheson will be a sophomore. Acheson also qualified in the 400. Senior Emma
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Rezac qualified in the 200-meter dash, while junior Katie Brust fell one spot shy in the 800. Brust did however finish with a season-best time of 2:25.04. With the largest roster numbers in four years, head coach Troy Cohrs will have some options to work with. “We have a lot of returners with speed and skill,” Cohrs said.” A goal this season is to get back to state with at least one to three girls and maybe break a school record.” Cohrs lists the short sprints, 4x100 relay, 100 hurdles, discus, high jump and long jump as some
team strengths this season. He also mentions Jirik, Hoffer, Rezac, Brust, Marissa Thornton, Karissa Ricks, Emma Roethler, Bryn Mucha and Annalee Olson-Sola as some names to watch entering the season. “I’m excited to get started,” Hoffer said. “It should be good, I hope we’re successful.” While Northfield will have a strong nucleus of upperclassmen, a number of freshmen showed promise a season ago. Things started taking shape near the end of April last season during a triangular meet in Red Wing. Elizabeth Acheson won the 400-meter
dash with a time of 1:00.92 while Karissa Ricks won the pole vault by clearing 9 feet. Kasey Mohlke took second in the pole vault after clearing 8-6. The trio above, along with Grace Acheson will look to start their sophomore season with some momentum after experiencing varsity competition last year. That extra year of experience from the underclassmen can only help the rest of the team move forward and find success this coming year. The Raiders will have their hands full in Big 9 Conference
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play. Rochester Century, Red Wing, Mankato East, Owatonna and Austin claimed the top five slots during last year’s Conference Championship meet. Northfield opened its season last Thursday, April 6 with a victory in New Prague. It takes a week off before heading to Owatonna High School for a meet against Owatonna and Rochester John Marshall at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18. Reach Sports Editor Matt Paulsen at 645-1106. Follow him on Twitter @NFNewsSports
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