Plenty of new faces for young CCS boys’ track team

    Numbers remain high for the Chase County boys’ track team. While that’s a great sign for the state of the program, 39 of the team’s 50 athletes are freshmen and sophomores.
    “We are VERY young,” CCS Head Coach Carl Zuege said, but the team’s numbers and depth are the most exciting thing Zuege has seen so far.
    He expects the Longhorns to be strong in the hurdles, relays, and sprints, but the team’s youth will show up in the throwing events.
    Returning to lead the way are 2021 state qualifiers senior Ryan Bernhardt, juniors Kade Anderson, Carter Leibbrandt and Dawson Mollendor and sophomore Easton Fries.
    The team’s other seniors are
Emmitt Zuege, Cayden White, Julian Juarez and Juan Ruiz, while juniors are Colin O’Neil, Ian Moreno and Michael McBride.
    Seven returning letterwinners are sophomores, and although they are young, Zuege said the group had a good deal of success as freshmen.
    “I expect that to become an area of strength,” Zuege added.
    Leibbrandt, returning pole vault state qualifier suffered a knee injury during football season which hurts the team’s depth in that event, but Zuege said several young guys should have very good seasons.
     “Our distance kids are maybe our youngest group, but there is a good deal of talent there,” Zuege said, adding relays should be solid once again, as well.
    “Our 4x100 relay, which has medalled the past two state meets, should also be solid once again,” Zuege said.
    With two returning state qualifiers in the hurdles, and other huddlers coming on, Zuege also said the hurdle events should be an area of great strength.
    Getting started on the season has been a slow process.
    “We have had a very slow start with weather, spring break, and other factors, but I have been really happy with the effort of our guys so far,” Zuege said.
    Zuege has several new members on his coaching staff this year.
    First-year CCS teachers Karli Hale will coach the long and triple jumpers and Justin Anderson will coach the pole vaulters.
    Jonathan Beverly and Holden Dreiling will oversee the distance events.
    Travis Luhrs and Troy Hauxwell will coach the high jumpers.
    Josh Fries will help with our hurdlers.
    Dan Lenners remains the team’s throwing coach.
    “I am super excited with our coaching staff this year,” Zuege said.
    The team’s first meet will be in Grant Thursday. CCS will face Perkins County and Potter-Dix at the PCS Pre-Season Meet.
    This year’s district meet will be at Mitchell. Other teams in the district will be Bayard, Bridgeport, Gordon-Rushville, Hemingford, Kimball, Mitchell, Morrill and Perkins County.
    This year’s state track meet will be a four-day event like last year’s was, but changes have been made.
    Like last year, Class C will compete on the final two days of the meet, May 20-21.
    But, rather than competing simultaneously with Class B schools as it has in the past, Class C will be paired with Class D over the two days.