With nine hard working athletes returning to the track and field this season, coach Michael Hart’s West Liberty High School girls track team has high hopes to return a number of girls to the state track and field meet this spring.
“We have an awesome group of girls this year! It's a good size of competitive girls that are eager to improve their abilities,” said the veteran coach. “We are hoping to get as many of these girls to the state meet as possible. For many of the individual events as well as relays, the goal is not just to qualify but also to place at the state meet.”
But that’s not the only goal for the Comets. Hart says the team also has goals of getting everyone contributing points at their regular season meets so we can pick up some team victories through the season, something that was difficult to do a year ago because of lack of numbers.
This year, 23 girls will be competing for honors including senior standout Macy Daufeldt, who has placed first and third at state in the long jump. She also qualified in the open 100, 200 and shuttle hurdle relay last year with fellow sophomore hurdlers Rilee Han, Laney Esmoil and junior Sydney Rivera.
Han also qualified for the Drake Relays in the high jump last season as a freshman. Also returning are seniors Mylei Henderson and Grace Evans, as well as sophomores Sammy Goodale, Alissa Sanchez, and Amerie Alvarado.
Others participating in track and field are seniors Sailor Hall and Grace Ortiz, juniors Lila Guerra, Rylee Goodale, Sara Despeghel and Manna De La Cruz, and freshmen Mia Gingerich, Bayley Rivera, Sophie Buysse, Pearson Hall, Madi Stultz, Ava Morrison, Addison Beaver and Daisy Kivi.
The season began Tuesday, March 22, with an indoor River Valley Conference meet to be followed by a meet Saturday, March 26, at Iowa City Regina. The coach says it’s obvious Daufeldt is “looking to do some damage” again in the long jump this year, but says the shuttle hurdle relay team is “bound and determined to make the finals at state this year and compete with the best in Class 2A.”
The coach says it may be an unusual season not being able to host meets on the weather-damaged home track. “It definitely is not ideal that we have to host our meets at a different location. Thankfully, West Branch has been nice enough to let us host there, so it isn't too far for our volunteers to travel. However, I'll use this opportunity to ask anyone willing to travel over and help out!” Hart said.
“The bright side of the situation is that we are still able to practice on our track and we have awesome plans to build a new and improved eight-lane track and facilities for next season,” he said.
The coach looks to have some “tough” talented girls in the longer sprints, so he’s visioning some strong relay teams. He said discus and shot put competitors are “putting in a ton of quality work” as well, showing one of the strongest throw teams the girls have had since he started coaching in West Liberty five years ago after serving as cross country coach at Iowa City City High for three previous seasons.
Hart anticipated Mid-Prairie, the defending 2A champs, to again be the team’s toughest competition this year and said Tipton has a “storied program” that will be tough to compete against. He said Northeast also has a handful of talented girls that will make them tough again, rounding out the three teams that “definitely stand out.”
Hart, a former track and field runner for the Iowa Hawkeyes, says he’s really excited about this year’s Comet girls. “They are making huge improvements already this season and having lots of fun while doing it,” he said. “We're lucky enough to have Jackie Henderson back helping as an assistant this year. The team had a great chemistry last season and it appears we are picking up where we left off.”