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Jeff Stern isn't into making predictions, but the Grand Island Senior High girls track coach knows his team will be ready.
The Islanders return 24 letter winners and nine state qualifiers from last year's Class A state championship team.
Stern said the Islander athletes know how to get ready for the season.
"They have been there and know what it's all about," Stern said. "They definitely have that desire to do their very best. I can't make any predictions, but I do know they will be prepared because they definitely know what it takes."
The Islanders open the season today at the Lincoln Northeast Relays. The meet is similar to the traditional G.I. Relays, an event that was dropped from the schedule this year.
"It's exactly the same as the G.I. Relays," Stern said. "The information sheet looks exactly like the G.I. Relays. The only difference is it's a couple of days earlier. That kind of puts a little pressure on us to decide who we want where."
That list of returnees begins with Alex Armes, Suzanne Higgins, Allison Jorgensen and Ariel Krolikowski.
Armes, a junior, won all-class golds in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes last spring. Higgins, a senior, was third in the 300 hurdles and Krolikowski, a junior, was fifth in the high jump.
Higgins and Jorgensen ran on the school-record setting 400 relay that finished third at state. Armes, Jorgensen and Higgins were all on the school-record 1,600 relay that finished second at state and clinched the state championship.
"Those girls have lots of good meet experience," Stern said. "They are very competitive athletes. They know what it takes to both train and prepare yourself to be in a position to do well."
Armes and Higgins both played on the Class A state runner-up volleyball team last fall.
"A lot of our athletes keep themselves in great shape over the off season by participating in other sports," Stern said. "Most are in the summer Islander power program.
"If they're not in a winter sport, a lot of them will just run on their own. I had three or four girls over the winter months who were interested in running workouts. I provided them with the workouts and then they were on their own to complete those workouts."
Stern credits strength coach John Swanson with making the Islanders better over the off season.
"Coach Swanson does a lot with the athletes," Stern said. "I tell the sprinters over and over again that we can get you in shape on the track and help your running form, but we can't make you faster. The only way to get faster is to get stronger."
Other state qualifiers returning this season include senior Tana O'Boyle (triple jump, 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles), junior Michaela Knuth (triple jump) and junior Amber Kunze (pole vault).
Schedule
March 20, Lincoln NE Relays; 29, North Platte Invitational.
April 5, G.I. Invitational; 10, Papillion-LaVista South Invitational; 18, Norfolk Invitational; 21, Central Nebraska Track Championships.
May 1, HAC at Lincoln High; 7, District at Grand Island.
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