By Bob Hamar
bob.hamar@theindependent.com

Yes, the Hastings Invitational will be at GINW this year.

After it was announced that the G.I. Relays a meet that has traditionally been held on this weekend would not be run, Hastings wanted to have a meet instead.

But Hastings was unable to host the meet this year because the school already had its schedule set and couldn't change it. That's where Northwest comes in.

GINW agreed to host the meet this year. Action begins at 2 p.m. today with field events.

The Viking boys would be a strong favorite to win the meet, but coach Dave Gee has elected to split his squad into two equal groups.

"To be honest, by splitting the team we get a lot more kids in and it brings everybody into the hunt for the team championship which will be more exciting," Gee said.

Northwest returns 25 letter winners from a strong team a year ago that finished fourth at the state meet despite being hampered by injuries.

Junior Beau Diehl, who won the pole vault at the GINW Invitational as a freshman, missed all last season with an injury. Senior Wade Meyer also missed all last season but should be strong in the discus.

Senior sprinter Andrew Mitchell has battled injuries the last two seasons. Junior Travis Englund was off to a good start a year ago in the jumps before an injury ended his season.

All those injuries a year ago may have cost the Vikings a state championship.

"We really felt like that would have been enough to get us over the hump at the end of the season when we did get beat up a little bit," Gee said.

The Vikings are loaded with quality seniors this year like Devin Johnson (sprints, long jump), Chris Thomson (distance), Gary Shuda (sprints), Hadley Cooksley (throws), Jeff Mills (pole vault), Kyre Randolph (400, 800), Meyer and Mitchell.

Cooksley finished fifth at state last year in the shot put behind four seniors.

"Hadley Cooksley placed well at the state meet last year," Gee said. "To be honest, he was just learning how to throw the shot. He put it together toward the end of the season and started understanding how it worked. He's way ahead of where he finished last year."

Juniors like Ethan Stutzman (sprints, relays), Jory Plasterer (800, 1,600) and Morgan Nason (800, 1,600) will help make the Vikings a very deep team this season.

"We are similar to what we've been the last two or three years," Gee said. "We have lots of quality lettermen returning. We should be pretty decent in about every event.

"It's a group that will be a lot of fun to work with. I don't know about the state meet, but we should score well in the other kinds of meets."

The Northwest girls will have a young team this season with just six seniors and four juniors on the squad of 38.

"I think we'll be better than last year if everybody stays healthy and steps up and competes," coach Kristin Caspar said. "We're always optimistic."

Senior Julie Stoltenberg, who holds the school records in the 200 and tied the school mark in the 100, returns in the sprints and jumps along with seniors Kristin Moeller (400), Miranda Parsons (throws), Kelli Raile (hurdles, 400 relay), Janae Riha (hurdles, triple jump) and exchange student Janine Traub (distance).

Caspar said staying healthy will be big for both Raile and Stoltenberg.

"Kelli Raile will be strong in the hurdles if she stays healthy," Caspar said. "She's battled a stress fracture the last couple of years.

"Julie will be competitive if she stays healthy. She had a good sophomore season but it wasn't as good last year."

The Vikings should be strong in the pole vault with returning state qualifiers Megan Pattison and Amber Reidy leading the way. Caspar said sophomore Christi Anderson didn't get much varsity action a year ago but will step in and pick up where graduated senior Abby Schrier left off.

Caspar said juniors Lindsey Roetzel (distance) and Jenna Rouzee (high jump) should do well this season along with sophomore Taylor Johnson (sprints, jumps).

Schedule

March 20, Hastings Invitational at GINW; 29, Central Conference Relays at Holdrege.

April 5, Aurora Invitational; 11, Central City Invitational: 17, GINW Invitational; 21, Central Nebraska Track Championships; 25, Holdrege Invitational.

May 3, Central Conference at Fairbury; 8, Districts at Lexington; 16-17, State meet at Omaha.