Bonduel girls track team primed for strong spring

Boys team lacking experience as season begins
By: 
Morgan Rode
Sports Editor

The Bonduel High School track and field team has a number of talented girls on the roster, with the key boys members yet to be established as the spring season starts up.

“With the delay of the spring sports season and the extension into the summer my main concern is how many athletes will be participating this season,” said Bonduel coach James Westrich. “Right now, it looks like we will have a decent number of girls participating, but the boys team is still uncertain. I expect the athletes that do decide to participate in track to work hard and be competitive. It is still unclear if we will have enough strength to compete for conference (Central Wisconsin-Large Division).”

There are several girls back with plenty of varsity experience already on their side.

Seniors Kara Troxel, Breanna Schnell and Madison Kurey are all back after qualifying for sectionals as individuals in 2019.

Troxel made it to sectionals in the 1,600-meter run. She also competed in the long jump and a couple of relays during the season.

Schnell made it to sectionals in the long jump. She is an intermediate-distance runner and will again compete in the long jump this year.

Kurey was a sectional qualifier in the triple jump. She too is an intermediate-distance runner.

Troxel, Schnell and Kurey were also on the sectional-qualifying 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams. Kalleigh Schroeder, now a senior, was the final member of the 4x800 relay, which placed first at the CWC-Large Meet.

Schroeder is yet another intermediate-distance runner for the Bears.

Junior Brenna Hertzfeldt and senior Brooke Kelly will be competitors in discus. Hertzfeldt is also a sprinter.

Junior Jessica Ewing is also back for the girls after placing first at the CWC-Large Division Meet in the high jump as a freshman. She also ran the 800 that season.

Freshman Ashlyn Kurey and sophomores Kendra Troxel and Josie Hoffman will be making their high school debuts this spring. Kurey and Troxel are distance runners. Kurey and Hoffman are expected to compete in the triple jump, while Hoffman and Troxel are long jumpers.

The boys roster in 2019 was full of juniors and seniors, so there isn’t many experienced athletes back. That leaves plenty of events open for the taking.

“I believe this year might be a little rough at first,” said Schnell. “Taking the 2020 track season off may have affected many of the athletes. Although, I also believe that it has created a great opportunity to motivate and excite my team. Many of us missed out on a season, which in turn gave us even more motivation to succeed this year.

“I have shared some of my excitement with a handful of teammates as we eagerly wait for our first track meet. I believe this excitement will help keep my team focused and determined this year.”

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