Ronan track experience 'youth movement'

This season, Labbe will experience a very young class as his team prepares to head into the 2017 campaign.

“For the most part, our main group is freshman and they are our biggest freshman class,” Labbe said. “They are pretty loaded on our boys team. We have a total of 40 kids out this year and that is a big group. We still have a couple of a good leaders and a couple of juniors and seniors that contributed big last year. We are just trying to start the program and get it up from where it was last year.”

According to Labbe, one of the strongest areas on his track and field team will be in the distance runners. The Chiefs and Maidens, that boost one of the strongest cross country teams in the state will have several of the key contributors from those teams competing in track.

One of the key contributors includes distance runner Jackson Duffey. He and his teammate Collin McGuyer will be key contributors, according to Labbe.

“There are a couple of juniors that competed last year as well but those are the main guys,” Labbe said. “McGuyer and Duffey stuck it out in my mind and will compete well this year in their return. Most of our boys are coming from a junior group and most of them are returning. Hopefully we can build off that and just keep rolling.”

Another couple of long distance guys will include Nate Dennis and Kiry Detwiler that qualified for state as sophomores.

Another competitor the Chiefs will have is Steven Flesch, who, according to Labbe accomplished a lot in the triple jump.

“Flesch competed last year in the triple jump and did a lot of good work this winter,” Labbe said. “The kid probably will surprise some people in the triple jump this year.”

Because of the youth of his team and his first year at the helm, Labbe said he wants to focus on individual goals for his team.

“Our focus is just focusing on the individual race,” Labbe said. “We just can’t compare ourselves to other people and what they are running up against. We have to focus on our goals throughout the year, focus on ourselves, set our own goals and try to hit those goals. We just have to focus on what we are doing really.”

Maidens boast of several key returners in this season’s track and field

When looking at the Ronan Maidens track and field lineup, one can’t help but notice the similarities to its girls basketball roster.

This season, the Maidens’ basketball team was nearly flawless until losing two consecutive games at state, primarily because of a foot injury to one of its key contributors, Lee Camel.

Camel will be one of the key contributors to the Maidens’ track team when she returns to health, according to Labbe.

Labbe said he is going to “pace” Camel and ease her back into her role with the Maidens’ track and field team because of her injury.

“We are going to be a little smaller in numbers but we will have pretty good athletes,” Labbe said. “Camel had a foot injury during basketball season and we are making sure that she gets back into it the right way.”

Last season, Camel qualified for state in three different events but is still in the process of recovering.

“We are going to have to play her recovery by ear,” Labbe said. “She might throw a shot and discus but the long and triple jump require your feet to be healthy. I would like to see her after the first half of the season and ease into it. We have two track meets before district and when her family thinks she is ready to go, we will have her compete in the triple jump.”

Ashley McCready will compete in the two mile and the distance. Last season, McCready placed in the one and two mile. The Maidens Ally Buhr will also compete in the pole vault. Buhr will be a double-sport athlete this spring playing both golf and participating in track and field.

Like Camel, Maidens’ basketball player Micalann McCrea is also coming off an injury from a long basketball season in which the Maidens qualified for the state tournament.

“Micalann competed in the one and two mile and is one of our distance girls,” Labbe said. “The girls that placed last year at state have to overcome the injury bug.”

Labbe also said he felt he will get good production from Kara Holmlund in the shot put competition.

“Last year, she hurt her shoulder and this year is healthy and good to go,” Labbe said. “In the throwing events, I expect her to be pretty strong. Lee, Micalann and Kara will all be state contenders.”

Labbe said the rest of his team will be “young.”

Because of the team’s youth, Labbe said he can expect a lot of growth from the beginning of the season to the end of this season. Labbe also has a roster loaded with talented upperclassmen that have accelerated and won in the other respective sports they’ve participated in.

“That is basically our group of upperclassmen and we have quite a few younger sprinters this season,” Labbe said. “We have a few distance runners and sprinters. Most of them we haven’t seen compete. How they compete will dictate how we set our goals for the year.”