Head coach:Kalena Smith (first season)
Assistant coaches:Steve Shawver, Mike Flickinger, Erica Myers, Deneen Keller, Lynda Federinko Last season:9-2
Key losses:Sarah Montminy, Ali Yarger, Shannon Decker, Lissy Muchler, Kelsey Jordan, Mallery Suter, Stacey Bryant, Sunday Wright, Cassie Homan, Mad-die Taylor
Returning letterwinners: Greta Baier, Janelle Bickle, Stacey Bryant, Kristin Darr, Dakota Eckenroth, Brittany Federinko, Allison France, Kala Fultz, Alisha Jordan, Alyson Lush, Janelle Stover, Shannon Yarger, Maria Andrews, Miranda Crater, Lyndsey Fye, Emily Hoffman, Kendyl Paolini, Alicia Lindsay, Sara Benfer, Caroline Witter
The skinny:New coach Kalena Smith takes over for Deneen Keller. Smith, formerly Kalena Hale, is a 2000 Penns Valley graduate who ran track and cross country and played basketball with the Lady Rams. ... Smith expects team to be strong in many areas, especially in the sprints, distances and throws. ... Sprinters are led by a trio returning from last year’s 4x100-meter relay team which ran at the PIAA championships last spring in Caroline Witter, Miranda Crater and Kala Fultz, along with Heather Holmes. ... Also returning from last year’s state meet is Kristin Darr, who ran in the 400. ... Lost to graduation is threetime PIAA qualifier Sarah Montminy, a middle-distance runner who was seventh at the state meet in the 800, and 300-meter hurdler Lissy Muchler. ... The distance corps will be led by two runners who qualified for the PIAA cross country meet last fall in Alicia Jordan, who also plans to play softball, and Shannon Yarger. ... The team’s throwing contingent will be led by Lyndsey Fye and Emily Hoffman. ... The top returning jumpers include Fultz, Allison France and Maria Andrews. ... Kendyl Paolini is expected to lead the hurdle crew. ... The Lady Rams will take 41 girls into the beginning of the season.
Coach Smith says:“I think we’ll be strong in the sprints and throws this year. The loss of Sarah Montminy is going to hurt, but I see strength all around and in every event. We don’t have a lot of depth but we have standout girls in every event.” — By Gordon Brunskill
In Print
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