A year ago, the Warrior boys posted 19 points at the Class 2A competition, earning 11th place?largely on the strength of a pair of top-2 performances by its standout senior Andrew Topham.
Also graduated are Todd Woodruff and Derrick Sim?monds, who helped power the Warriors 4×100 team to a fifth-place finish.
But two members of that relay are back. Will Pratt and Trevor Hamm will be strong scorers for the 2008 Warriors, as will fellow seniors Ethan Riggs, Adam Benson, Duane Unruh and Andrew Loucks.
Riggs is the team?s veteran hurdler. Benson will handle high jump, relays and sprints. McCartney said Loucks has improved a lot in the last year in throwing events. Pratt is also a potent thrower.
Hamm is a sprinter, while Unruh, Wiebe and sophomore Aaron Topham are the team?s premier distance racers.
The girls? team is led by sophomore Danielle Savage, who ran the open 400 at state.
Sprinters Denise Percival, sophomore, and Marissa Jantz, senior, are also at the top of the roster this season.
Percival holds a school record in the 200. Sophomore Traylee Woodruff holds the school record in the 100-meter hurdles.
McCartney expects Lauren Pickens to be the team?s top newcomer. The freshman placed at the state cross country meet this fall.
Peabody-Burns? first meet is Tuesday, April 1, at Goessel.
