Peabody-Burns track will field young team

These seniors and returning letter-winners will anchor the Peabody-Burns track and field team this season: front row (from left) Bradley Sullivan, Tristan Wedd, Jacobo Penalver, Xavier Mosca, Tanner Wedd; (back row) Thomas Page, Taven Scott, Caleb VanCuren, Jess Philpott. Not pictured: Isaiah Andres, Madelaine Beal, Enzo Dezotti, Breanna Lett, Matt Montigny, Sienna Richter and Clarissa Stokes. The Peabody-Burns track and field team will be young this year for coach Brian Simmonds, who returns for the second year of his second stint as Warrior head coach. Simmonds also led the high school program from 1996-2001.

The Warriors lost five seniors to graduation, including Peabody-Burns’ sole state-qualifier from a year ago, Andrew Wedel, who finished fifth in the Class 1A shot put with a throw of 46 feet, 9 inches.

Also graduated is Austin Reynolds, who narrowly missed qualifying for state last year with a fifth-place regional finish in the 110 hurdles.

The team will also be without Tony Adams, Paige Murray and Thomas Paquette.

This year, 19 of the 25 Warriors out for track are underclassmen on a roster dominated largely by 13 sophomores.

Key returners for the boys’ team are sophomores Taven Scott (hurdles), Caleb VanCuren (800, 1,600), Tristan Wedd (100, 200, relays) and Tanner Wedd (100, 200 relays).

Headlining the girls’ team, which has no seniors, are junior Breanna Lett (400, relays), and sophomores Clarissa Stokes (javelin, long jump), Made­laine Beal (100 hurdles, relays) and Sienna Richter (shot put, discus).

Newcomer Aubrey Craig, a sophomore, is expected to contribute in the shot put, discus and javelin.

“My outlook, basically, with a young team is to build our team up and continue to work on individual goals, and then at the end of the season we’ll see if we can compete for some individual titles,” Simmonds said.

“(We’re) probably not looking at any league team awards this year, but with a young squad, it’s very hopeful that in the next couple of years, we could start competing at the team level.”

Peabody-Burns will open its season Tuesday.

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