Winter Track

Winter track, technically a club, has been an underground pillar of Loveland’s running programs. For those who don’t know, winter track is a sport run indoors, with all of the same events and structure as outdoor track in the spring. The track is only about 200 meters, but the competition is still fierce. This year alone has been historic, with multiple records broken and a plethora of state-qualifying individuals.

Right out of the gate, the girls' team broke the 4x200 relay record and the 4x400 record, while also qualifying for the state meet in the 4x800, all in the same night. The record-breaking 4x2 includes Natalie Waple (11), Natalie Niese (11), Carlie Wethington (12), and Caroline Murnan (12). They broke the previous record. 1:48, by two seconds, and cemented their spot as 3rd in the state. Similarly, the 4x4 includes Wethington, Emma Todd (11), Waple, and Murnan, shattering the former record of 4:09 by four seconds and placing them at 2nd in the state. The 4x8—Delaney Cilley (12), Anna Feeney (11), Abby Droessler (10), and Murnan—ran a 9:58 and are 5th in the state. 

Murnan, a member of all three relays, has also qualified for state in the 200-meter dash with a 26.09 at 10th, the 400 with 58.75 at 4th, and the 800 with 2:18 at 4th. Less than a second ahead of Murnan in the 800, Cilley is 3rd in the state. Also, the leading member of the 4x8, she has a spot at 14th in the mile with a time of 5:13. Finally, Waple has qualified in the 60-meter hurdles as 13th in the state with a 9.31, along with the 4x2 and 4x4.

Similarly, the boy’s team has a few state qualifiers, including Tyler Schwinn (12), Ian Trombley (11),  and Ronan Wolfer (12). Schwinn qualified in high jump, tied for 10th in the state with eight other jumpers, and marked at 6’2”. Trombley and Wolfer both qualified for the two-mile; Trombley set at 17th with a 9:49, and Wolfer sits at 14th with a 9:47. While only the top 16 in the state qualify, Wolfer won’t be competing, dropping Trombley into 16th place. All of the above will be competing on Friday, March 6th, in Geneva at the Spire Institute.

Most of these athletes will be trying to qualify for Nationals in their respective events, and most of them will. The indoor season is relatively short and often a poor indicator of the outdoor season, but this indoor record shows promise for outdoor. The strength built in the pre-season will carry over, and the post-season championships are the goal.