Sidney eyes spot at top of podium

Coming off a 2014 track and field season in which the Red Raiders boys finished as the runner-up at state, matching the success of last season could be a tall order. But with a strong cast on both the girls' and boys' teams heading to Omaha, 2014 may have been just a warm-up act.

Not only are both boys and girls looking for a high finish as a team, but several Raiders look to be in a fair position for a gold medal. The Raiders have not had a state champion since Paul Hamilton was a three-time state champion in the high jump – most recently in 2007.

Twenty-two Raiders are headed to Burke Stadium this season, including 12 girls and 10 boys.

From the Lady Raiders, the state-bound list includes Gabby Addleman (100-meter hurdles, 400-meter relay and 400-meter relay), Preslie Allen (400, 800, 1,600 relay), Kara Birner (3,200 relay), Charlie Brockhaus (3,200 relay), Julia Evertson (3,200 relay), Abby Heller (400 relay, 1,600 relay), Natalie Radcliffe (1,600 relay), Chantal Riggs (1,600 relay), Savanna Rosenbaum (high jump), Genessa Schilz (400, 1,600 relay), Kelly Von Seggern (100, 400 relay) and Sara Von Seggern (200, 400 relay).

From the boys' squad, the state roster has Chance Anglin (400 relay), Michael Banaszak (400, 400 relay, 1,600 relay), Jake Heeren (Shot put), Hayden Lienemann (800, 1,600 relay, 3,200 relay), Alex Linneman (200, 400 relay, 1,600 relay), Brody McKnight (3,200 relay), Derek Robb (400 relay), Hunter Secrest (1,600 relay), Logan Uhlir (3,200 relay) and Jachob Wiedeburg (1,600, 3,200 relay).

The list of Raiders state-bound athletes include all six relay teams.

"I think the most relays we've taken to state since I've been here is five," said Raiders' head coach John Ganser. "That says a lot about the effort all the coaches and runners have put in this season."

Also impressive is the large number of underclassmen on the way to state. The Lady Raiders have five freshmen, a sophomore and three juniors boarding the bus for Omaha. The boys send a freshman, a sophomore and three juniors. Five seniors represent the boys, all of who have been to state previously.

The youngest of the Lady Raiders will have the benefit of three seniors making the trip - all of whom have been to the dance before. Rosenbaum makes her fourth straight trip in the high jump, Addleman is back to add the 100 hurdles to the sprint relay and Sara Von Seggern is among the Raiders top sprinters.

From those who might have the best chance for a state title, Heeren is at the top of the list in the shot put.

He has twice taken down the reigning state champion, Tanner Borchardt, this season. Heeren topped Borchardt at his home meet in Gothenburg and again at districts in a drama-filled final. In the end, Heeren broke the school record on multiple occasions at districts and finished with a toss of 58-9, the longest in Class B this season. Borchardt has also gone beyond 58 feet.

"At this point it looks like the shot boils down to Jake, Tanner and a kid (Cam Jurgens) from Beatrice who is throwing very well," Ganser said. "We'll just have to see. Jake is very confident right now. He's been giving me the thumbs up at practice."

The likelihood is that the boys' strongest relay team is the 4x800. A veteran group including seniors Wiedeburg, Lienemann, McKnight with the junior Uhlir. The foursome was tested at districts when Scottsbluff reformulated its team, but still came up short of catching Sidney. The same foursome medaled in sixth at the 2014 state meet.

"They're the school record holders but you never know in races like that," Ganser said. "They need to get off to a lead, that's how they run it and that's worked well for them."

The boys' 4x100 is a mix of youth and experience with seniors Anglin and Banaszak joining sophomore Linneman and freshman Robb. The top 10 times run in Class B this season are all within a second of each other – a lifetime in a relay sprint. Sidney's best puts it as ninth best on the Athletic.net list. A clean race will be critical to any team with hopes of a medal.

The boys 4x400 combines the talents of Banaszak, Linneman, Lienemann and Hunter Secrest. If the team runs well, a medal is well within its grasp.

The girls' sprint relay runs seniors Sara Von Seggern and Addleman with sophomore Kelly Von Seggern and junior Heller. Though the Raiders found the Mitchell foursome an unbeatable force early in the year, they twice beat them late in the campaign. Sidney edged the Tigers by 0.09 seconds at districts. A clean race would put the Sidney group in a strong position to medal.

Among those at the top of the pyramid for the underclassmen are the four girls who qualified in the 3,200-meter relay. The freshmen quartet of Birner, Brockhaus, Evertson and Riggs improved with each race as they turned themselves into a state qualifier.

Natalie Radcliffe, another freshman, made the grade in the 1,600-meter relay along with her junior teammates Heller, Schilz and Allen. Allen takes on additional challeges in the 400 and 800 meters. She is among the leaders in Class B in both events though Erin Lee of York stands out in the 800.

"Preslie is used to strong competition running against that Mitchell girl (Jori Peters) all season," Ganser said. "She has to go hard early and put herself in good position to be there at the end. I think that would be a key. The same is true for both the longer relay teams."

Addleman is another strong contender for a medal in the low hurdles. She has shaved time off her best routinely late in the season. Another step forward would put her in the mix to make the finals.

Among the boys with a good chance for a high medal are middle and long-distance runners Lienemann and Wiedeburg. Nobody in Class B has run faster than Lienemann this season after he broke the 1:59 barrier at districts last week.

Wiedeburg has been shaving seconds off his best in the mile in his recent runs and boasts the third-best time all season in Class B. He has been used to tough competition taking on the likes of Scottsbluff's Matthew Barraza at districts. Fort Calhoun runner Alexander Tietz ran a fraction faster than Wiedeburg at his districts.

Alex Linneman is also in the mix at 200 meters. Many of the fastest times run this season in Class B are within fractions of a second.

"Alex could be laying in the weeds in the 200," Ganser said. "If he runs well in the prelims, he's in line for a strong medal. For Alex, and all the sprinters, they have to get out of the blocks well and then run the race of their lives."

CLASS B STATE TRACK & FIELD PARTICIPANTS

Here are the local high school athletes who will participate in this weekend’s Class B State Track & Field Meet, with class rank in parentheses and events:

Sidney Red Raiders – Boys

Coach: John Ganser

Chance Anglin (12) 400-Meter Relay

Michael Banaszak (12) 400 Meters, 400-Meter Relay, 1,600-Meter Relay

Jake Heeren (11) Shot Put

Hayden Lienemann (12) 800 Meters, 1,600-Meter relay, 3,200-Meter Relay

Alex Linneman (10) 200 meters, 400-Meter Relay, 1,600-Meter Relay

Brody McKnight (12) 3,200-Meter Relay

Derek Robb (9) 400-Meter Relay

Hunter Secrest (11) 1,600-Meter Relay

Logan Uhlir (11) 3,200-Meter Relay

Jachob Wiedeburg (12) 1,600 Meters, 3,200-Meter Relay

Girls

Coach: John Ganser

Gabby Addleman (12) 100-Meter Hurdles, 100 Meters, 400-Meter Relay

Preslie Allen (11) 400 Meters, 800 Meters, 1,600-Meter Relay

Kara Birner (9) 3,200-Meter Relay

Charlie Brockhaus (9) 3,200-Meter Relay

Julia Evertson (9) 3,200-Meter Relay

Abby Heller (11) 400-Meter Relay, 1,600-Meter Relay

Natalie Radcliffe (9) 1,600-Meter Relay

Chantal Riggs (9) 3,200-Meter Relay

Savanna Rosenbaum (12) High Jump

Genessa Schilz (11) 400 Meters, 1,600-Meter Relay

Kelly Von Seggern (10) 100 Meters, 400-Meter Relay

Sara Von Seggern (12) 200 Meters, 400-Meter Relay