On your mark. Get set. Go.   AlWood/Cambridge track is off with a running start.

 A new season has come to this co-oped team consisting of both Cambridge and AlWood students. Both teams have already started preparing for the hurdles they will face as a team and individually this season. 

 This will be A/C’s third track season together. By now both groups are used to the idea of being one team, and with the excitement of next year both schools are excited for the season before them. 

 For the boys’ team, John Siebken will be coaching assisted by Charlie Brown. The girls’ coach will be Haley Wirth and she will be assisted by Kim Jansen. 

 "We have a small team, but a very strong team this year," stated coach Wirth. “Last year the team lost some key seniors including Carli Schieferdecker who went to state for the long jump and Kourtnie Janson who went to state for the high jump. We have a lot of returning juniors this year that were key athletes to the team last year.” 

 Coach Wirth has two good keys to being successful this year. The first is, focusing on the field events to rack up team points and building a strong base in each athlete.

 “Due to having small team numbers everyone will have to step up and do events they might not normally do,” stated Wirth.

 Last year, A/C had some very good meets which fans may want to come and watch this year. When A/C had a meet at Galva they took first place. They also managed to take second at a home meet and third place at both Sherrard and Orion. The question is, what team will be the hardest. It seems that it is Annawan/Wethersfield who will be good opponents because they will bring some strong runners this year. 

 Along with A/W, some other challenges that A/C may face are United and West Central who have posed challenges in the past. 

 The Cambridge side of the roster includes seniors: Erica Nimrick, Steven Lenertz, Daniel Walsh, Jake Young and Blake Banovitz; juniors: Danyelle English, Abi Stevenson, Jennifer Saulnier, Bethany Nelson, Ian Roden, Mikel Miller and Brandon Wilkinson; sophomores: Kalli Humphrey, Jessica Nail, Tyler Nimrick, Kyle Lookingbill, Austin Brown, Cody Anderson and Joey Allen and freshman Kayla VanWatermulen, Taylor Vincent, Brianne Swanson, Ben Smith, Skyler Rapp, Kevin Miller and Matt Johnson.

 After only four days of practicing, a few members of the A/C team went to the Knox College Exhibition. 

 A few highlights were, English who placed first place in shot put with a throw of 30-2, and Nail who took second place in the 800 meter run. 

 "This was a great chance to get a feel for where we are at as a team and where we want to be as a team," commented coach Wirth. 

 The team’s first official track meet will be on Tuesday, March, 31 at Sherrard for both boys and girls. The meet will begin at 4:30.