The Chelsea Standard
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Chelsea tracksters deep and talented
By Don Richter, Sports Editor
PUBLISHED: April 12, 2007
Despite graduating three All-State distance runners and losing a league champion pole-vaulter to an off season injury, the 2007 Chelsea girls' track team looks to be stronger this year. The Bulldogs will field a squad of 42 athletes this season.
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"We lost a lot of talent last year, but we also have picked up a great deal of talent this year," said Chelsea coach Pat Clarke, entering his 29th season. "We are a lot further ahead in our development this year at this point."
Leading the returnees is senior Kelly Anderson. Anderson was Southeastern Conference White Division champion in the shot put and a Division II state regional placer in the discus.
Bulldog senior Nicole Bougher is an All-State distance runner who will be counted on heavily this season. Senior Kimmie Zimmerman is a state qualifier in the middle sprints who will give much needed experience to a young sprint corps. Senior Ann Cerveny returns to anchor the pole-vaulters, while other seniors counted on to score are Katelyn Ciaccio in distance events and Alex York in hurdles.
A veteran Chelsea senior athlete joining the track team this year will be Amanda McKenzie. McKenzie is a four-time All State and three-time SEC champion cross country runner. She will be doing competing in both soccer and track this spring.
Juniors who should contribute this year for the Bulldogs include, Cassie Coffman (middle distance, state qualifier), Jillian Fischer (shot put, discus, league placer), Katie Martin (high jump, league placer), and Nikki Oberholtzer (hurdles). Other juniors to be counted on to contribute include Kiara Bates, Kathryn Brieland- Shoultz, Sara Myers, and Emily Sparrow.
A Chelsea sophomore looking to make an impact this year include All-SEC sprinter Erin Benjamin. Benjamin set a freshman 200 meters record last season and looks to be even better this season. Sophomore Jenny Squires is a returning league placer in the high jump. Sophomore Victoria Kingsinger returns in the hurdles to anchor a talented young hurdle crew. Other sophomores to be counted on include Stephanie Becker, Jessica Brown, Robyn Cleary, Nicole Hopp, Katie Lindauer, and Jordan Shreves.
The freshman class this year is large and talented.
"They will give us a surge of talent that should greatly improve our team depth," Clarke said.
The freshmen are led by a pair of middle school record holders. Qlivia DeTroyer set the 200-meter record last spring and Christina Coffman set the long jump record.
Other freshmen to be counted on include, hurdlers Emily Bougher, Katrina Williams, Megan Hardcastle, and Marissa Elwart, sprinters Courtney Thacker, Alisha Joswiak, Aimee Mesko, Heather Owsley, and Elyse St Pierre, thrower Ashley Walker and distance runners Julie Beaumont, Jessica Farley, and Courtney Maher. "We should cover all the events and our strength will depend on how much we improve", Clarke said. A new addition to the coaching staff is sprint coach Mora Arnold. Arnold was a former state champion for Chelsea in the 200-meters. "She just completed her teaching certificate and ran for four years on Michigan's track team," Clarke said. "She is a great addition to our school and staff." This season, the SEC appears to be loaded again. In the SEC Red Division, seven-time defending Division I state champion Ann Arbor Pioneer looks strong, once again. Saline and Temperance Bedford also have top 20 Division I caliber teams. The SEC White Division also looks tough with defending champion Dexter again fielding a strong team. Tecumseh appears to be the favorite returning most of the team that finished fourth in the state last spring. Finally do not count out perennial league power Ypsilanti Lincoln. The Railsplitters will again have a very strong team to be reckoned with. "As for our Chelsea girls team, we hope to improve as much as we did last spring," Clarke said. "If we do our season could be bright indeed."
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