Panther Track Teams Prepare for 2011 Season

Every second counts in sports, and in track, every hundredth of a second is important.

That was shown at last year's state track meet as the Mehlville boys missed out on making the finals by just that, .01 of a second.

Two of the four runners on that team return this spring as the Panthers look for more highlights.

They will certainly miss Tyler Sucher, who scored the team's only points at the state meet with a fourth place finish in the triple jump. Sucher was also on the 4x100-meter-relay and also qualified individually in the long jump.

Senior C.J. Dickerson and sophomore Chase Brown are the returning runners from the 4x100-meter-relay team.

Depth was a strength for the boys last season; all four relay teams were able to make it to sectionals.

The Panthers are still fairly deep this year as junior sprinter Jeff Jackson returns. He was an alternate on the 4x100-meter-relay state team.

Senior Remington Grigsby and junior Nick Zewiski return from the 4x800-meter-relay team which just missed on qualifying for state.

Junior Mike Sulya should also be a key contributor on the relays and was a sectional qualifier last year in the high jump.

"I am happy with this group," said Coach Jay Holtmeyer, who has about 50 boys out for the team. "We have a lot of good young kids out. We are trying to get talent in all areas and are working hard with our field events. We hope to take some more kids to state this year and score some more at state."

The Mehlville girls did not have a state qualifier last season. Coach Chris Cook is excited about the potential of this group, which added about 15 girls from last year. The Panthers now have 42 on the team.

"We were a young team last year and we are still untested this year with a lot of the girls," Cook said. "Hopefully the experience from last year will help the returning girls."

The strength of the Panther girls appears to be in the distance events as they are led by senior Hannah Sebold.

"Hannah has been with us for four years and is just a great team leader," Cook said. 

Junior Jennifer Carter, who missed most of last season with an injury, returns this year in both the distance and middle distance events. Sophomore Mel Jones is another solid distance runner.

Junior Terina Greene and sophomore Maurisha Williams-Hooks are other girls to watch for the Panthers this spring. Greene did well last year in the 300-meter low hurdles. Williams-Hooks is a good jumper, both in the long and high jump, and also is a solid thrower.

"Our sprinters are young," Cook said. "We have a lot of freshmen and sophomores who have some talent. Our goals with such a young team are just to improve as the season goes on. We would like to get as many kids through the districts and to sectionals.

The Mehlville boys and girls will both be competing Friday at the Fox Invitational.