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Young STHS track squad set for season

Jeremy Evans

Last year, the South Tahoe High track team was filled with superstars.

In addition to a stellar group of underclassmen long distance runners, the Vikings also had a group of seniors led by Corey Vermillion, who set the school record in both hurdle events, and Matt Bobman, who set the school record in the shot put.

Throw in an all-senior, school-record setting 4×400 boys’ relay team made up Vermillion, Mikey Van Gorden, Casey Curcie and Dan McCullough, and the Vikings had quite a remarkable season for a team of its size.



This year, South Tahoe will start out as a much different track team.

“The name of the game for South Tahoe track this year is the long distance runners,” STHS track coach Dan Wilvers said. “There isn’t much we know about the other athletes.”



Although the long distance group of Kimmy Arroues, Kelsey McClurg and Kate Lambdin remains intact, the Vikings have 51 athletes out for track this season and only about half were on the team in 2005. But what South Tahoe is lacking in experience it is making up for in enthusiasm.

“There are a lot of athletes that want to do well but haven’t been out there before,” coach Melissa Berry said. “We look good right now, but it’s in the gym. Sometimes that can translate to the track. You just never know.”

South Tahoe will get the first chance to showcase its potential on Saturday at a four-way meet in Fallon.

Of the athletes who were overshadowed last year’s talent, Berry said junior Ben Booker could be successful in the triple jump and Mark Dalmacio and Alex Hand could both emerge in the sprint races.

Two wild-card female athletes are Chelsea Madsen and Karli Vath, soccer players who want to compete in the sprint races but don’t have any track experience. Like the rest of the Vikings, only time will tell if they can taste some of the success of last year’s athletes.

“We have couple of runners who look like they have potential, but we haven’t had that first meet so it’s hard to tell right now,” Berry said. “We’re starting over with a younger team. We’ll just have to see.”


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