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TRACK & FIELD: McAuley Catholic sees numbers increase for boys, girls

By:
SoMo Sports staff reports

McAuley Catholic coach Andy Youngworth, who previously coached cross country and track and field at Carthage for three decades, enters his second season at the helm of the Warriors boys and girls track programs.

On the boys side, McAuley Catholic returns seniors Jack Jones (jumps, sprints, sectional qualifier in 4×400), Joe Staton (sectional qualifier in pole vault, mid-distance, hurdles), and Drew Zeb (distance, sectional qualifier in 4×800), juniors Dylan Taffner (sprints, sectional qualifier in 4×400) and Ethan Stabb (sprints, sectional qualifier in 4×400), and sophomore Michael Parrigon (distance, sectional qualifier in the 800 and 1600).

Pictured is McAuley Catholic’s Michael Parrigon.

Parrigon holds the school record in both the 800 and 1600, and he earned all-state honors in cross country in the fall. Parrigon finished 21st in Class 1 in 17 minutes and 56.5 seconds.

Newcomers are sophomores William Holder (throws) and Tripp Miller (javelin, sprints) and freshmen Max Anreder (throws), Alex Bohachick (sprints, jumps, hurdles, mid-distance), Paul Stachura (throws), Connor Taffner (distance), and Trae Veer (distance), who also earned all-state honors in cross country earlier this school year.

“Our team is a little bigger this year, 13 athletes with varied experience,” Youngworth said. “We have a good group of kids who have worked hard this spring so far and feel we will be more competitive this season. We are sharing several kids with baseball, so we will not be at full strength for several meets. We have a little more depth this year in some areas, especially in the throws and jumps.

“Last year, we implemented the basics of our program: team over self, hard work, do the best you can do, and good things will happen. In year two, we are reinforcing this philosophy while challenging the kids with harder workouts. So far, the kids have accepted every challenge.”

The Warriors have winning the Ozark 7 Conference meet, improving on their seventh-place district finish, and getting at least one athlete to qualify to state for the first time since 2019 as their goals for the upcoming season.

“We have a challenging schedule this year, competing against Class 2, 3, and 4 teams in most meets,” Youngworth said. “We will use these competitions to improve our times and marks and not worry about team points. College Heights is the defending conference champion and has most of their team back for the 2023 season. They have set the standard and we are striving to be that team overtime. We must first find a way to top Thomas Jefferson, who beat us by 5 ½ points last year.”

McAuley Catholic placed third overall in the Ozark 7 last season, behind their crosstown rival small schools.

The Warriors have the Springfield Catholic Invitational (March 24), the Diamond Invitational (March 28), the Galena (Kan.) Invitational (March 30), the Seneca Invitational (April 3), the Hillbilly Relays in Pierce City (April 11), the East Newton Invitational (April 13), the Sarcoxie Inch by Inch (April 14), the Ozark 7 meet at Thomas Jefferson (April 19), the Lamar Invitational (April 20), and the Girard (Kan.) Invitational (April 28) before district, sectional, and possibly state competition in May.

“We have a good work ethic and kids are willing to sacrifice individual success for team success,” Youngworth said. “That chemistry is crucial to our success this year and in years down the road. We believe we will be competitive in the relays, distance events, and field events. We have several young throwers, and I am excited about their future.

“The success we had in cross country has proven to the kids that success in Class 1 is possible with hard work and an unselfish attitude. We have put together a great coaching staff with years of experience and that will obviously put our kids in a better position to have success.”

The Warriors’ coaches this season are Youngworth, Georgia Antillon, A.J. Broadus, Chris Moreno, Payton Roberts and Darbi Stancell.

“We will be weak in the open sprint events as we focus on relay experience,” Youngworth said. “To be honest, having more kids out in the future will ease that problem. We are a very small school and share kids with other sports. Despite that, we are assembling a good group and have a growing middle school program that will continue to add depth to the team in the years to come.”

On the girls side, McAuley Catholic will have junior Kendall Ramsey (distance) and sophomores Genevieve Billings (distance) and Marbellie Villanueva (distance) back for another season, while freshmen Vanessa Diaz (jumps, sprints), Kierra Mays (throws), Samantha Perrin (jumps, hurdles, mid-distance), Brooke Righter (hurdles, mid-distance), and Cristal Torres (throws, sprints) give the Warriors dramatically increased numbers.

Ramsey earned conference titles in the 1600 and 3200, qualified for sectionals in both events, and qualified for state in the 3200 last season. She finished eighth in Class 1 at state in cross country this fall with a time of 21:07.6.

Ramsey also holds the school record in the 3200, and she finished 10th at state in the event last season.

“We don’t have any seniors on the team, so leadership is a potential concern,” Youngworth said. “That said, junior Kendall Ramsey has done a great job leading a group of girls that has little or no high school track and field experience.

“We will be weak in the open sprint events and relays this season. With only eight girls, we will try to spread them out in events where they will have some success and hopefully be able to put together a couple of relays that can compete. We are assembling a good group and have a growing middle school program that will continue to add depth to the team in the years to come.”

With only three girls last season, McAuley Catholic finished fourth in the Ozark 7 meet and Youngworth said the girls have the goal of moving up one spot in the standings this season.

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