Panther girls track to try and topple Evergreens By MIKE KEMMETER of The Gazette If the past is any indication, the Stevens Point Area Senior High girls 2000 indoor track and field season will be another battle with D.C. Everest for conference supremacy. The Panthers, who beat the Evergreens once in three outdoor meetings last year, will try to make another run at Everest at the Wisconsin Valley Indoor Conference meet Tuesday, April 11 at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. SPASH kicked off its season last Tuesday as the host of a small triangular and hosts the Point Invitational Friday night at the UW-SP Multi-Activities Center. "I think we've got a shot at conference," SPASH coach Mike Olson said. "I think we've got enough depth. "Our strength is going to be our balance. Erin Legro's our blue-chipper. But it's going to be our balance and our depth that going to get us where we'll go this year." In order to make a run at the Valley indoor title, a pair of Panthers are going to have to get healthy. Legro is nursing a pulled quadriceps muscle and is day to day and fellow senior Emily Pliska will also be out for a portion of the indoor season. The Panthers return several major contributors from last year's team. Seniors Kjersten Johnson (distance), Tracy Knippel (long jump and triple jump) are back with Legro (1998 100-meter hurdle champion) and Pliska (sprints, long jump). Juniors Cassie Dudeck (middle distance), Abby Ofori-Amoah (shotput, discus, sprints) and Alexis Sustman (middle and long distance) and sophomores Kim Klosno (sprints, pole vault, jumps) and Amber Perri (400, sprints) should also be big contributors. The team will look to replace several seniors, including Jen Osili (sprints) and Kari Paulson (distance). After a week off from school for spring break, Olson is glad is team is back to work. "Spring break was a little disruptive, but we're back as a group," Olson said. "I'm really pleased with the work ethic and attitude of the team. It's been great. "I was disappointed with our offseason conditioning. We have some catching up to do. But the girls have shown they're willing to work hard." Pacelli A young Pacelli team hopes to use the indoor schedule to gain some seasoning for the outdoor campaign. The Cardinals, who lost five big contributors to graduation, have five seniors to count on but will look to underclassmen and newcomers to fill some holes. "I think we're just going to look to get experience," Pacelli coach Kate Luebke said of the indoor season. "We're a young team with not a lot of depth. We're looking to get experience for the outdoor season." Seniors Joy Jacoby (400, 1600 relay), Lisa Ksionsk (relays and LJ, TJ), Cindy Lila (sprints, relays), Laura McCorkell (middle distance, discus) and Kristin Mitchell (LJ, TJ, HJ) all return with state meet experience. Sophomores Katie Hansel (distance) and Emily Swenson (hurdles, 400 relay) should also be big contributors. Juniors Vanessa Guillemette (HJ), Kim Sinclair (hurdles) and senior exchange student Diana Gomez (sprints) are a few of the team's newcomers who could put some points on Pacelli's score. The senior and underclassmen mix will try to compensate for the losses of Karin Kedrowski (sprints, shotput), Jesse Weyenberg (middle distance), Abby Kruzitski (relays, long jump), Melissa Jacobson (distance) and Anne Zdroik (distance). "The girls team is really young and inexperienced," Luebke said. "The seniors are going to have to step up and be leaders to help the underclassmen." Seniors Pat Knudson (distance), Bob Omernik (distance) and Joel Skornia (middle distance). Juniors Nathaniel Miller (hurdles) and Willie VanDeYacht (distance) will be joined by several sophomores and freshmen. Seniors Pat Knudson (distance), Bob Omernik (distance) and Joel Skornia (middle distance). Juniors Nathaniel Miller (hurdles) and Willie VanDeYacht (distance) will be joined by several sophomores and freshmen. Rosholt An experienced Hornets team returns this spring and may turn some heads at the Point Invitational Friday night, a meet filled with large-school competition from around the state. Looking at some results from the past, we may be able to put ourselves in the top five," Rosholt coach Mike Trzebiatowski said. "I think we have a chance to place in all events but maybe three. If we can score 30 points, I'll be happy." Rosholt has several returnees with state meet experience, including junior Jenna Eschenbach (hurdles, relays, high jump), who won the 100-meter hurdles state title last year. Senior Jen Zdroik, junior Amy Scott (distance, high jump) and sophomores Tasha Check (long sprinter), Kate Flick (middle distance), Kate Kosobucki (sophomore) and Tami Scott (distance) all have competed at the state meet as well. Other returnees include seniors Jess Arrigo (sprints) and Lyndsey Carter (weight throws); juniors Lana Dalton (sprints), Kari Kurszewski (weight throws); and sophomores Angela Ryan (middle distance), Sarah Simonis (distance), Steph Wierzba (shotput) and Lisa Yenter (distance). Newcomers include exchange students Perjo Eelmaa (long sprints) and Kiki Straub (sprints, jumps). The number one goal of Rosholt's indoor season, which also includes meets at UW-Oshkosh and the USTFA meet in Madison, is to get the Hornets to challenge themselves, Trzebiatowski said. "The results will take care of themselves. If we could just get and hour and a half of good practicing ever day, they're going to make big improvements. We want that to carry into the meets and have them develop confidence in themselves," he said. "We want them to get that feeling that 'I want to be here to accomplish things at practice and that I come and want to come,' and that they feel bad if they don't have practice."