March 22, 2008

Experienced upperclassmen to lead Norwell girls

By PAUL BEITLER

Sports Editor

Almost matching their male counterparts, the 2008 Norwell Knights girls track and field team has about as many freshmen members as it does sophomores, juniors and seniors.

The present roster is made up of seven seniors, five juniors, five sophomores and 11 freshmen.

Veteran Norwell girls head coach Bob Dahl, who is in his 10th season with the Lady Knights and 36th overall, does have a solid group of returning athletes, headed up by seniors Kayla Sweet and Katy Moore. Junior Brittany Hartman and sophomore Paige Fremion will be backing them up.

Sweet, who is third on the all-time Norwell girls 3200-meter list (11:53.4) and fourth on the all-time 1600-meter chart (5:25.51), and Moore, who is fourth all-time in the 800 meters (2:24.18), are close friends, too.

Moore also is back to improve on her skills and personal record in the high jump. Her best in the high jump is 5 feet, 3 inches.

Hartman is the top returning sprinter with personal bests of 13.2 seconds in the 100 meters and 28.0 seconds in the 200.

As a freshman last spring, Fremion posted a high school best of 51.2 second in the 300-meter low hurdles and a season best of 15 feet, 5 inches in the long jump.

“With the loss of last year’s seniors, we have some gaps to fill in the sprints and hurdles,” commented Dahl. “We should be strong from the 400 meters to the 3200 meters, high jump, long jump, shot put, pole vault and 4x800 meter relay.”

Sweet, Moore and junior Ericka Zeddis are back off last year’s record-breaking 3200-meter relay team. Along with Jill Watson who graduated last year, the foursome set the new Norwell girls mark of 9:56.1.

Dahl and his assistants, Deidre Stoppenhagen and Jill Thornton, are looking to improve on last year’s season which suffered from five cancellations due to bad weather.

The Lady Knights still concluded their season by finishing fifth in the always-tough Northeast Hoosier Conference and placing third in their sectional.

Dahl is looking to a number of newcomers for much needed help. That group includes Mallory Bushee (400, 800), Emily Gresley (shot put, pole vault), Ashley Zickafoose (shot put, discus), Caitlyn McGrew (high jump, 400, 800), Rebekah Witzig (sprints), Amber Haiflich (sprints) and Amanda McAfee (shot put, discus).

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2008 Norwell Knights
Girls Track & Field Roster
Paige Brink   12
Alecia Gilbert   12
Laura Harness   12
Jessica Keys   12
Jordan Klansek   12
Katy Moore   12
Kayla Sweet   12
Brittany Hartman   11
Miranda Shumate   11
Ashley Thornton   11
Katrena Thompson   11
Ericka Zeddis   11
Mallory Bushee   10
Kelly Brewer   10
Paige Fremion   10
Morgin Imel   10
Caitlyn Wren   10
Katie Bunch   9
Emily Gresley   9
Amber Haiflich   9
Cassie Herndon   9
Amanda McAfee   9
Caitlyn McGrew   9
Alexis Searles   9
Staci Thornton   9
Rebekah Witzig   9
Kelsey Worrell   9
Ashley Zickafoose   9
Head Coach: Bob Dahl
Assistant Coaches: Deidre Stoppenhagen, Jill Thornton

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