Alma’s boys’ and girls’ track and field teams have enjoyed strong seasons.
Chris Brown is coaching the boys’ team, which started the season with a record of 6-1.
Jake Morey has been the team’s top distance runner. “He ran a pretty heavy load for us to be able to win at some of our dual meets,” Brown said. “He’s ran the 4×8, the mile, the 800, and the two mile in three consecutive meets now. That’s racing four miles in a meet. There’s not a lot of recovery time. But we have to rely on him.
“We’re hoping as we get to [the postseason] that he’ll get a big drop in his times. He’s a strong distance kid. He’s got a shot at our two-mile school record.”
Malcolm Davis has been strong in the 100-, 200-, and 400-meter dashes. “He’s a kid that I’ve really relied on,” Brown said. “We have a couple of [400 and 800] distance kids, Damian Castillo and Brevan Bender, and I’ve relied pretty heavily on those kids throughout the season.”
He’s had some consistent senior throwers in Clayton Carr and Curtis Doyle. “That’s one event where I know I can count on first or second place from both of those guys,” Brown said.
Sophomore Brenden Howard has displayed his talents in the sprints, while junior Jacob Adams has done so in the pole vault and the long jump.
Adams “is a good example for some of our younger kids to stick with it. We’ve been banged up all year. We’re trying to get to the point where we’re all getting healthy.” said Brown.
“Chase Austin is a major contributor. He is a junior, but only in his second year of track. He hurdles and is currently ranked second in our region in the 300 hurdles. We have high hopes that he will be a state qualifier for us in the hurdles and possibly a relay. He has been a major scorer for us all year,” Brown continued.
Jamie Puffpaff is coaching a very young, but talented, girls’ team.
“We have many freshmen that have stepped up,” she said. “We have 17 on our team and over half are freshmen. That’s encouraging, moving forward as a program.”
Tayla Guerrero, a freshman, is the team’s top sprinter. Madison Doolittle, also a freshman, has been the top hurdler and also does some sprints. Lexi Morton, a senior, does well in the throws.
“Many of them are freshmen, so the fact they can come up to a varsity sport as freshmen and are making such an impact, I would say we’re exceeding expectations,” Puffpaff said.
Morton has been enjoying her best season. “She’s an outstanding girl who has improved each and every year,” Puffpaff said.