The South Loup track teams, coming off a very successful season last year, are looking at capitalizing on that success to carry them even farther this spring.

Of the 17 state qualifiers last season - 12 on the girls team and five on the boys team - 13 have returned this year. The girls saw eight state qualifiers return - Ella Cool, Talli Martin, Halie Recoy, Josie Reiff, Bryn Schwarz, Abby Stallbaumer, Ivy Tullis, and Charli Vickers. The boys had all five of their state contenders return - Cache Gracey, Silas Cool, Rio Remund, Logan Recoy, and Trey Connell.

Despite losing six to graduation last season and overall participation numbers down this year, coach Lane Chesley is incredibly optimistic of what this season will bring.

“We’re expecting another successful year,” said Chesley. “With all of our boys state qualifiers returning, I’m expecting great things from them.”

The boys team is fielding 20 athletes: seniors Silas Cool, Pedro Flores, Lance Jones, and Johnny Lamphear; juniors Rio Remund, Logan Recoy, Cache Gracey, Trey Connell and Brendan Streit; sophomores AJ Starr, Ethan Furne, Dawson Mason, Caleb McFate, and Colton Hicks; and freshmen Crew Witthuhn, Conner Paulsen, Dylan Pandorf, Josiah Coleman, and Paxton Bierman.

The girls have 14 on their team: seniors Abby Stallbaumer, Talli Martin, and Halie Recoy; juniors Bryn Schwarz,