Montague brings back several state qualifiers from a season ago and hopes to increase the number of athletes it sends to state this year.
"The top priority is to coalesce as a team and be dedicated together," Montague coach Joe Brunson said. "If we can do that, we will likely place well at our regional, see a few school records fall, and qualify a good number of athletes (to state)."
The Wildcat boys welcome back half the athletes that helped set a new 800-meter relay school record at last season's state meet. Talan Degen and Devlin Dean are back, with the hopes of finding two athletes capable of doing what 200-meter record holder Isaiah Atchison and Paul Olson, both graduated, brought to the relay.
Montague also has state qualifier Isaac French in the throws; Talan Degen leads the Wildcat sprinters; and Noah Raeth anchors the distance runners. Adaptive athlete Wyatt Fairchild competed at the state meet too, and he's back for his senior year.
On the girls' side, state qualifiers Amanda Cederquist and Annelyse Schneider return. Schneider competed in long jump at state and Cederquist qualified in the 100-meter hurdles. Both were also part of the 800 relay state qualifying team, as was fellow returner Jenna Erickson.
"We will have some newcomers who will likely make a competitive impact," Brunson said. "We'll see how that sorts out over the course of the season."
The Wildcats always target their "big meets," which are the Kent City Elite Invitational, GMAA meet, West Michigan Conference Lakes finals and the regionals. All take place in consecutive weeks starting in late April. If all goes well, the Wildcats will be well represented at the state meet June 7.
