The Whitehall boys track team again graduated a lot of good athletes, and it again returns a lot of good ones too. The churn is nothing new for the Vikings, one of the top teams in the state over the past several years.
Gone are all-state stars Malcolm Earvin, Trannon Aylor, Ca'Mar Ready and others, but the Vikings will again be strong at several events and look to maximize team points.
The team will be especially good at high jump, where two of the program's best ever are doing it at the same time. Ayden Mendoza is the current school record holder, having set a new mark of 6-10 in March at a Grand Valley State indoor meet. Camden Thompson was a co-holder of the record prior to Mendoza's setting it and finished second in the state as a sophomore. Coach Kirk Mikkelson is already excited about the potential for those two duking it out at high-level meets. Thompson is also a strong hurdler and thrower.
Whitehall also has strong athletes at any number of other events. Corde Anderson is starring in hurdles and throws. Stewart Waters and Drew Boeringa are experienced and strong distance runners. Tyler VanAntwerp brings middle distance running skill. Graysen Olstrom is the latest in a long line of impressive Whitehall pole vaulters. Caden Bowyer will score points in the throws, Andon Palmer is a middle distance runner and long jumper, Kal Koehler will star at long jump. Among the relative newcomers, Cole Essebaggers can sprint and jump, and Jevon Hilliard is a good distance runner.
Mason Mulnix and Tim Vieira add a new boost to the team. Mulnix, who previously golfed, is a good sprinter, and Vieira is another sprinter from the freshman class.
Mikkelson has long pursued a team state meet championship at the state coaches' association (MITCA) meet, and his team is two-time defending regional and three-time defending GMAA champs. Health permitting, the Vikings can reasonably pursue more wins there. Beyond that, the nature of track is that team and individual success are so interconnected no one can really know what will happen next.
"MITCA and MHSAA state titles will depend on the development of some of our younger athletes and our progress by the veterans," Mikkelson said.
Attempts to reach girls coach Jeff Bassett for preview information were unsuccessful at press time.
