HIGH SCHOOL

Bellevue track and field preview

Jeremy Bickelhaupt

BELLEVUE – Depth is a good thing for any high school track and field team. The Bellevue girls have it.

The Lady Red return 16 letterwinners, three regional qualifiers and a state-qualifying relay team. According to sixth-year coach Lee Booze, they are great shape to begin the season.

“Despite the weather, I think we did some great winter training and are in good physical shape,” Booze said.

Last year, the girls’ team was 8-0 in dual meets, won the Northern Ohio League title and finished third at districts. Booze would like to repeat as NOL champs this year.

“I believe that Tiffin, Ontario and Sandusky can all compete for a league title,” Booze said. “We hope to be in that mix.”

Bellevue will rely on the experience of the senior class and the versatility they bring to events. Kylie Vogel, Lauren Turner, and Mariah McPeak—all seniors— were state qualifiers in the 4x400 last year. Other seniors include regional qualifiers Michaela Fox (1600), Lauren Turner (high jump) and Laiken Tester (long jump). Katie Ball, Sarah Bedell, Kirsten Whaley and Justine Hess round out the senior team members.

Liz Ish returns as well. Ish was a standout freshman last year who also ran on the state-qualifying 4x400 relay team. She will lead a smaller-than-normal group of underclassmen this season.

“Twelve freshman (came) out,” Booze said, “which is a bit less than our recent trend, but many of them will contribute right away in the lineup.”

Booze says he aims to keep the team healthy to the end of the regular season, and, for now, his focus is to improve each week and to find the best lineups before districts.

Bellevue’s boys team will feature 12 lettermen.

Seth Linder, the Redmen’s top point-earner from 2014, will run sprints and relays as well as compete in jumping events. Maurice Barnhouse, Austin Guthrie and Cory Huddleson are also key returnees for Bellevue.

As with most teams, the Redmen will have to replace several key athletes lost to graduation. Most notably is Dylan Fultz, Kenyon Missler, Kile Norman, Brandon Tobin and Alec Hayes—all regional qualifiers from a year ago. They must also replace Kyle Fox, who was Bellevue’s top thrower.

Nick Lilli, now in his 25th year of coaching the boys team, will also have to overcome a young and inexperienced roster. Of the 51 athletes on the team, 34 are underclassmen.

Quinton Brimmer, Alex Elswick, Mike Pierce, Dakota McPeak, Tanner Hundley and Christian Booze are key members of this fresh group of athletes. Lilli, along with assistant coaches Myles Majoy and Scott Ackerman, hopes to develop them into quality sprinters and relay runners.

Young or not, the bar high has been set high for the Redmen. When asked about what he would like to see accomplished, Lilli didn’t hesitate to put forth a big list.

“Continue to work hard. Develop confidence in our young sprinters and hurdlers,” Lilli said. “Develop depth in all 17 events. Stay Healthy. Compete to the best of our ability each and every day. Win the NOL. Advance as many as possible through the district, regional and state (meets).”