Before spring workouts started up, Shorewood track coach Cecil Jackson figured his boys team was in for a rebuilding year in 2004.
A few weeks later, the outlook couldn’t be brighter for the Thunderbirds.
“I’m real excited about this boys team,” Jackson said. “We lost a strong senior class, but things are really coming together. We’re moving some kids around and putting them in new events.”
Those changes combined with the addition of some first-year runners and jumpers has Jackson thinking the T-birds could put the pressure on Wesco 4A South Division powers Jackson and Everett.
Among the top newcomers are a handful of basketball players and promising freshmen and junior sprinter Will Barker.
“He’s really opened our eyes,” Jackson said of Barker. “He gets off to a great start and he’s got a lot of power in his body.”
With Barker focusing on the sprints, junior Antonio Sevilla-Williams has shifted his attention to the hurdles. Sevilla-Williams was part of Shorewood’s 400-meter relay team that set a school record and qualified for state last year.
“Once we get him confident in the hurdles, he’ll be a guy to watch for in our league,” Jackson said.
In the middle distance and distance races Shorewood returns senior Kevin Klein and sophomores Eric Ardissono and Matt Goiney. Klein placed fifth at the Northwest District 4A cross country championships in the fall to earn his first trip to state.
“He’ll run the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 and toward the middle of the season we’ll look at what’s going on around the league and decide what’s the best route for him,” Jackson said.
Seniors Ishmael Easton, David Hancock and Jeremy Farkas give the T-birds depth and experience in the throws. Easton took third in the shot put and discus at the league meet two years ago but didn’t repeat those results in 2003.
“Nobody in the South can beat Ishmael. Only Ishmael can beat himself,” Jackson said. “We need to keep him motivated and healthy this season.”
Sophomore Doug Misner won a Wesco South high jump title as a freshman and took fourth at districts. He cleared 6 feet, 2 inches in Shorewood’s season-opening meet last week.
The T-birds will also get a boost from a young crew of pole vaulters, led by sophomores Tyler Dobbs and Jeremy Creelman and freshman Justyn Cox.
“We’ve got three or four guys with the potential of clearing 11 feet,” Jackson said.
With most of their standout performers from last year returning, the Shorewood girls are taking aim at a third straight Wesco South championship.
The T-birds clocked school-record times in the 400 and 800 relays last season and qualified for state in both events by finishing second at districts.
Seniors Akosua Fordjour and Nicole Kopta and juniors Annie Boone, Katie Whittle and Hilary Zetlan return in the relays and sprints.
Fordjour won the 200-meter dash at last year’s league and district meets and Boone leads off all three of Shorewood’s relays.
Underclassmen dominate the distance events for the T-birds. Jackson expects sophomore Kim Gladow and freshman Lily Albin to contend in the 800 and 1,600 and freshman Rachel Eckerlin to shine in the 3,200.
“Our distance crew is going to step up and make some noise,” Jackson said. “We’ve got some strong freshmen. From the 800 on, we have some girls with the potential to win the league.”
Lauren Sego earned a league javelin title as a freshman in 2003 and sophomore Kristin Thornton was a few feet back in third.
Junior Emily Handley and senior Anne Gerhard finished third and fourth at the league meet in the high jump and Handley also placed in the top six of both hurdles races.
Those extra few points made a huge difference for the T-birds, who edged Everett by two-and-half points to defend their Wesco South title.
“We were fortunate to win it last year,” Jackson said. “It was so close. It’s going to be the same this year.”
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