Track: Metea Valley girls ready to move up

Updated: April 9, 2011 7:36PM

If junior varsity success is any indicator, it's only a matter of time before the Metea Valley girls track program is squarely in the midst of the Upstate Eight Conference title talk.

Mustangs coach Jim Braun has his adversaries, namely a sub-par indoor environment to train, but the outdoor track couldn't be any more ideal. And following a 2010 season when Metea won the UEC freshman-sophomore championship, the youth that exists on the first-year program's squad has been itching to compete in their first varsity-level outdoor season.

"We scored a point every meet last year at the varsity level and then we dropped them down for the conference meet and won it at the freshman-sophomore level," Braun said. "That was pretty fun."

The pressure will increase this year, but the development of several sophomores and a quality relay team should provide enough highlights this year to instill hope for the years to come.

Sophomore Jasmine Cowan looks to be a bright spot in the throws and sophomore Amy Nealon is developing into one of the best 800 runners in the conference, following a fifth-place finish at the UEC indoor meet.

Freshman Emily Cowan will be a top sprinter for the Mustangs and is also a member of the 800 relay team consisting also of Crystal Butler, Andrez Williams and Rachael Harris. That foursome won the UEC indoor title over Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley and competed at the Illinois Preps Top Times meet recently.

"Our sprint group is pretty strong," said Braun, running off a list of names he feels will make their mark during the season. "We're getting there."

Metea will need to improve in jumps and hurdles during the outdoor season, but don't be surprised if the crop of youngsters running around Eola Road make a little noise along the way.

"Consistency is a big thing and some maturity," Braun said. "I want them to realize they can compete with anybody. Sometimes we see some of those big teams and we are in awe of them. The way some of my coaches have brought these kids along, I think we can compete with anybody. We may not always beat them, but the kids have the potential, they just need to actualize it."

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