2023 Canby/Minneota Boys & Girls Track Preview

Canby/Minneota boys and girls track coach Sara Hemish feels both her squads are set to have a successful season, but there is a big difference between the two.
"The girls have no seniors and only four juniors but our overall numbers are close to 40," Hemish said. "The boys have the exact opposite issue. They have 15 boys in grades 10-12 but very few in grades 7-9."
The Canby/Minneota girls have captured the Camden Conference crown for the past six seasons. Although they graduated several of their top athletes, Hemish feels some of the younger kids will step up and fill those missing shoes.
"We have a very deep young team that is capable of stepping up to the challenge and will be one of the top teams in the conference again this year," she said. "We hope to advance to the True Team state meet again, too. The area that will be the biggest challenge to fill will be the field events, but our depth in the sprints and distance will help fill that gap."
Back for the girls' team this season are four athletes who qualified for the state meet a season ago. Claire Stoks, a sophomore, and Braelyn Merritt, a junior, were members of the 4 x 400 relay team that placed fourth in last year's state meet.
Stoks also was ninth in the state 1,600 run. Merritt also competed in the 400 run. Karlie Wollum, a freshman, and Natalie Stoks, a sophomore, are returning members of the state-qualifying 2 x 200 relay team. Cheyenne Milbrandt, a junior, was also one of the top scorers on the varsity last year.
"The strength of the girls is the numbers," Hemish said. "We are young but have good numbers and a lot of young talent."
Trevor Gray, a senior, is the lone returning member of last season's Canby/Minneota boys team that qualified for state where he finished seventh in the high jump.
He is joined by seniors Caleb Danielson, Isaac Guza, Gavin Maynard, Logan Myhre and Joseph Wollum. Others back from last year's team are Kolton Duis, Zach Ourada, Sam Skorczewski, Michael Tol, Cayden Anderson, Blake Giese and Allen Maldonado.
"We are expecting this group of experienced athletes to compete at a high level," Hemish said about the boys' team. "Although they don’t have the numbers, the talent is definitely there and we are hoping to put the athletes in a position to compete for an opportunity to advance as individuals and relays to the state tournament."
Hemish expects several others to compete well and improve as the season progresses.
"We have many other athletes on the boys and girls' teams that we believe will have outstanding seasons and are anxious to get the season started," she said.

Boys Team Roster
SENIORS: Caleb Danielson, Trevor Gray, Isaac Guza, Gavin Maynard, Logan Myhre, Joseph Wollum
JUNIORS: Kolton Duis, Zach Ourada
SOPHOMORES: Cayden Anderson, Brandon Danielson, Diego Garcia, Blake Giese, Sam Skorczewski, Michael Tol, Allen Maldonado, Diedrich Mauritz, Eli Thovson
FRESHMEN: Hunter Danielson, Rainer German, Noah Harms
EIGHTH GRADE: Brett Stoks

Girls Team Roster
SENIORS: None
JUNIORS: Sydney Hemish, Braelyn Merritt, Cheyenne Milbrandt, Gabby Verhelst
SOPHOMORES: Gabriela Bolumar, Nohemi Diaz, Shelby Elsing, Josie Frank, Breanna Hinders, Claire Stoks, Natalie Stoks, Lillie Wollum
FRESHMEN: Kaylee Demmer, Harper Groenhoff, Brynn Kockelman, Alexis Schrupp, Hannah Vlaminck, , Alex Wersal, Karlie Wollum
EIGHTH GRADE: Rhylin Anderson, Ava Danielson, Kallie Devos, Tallen Merritt, Taylor Ourada, Emma Stone, Faith Thompson
SEVENTH GRADE: Alexis Bitker, Charlotte Brusvig, Aubri Burmeister, Chevelle Hoffman, Rachel Jelen, Jordan Joystock, Khailynn Fier, Alia Kraft, Jocelyn Oellien, Mya Pesek, Zoya Van Wyk, Karli Weber