The first taste of track season has arrived for several local boys teams today with a trip to Iowa State University and the Iowa Association of Track Coaches Indoor State Championship meet.

The Washington Demons were third at this event in Class 3A last season scoring 43 points. Top returning performers for the Demons from this event last season include junior Mason Morgan who was 13th in the 60m hurdles as a sophomore, junior Tyler Alderton who was 22nd in the 800 as a sophomore, Micah and Andrew Rees who were eighth and 21st in the mile as juniors and freshman respectively. New faces in Ames this year in individual events for the Demons include junior Keider Gomez Valdez and sophomore Kael Williams in the 60m dash, junior Logan McDole in the 400, sophomore Sawyer Tschantz in the 800, and sophomore Caden Greiner in the 60m hurdles. New faces in field events for Washington at ISU this year are senior Andrew Shepherd in long jump and freshman Greyson Hartman in shot put. In relay events, the Demons will send out Morgan, Greiner, Brennen Westphal and Gomez Valdez in the 4×1, Rees, McDole, Alderton and Lane Schrock in the 4×8, and Gomez Valdez, Westphal, Seth Shepherd and Tschantz in the distance medley.

The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks were seventh last year in Class 2A with 24 points. Top returning performers for the Golden Hawks at this meet last year include Jayse Yoder who was sixth in the mile as a sophomore, Emmett Swartzentruber who was fifth in the two-mile as a sophomore, and Burke Berry who was 10th in the shot put as a sophomore. In relays, Landry Gingerich returns to run the 4×4 after being part of an eighth place team last season as a sophomore. New faces and new spots for the Hawks at this event in Ames this year include Jayse Yoder in the 800, Thomas Flynn in the mile, Preston Yutzy in the two-mile, the 4×100 team of Peyton Fox, Jarron Thomas, Nolan Jergens and Cobi Hershberger, the 4×400 team, other than Gingerich, of Jacob Donaldson, Yoder, and Emmett Swartzentruber, the 4×800 team of Flynn, Donaldson, Jesse Stultz and Max Swartzentruber, the distance medley team of Fox, Thomas, Gingerich and Yutzy, Carson Humphrey in the high jump,  and Thomas Lueck in the long jump.

The Columbus Wildcats were Class 1A State Champions at this event a year ago, rolling up a staggering 80 points. Top returning performers from this event last season include Kaden Amigon who was State Champion in long jump, runner-up in the 60m dash, and a member of the State Champion 4×100 team. Juan Chairez is back after placing 20th in the 400 and joining the 13th place 4×400 team as a sophomore. Damian Vergara returns after a fourth place finish in the 800, sixth place showing in the two-mile and holding down a spot on the State-Runner-up 4×800 as a junior last year. Cael Philips will be in Ames again this year after taking seventh in the two-mile in 2023 and joining the State-Runner-up 4×8 as a junior, Tim Hills-Carrer was 13th in high jump and a member of the 13th place 4×4 team last year as a junior, Russell Coil returns after ninth place in shot put as a junior in Ames last season. New faces and places for Columbus at State Indoor this year include Lamar Ceant in the 60m dash, long jump and 60m hurdles, Amigon in the 200, Ty Muniz in the mile and two-mile, Alexander Rees in the 60m hurdles, Rees, Ceant and Amigon join Chairez in the 4×1, Muniz, Angel Venzor, and Cade Storm join Vergara in the 4×8, and Markel Zapiensz in the shot put.

The Hillcrest Academy Ravens were in Ames last season, scoring two points in Class 1A on freshman Owen Scott’s sixth place finish in high jump. Scott will return to compete in both high jump and long jump. Freshman Kale Bailey will also be in the high jump field for the Ravens today.

The Winfield-Mt. Union Wolves did not compete in this meet last season, but will have Shaeden Adams in the 400, Kohlby Newsom in the 800, the team of Adams, Newsom, Bowen Thomson and Ty Scorpil in the 4×800 and Cooper Buffington in shot put today.

Action continues all day Thursday on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames.