Badger, Lady Badger track teams open seasons today at Bangs
By JEREMY HEATH Staff Writer

Courtney Carpenter: Will run 100 and 300 hurdles.

For the second straight year, the Lampasas High School track teams will start their season with a Bangs.

The Badgers and Lady Badgers open their track competition today at the Bangs Track Meet. Field events are slated to start at 2:30 p.m. The 3,200-meter will begin at 2:45 p.m., and running events are scheduled to get under way at 6 p.m.

The Lady Badgers won the meet in Bangs last season, and the Badgers finished second.

"We look for a first meet in which we can have some success," LHS head girls' coach Trent Lancaster said.

"Bangs, in the past, has been a good starter for us. We want both the JV and the varsity to score a lot of points and bring home a lot of medals, both of which I think we have a good chance of accomplishing."

Lancaster said his team's strengths are in the field events and hurdles.

Senior Jennifer Howard, who missed last season with an ankle injury, qualified for regionals in the high jump and mile relay as a freshman and again as a sophomore.

Heath Cofield: Senior will put shot for Badgers.

Thrower Alma Sandoval and hurdlers Courtney Carpenter and Ashley Lowery were regional qualifiers last year. In the shot, Andrea White returns from a regionalqualifying effort but will not compete today because of an injury.

Jimmy Randolph will take the reigns of the boys' program this year.

"At Bangs, we'll be looking to set some marks to try to improve on for the rest of the season," he said. "We are looking for our kiddos to compete. I think that learning to compete is an essential pillar to building a successful program."

Randolph thinks his team should produce points in the shot put pit with sophomore Brode DuBose, a regional qualifier last year, and senior Heath Cofield.

He also expects big things from his 800m relay team. Angelo Hardy, Aaron Reyna and Tyler Phelan return from last year's regional qualifying group. Cory Summers will run the other leg.

Randolph said Kooper Liverman and Jeremy Brown should score some points in the hurdles today, and Kelby Jones has the potential to be a competitive pole vaulter.

Jennifer Howard: Senior returns from ankle injury.

"I feel the opening meet is very important," said the coach. "It allows the kids to set marks which they will continue to raise throughout the season.

"It also gets us back into the swing of things and allows us to set a routine in which we need to get ourselves ready to compete week in and week out."

Bangs Track Meet

Today at Bangs High School
Field events: 2:30 p.m.
3200 meters: 2:45 p.m.
Running events: 6 p.m.