The track season at De Soto High School started on Feb. 29 and is nearing its end with its final meet before Regionals on May 12.

Members say that they have been doing very well this season as a team and that everyone has been able to progress individually.

“This season has been really successful. We’ve had many people place at every meet we’ve been to,” freshman Linnea Searls said. “All the training we’ve been doing at practice has really helped everybody improve.”

A large number of students were able to qualify for the Kansas University Relays held on April 20-21. Qualifiers included seniors Travis Hodge, Christian Selk, Ray Mitchell, Sam Regnier, Chandler Fairbanks, Jannell Clampitt, sophomores Ethan Rodriquez, Kason Jackson, Exavier Jackson and freshman Sam Hubert.

Hodge, Selk, Mitchell and Jackson were just shy of beating the DHS record for the 4×400 meter relay by .6 seconds at KU.

“This is probably one of the best years that our guys track team has ever had,” Hodge said.

Despite their accomplishments, most track athletes agree that all of the relationships that they have built with each other has been one of the best parts of the year.

“My favorite part of this season would have to be the practices because everyone on the team becomes family, so we get to make great memories every day,” sophomore Sydney Selk said.

With State just around the corner, the athletes have been working very hard in hopes of qualifying. According to Searls, this has caused practices to become more difficult.

“In general, practices have intensified since the season began, but the coaches are really pushing us and trying to help us since State is coming up,” Searls said.

State will be held on May 27-28 at Wichita Sate University. Many members say that they are really aiming to be a qualifier.

“It is definitely one of my goals to be able to go to State,” Searls said. “Just having the experience and being able to run against such talented people would be awesome.”

No matter how the rest of the track season goes, members are excited for the remainder of this season and future ones to come.
“I’m just looking forward to how much I will be able to improve over the course of the years,” Searls said. “And I’m really excited to see what new talent is going to be coming our way.”