Panthers enter 2017 with nine athletes

With nine athletes in track for the Saco Panthers this season, the team looks to do some damage in the 3C ranks.

The number of athletes out for sporting events this season is a first for Saco Head Coach Barry Malone.

"We only have thirteen kids in high school and this is the first year since I've been here that we have had every kid out for a sport in the spring," Coach Malone said. "All thirteen of them are involved in a sport, either track or golf."

The track team has five juniors, four of which are returning from last year's team. Those returners consist of Bailey Funk, Chris DePuydt, Chandler Pippen and Challise Young.

Funk, a third year Lady Panther, will participate in the pole vault, long jump, triple jump and 100 meter run.

"Her long term goal is to get on that podium at state in pole vault," Coach Malone said. "She struggled last year at state. Her PR has been 8-6 but I know she has been able to get close to 9-0, so that's one of her goals."

Young, also in her third year, will throw in all three throwing events, shot put, javelin and discus.

"She has come in and she has been able to put a little more speed into it," said Coach Malone. "Her goal is to make sure she can get into divisionals. She is really dedicated, especially in shot and getting discus down."

The team also welcomes a new student, Sydney Zeller who transferred from Woonsocket High School in S.D. earlier this year.

"She's new for us but she has done track before as a sophomore," Coach Malone said.

Zeller will participate in the middle distance races (400 and 800) as well as the high jump and long jump events.

"We have got her working on the high jump, something that she hasn't done before but I think that's one sport that she might be able to excel at," Coach Malone said. "She is one that really tries to excel at being better, so she is going to give us around 100 percent every time."

For the Panthers, DePuydt hopes to punch his ticket to state this season, having missed out on state by only a couple spots last season.

DePuydt will run in the short distance races as well as in the long jump, triple jump and high jump – an event Coach Malone believes he has improved in.

"I think he can get higher than he did last year and possibly give himself a better chance at getting to state," Coach Malone said.

Pippen will also run the short races and will also participate in the long jump and triple jump events.

"I think he will be more focused in improving his jumps to compete at divisionals and we will see how it progresses," Coach Malone said.

Josh Salveson is a returning sophomore who will participate in the short races, pole vault and long jump.

Salveson met his personal best of 8-0 in the pole vault last weekend at the Scottie invitational.

"Last year he made it to divisionals in pole vault but we gotta work on getting better at letting the pole do the work," Coach Malone said.

The team welcomes freshmen Brady Albus, Dustin Ostrom and Ty Murphy each of whom have previous experience in junior high track.