Penguins bring back five, welcome new addition

The Whitewater Penguins bring back plenty of experience in their 2017 campaign fielding seven athletes this season. There are six returning athletes and one new athlete.

The team returns three athletes that participated in the 2016 State C Meet in Missoula including senior Kayleigh Cummings, who took tenth place in javelin and fourteenth in shot put.

Senior Serena Sanguins is a returning athlete who has participated in running and throwing events since her freshman year.

"It's their fourth year of high school track," Coach Wasson said. "They are going to stick with the stuff that they have been doing. Kayleigh will throw the shot put and javelin and will probably throw discus. Serena will do discus, the shot put and do a little bit of running."

Sanguins will not only do the 400 meter run again this season but she hopes to run the mile.

"She did cross country in the fall," Coach Wasson said.

Junior Trace Simonson was the team's highest scorer at state last season, taking ninth in the 300 hurdles, ninth in shot put, eleventh in discus, thirteenth in the triple jump and eighteenth in javelin.

Simonson took first in discus with a throw of 139-7 and first in the triple jump with a distance of 38-1.5.

"Trace ended up at state in the triple jump, discus, javelin, shot put and the 300 hurdles," Coach Wasson said. "He is going to try high jump this year."

The team's third returning state performer is Junior Cody Scheffelmear, who participated in the high jump after taking fifth in the divisional meet.

Scheffelmear has participated in the hurdle events and this year will also participate in the 200 meter dash.

The team will be without one of their top performers this season, Trey Simanton, who will be focusing on his wrestling career along with helping his family ranch. Simanton participated in four events at state last season.

The team also graduated Alexandria Santillan, who participated in discus, shot put and the 400 meter run.

The team does welcome back Sophomore Bella Lawless who was the district champion in the 3200 meter run last season. Lawless was second in the 1600 and in the 800 at the 3C District meet. Lawless also participated in shot put and discus last season.

"She was kind of my long distance runner last year," Coach Wasson said. "She made it to divisionals but she is going to try some of those shorter and mid distance races like the 400, 800 and mile and stick with shot put."

Sophomore Hannah Anderson will also return this season and will participate in the short distance races and jumping events.

The team will welcome Luke Lawless who was listed to participate in the 400 and throw discus and shot put at the Scottie Invitational last weekend.

"He's going to do a little bit of running but we are not quite sure what he is going to fit into, whether it's the 400, 800 or mile," Coach Wasson said. "He will do the shot put and discus. He may try the javelin."

Despite the business that comes with this time of the year, the Penguins have found ways to meet their practices.

"We were walking and touring the capital," Coach Wasson said. "We walked five miles that day. I don't know if they were that impressed with me."