Van-Far hopes to see more at state track and field this season.

The team sent Evan Utterback and Garrett Hopke for boys javelin and the boys 3,200 meters, respectively, and both will be back.

Head coach Kris Cross said there will be a list of returners who missed making it out of districts such as Cayden Douglas in the boys long jump and Colt Williams in the boys shot put. Jackson Fischer in the boys javelin, Trinity Skwirtz in the girls 800 meters, Kenya Jones in the girls javelin and Khloe Wallace in the girls 1,600 meters also looked good at districts.

“We have strength in boys in our throwers and distance kids,” Cross said. “I look to see some success in the sprints too for the boys. The girls have had some success in distance, mid-distance, and throws also. We have added a few sprinters for the girls also that I think will help the program.”

Wallace was an all-state cross country runner this school year and so was Hopke and Slade Keller for the boys. The cross country head coach Cross said these kids along with Brady Puls, and Jaydon Hug-Hernandez should have an “exciting” year.

Cross said Van-Far made progress last year with its boys team winning its home meet, which was unexpected, and there were more Van-Far athletes who qualified for district finals than in years past.

“I expect more athletes to make it to state this year than we have had in previous years,” Cross said. “I think both the boys and girls teams will compete well at meets this year.”

There are 42 athletes for an about even split of 24 girls to 18 boys. There are six seniors.