LAKEVILLE, IN. – Following one of the best LaVille Girls Track and Field seasons in recent history, 12 letterwinners return for the 2023 season. Coach Erin Ecker, now in her fourth year at the helm of the girls track program, graduated a core crew following last season, but the next group is ready to step in as LaVille looks to continue where it left off in 2022. "This isn't something that we talk about, we have competitive kids and great leadership," Ecker said when asked about how she addresses a new year for her athletes. "that sets the tone on its own." LaVille finished 11-0 in dual/triangular meets a year ago. They also collected hardware by winning the Lancer Relays and Dennis Rippy Relays to go with a Hoosier North Athletic Conference title. Over the past four years, LHS has been from a half-point to five points from winning an HNAC crown. In 2022, everything came together as coach Ecker's club racked up 174 points to outdistance Pioneer, who collected 133 points for second, to celebrate a conference championship. A total of four HNAC individual titles were secured, along with a pair of relay champs. Securing HNAC individual championships were Faith Rock in the discus after a winning toss of 101-feet, 9-inches; Olivia Leonhard after vaulting to 7-feet, 6-inches in the pole vault; Olivia Goze in the long jump following a 16-feet, 3.5-inches leap; Lauren Edison in the 300m hurdles after crossing the finish line in 53.90-seconds. The 4x400m relay team of Abby Leonhard, Lily Smith, Mikalah Kuskye, and Madelyn Fuchs clocked in at 4:27.07, and the 4x100m relay foursome of Oliva Goze, Abby Leonhard, Lily Smith, and Madelyn Fuchs grabbed a blue ribbon in 52.89-seconds. “Every last one of the girls did their part and then some,” said coach Ecker. “We had several that surprised us and they simply out performed the seeding chart. I’m something of a stat junkie and I love spreadsheets, so I scored the meet based on the seeding chart. Based on that data Pioneer should have won 125-104. We had stressed that every point and every position mattered and they all dug deep to surpass their prior bests. When they announced 174 I was floored, that is a ton of points!” Following a successful run in the HNAC Championships, LHS proceeded to send four individuals to the IHSAA Kokomo Regional - Madelyn Fuchs, Olivia Goze, Mikalah Kuskye and Lucy Sherk. With four seniors returning, Ecker says the leadership has varying qualities. "Our seniors are so different, and they all lead in different ways," said Ecker. "Lauren Edison is our vocal leader, she gets things done, knows what comes next, and directs every one. She’s great. Lucy Sherk on the other hand is quiet and leads by example. People know she is a competitor and follow her lead. Jorryn and Myra are somewhere in between Lucy and Lauren. They step up and take charge when they need to and lead by example when the moment allows it." Olivia Leonhart, who took advantage of early graduation and will not participate in the 2023 season, broke the school record in the pole vault. Leonhard completed a vault of 8 feet to set the newest standar in pole vault to surpass her sister, Abby Leonhard's vault of 7-6 in 2021. We had a chance to chat further with Coach Ecker about a variety of events and the upcoming season: FIELD EVENTS "We are still solid in throwing, (Lucy) Sherk is entering her senior season as a 2-time Regional Qualifier. We graduated (Faith) Rock who has continued her throwing in college, but these girls have been an excellent example for our underclassmen throwers, (Moriah) Richhart and (Reagan) Bollenbacher. They both showed so much growth in their first season and earned points for us. I fully expect that tradition to continue with the batch of freshmen throwers . . . Myra Garcia has been taking runs at pole vault and has shown some promise. We have several freshmen trying it out too . . . High Jump - this is not an easy event - we graduated (Madelyn) Fuchs. We still have Brooke Edison as our number one at high jump. We will be trying out some of the freshmen to see if we can get some help with them there . . . Ava Fuchs and Lily Smith will be in the long jump pits, Jess Keb and several freshmen have been trying so we have some depth here, despite losing (Olivia) Goze." SPRINTS "We lost three solid sprinters (Fuchs, Goze, Leonhard) last year, but London Kwiatkowski and Lily Smith scored points for us last year . They will lead things for us for the next two years with the help of (Madison) Singleton. We also have Michalah Kuskye and Brooke Edison who are extremely versatile and could help out in just about any race. (Ragen) Wagoner and (Mackena) Deason will also strengthen this group. We have two solid seniors in the hurdles with Lauren Edison and Myra Garcia, Myliegh Tolbert is also taking to the event." MIDDLE DISTANCE / DISTANCE "We graduated two big-point girls last year (Havera & Rock), but we return Brooke Edison, Jorryn Zellers, and add Macie Edwards to the mix. Several of our underclassmen are willing to step up and fill out the rosters to help us earn points here." 2022 ACCOMPLISHMENTS / 2023 GOALS "The 2022 season was a 4-year work in progress. We lost the 2019 season HNAC by half a point and then lost the 2020 season all together. That was something that was in the back of everyone’s mind for years. From that grew a culture of competition and excellence. There are some really good schools on our schedule and in our conference this season, and it’s everyone’s job to get out and compete for themselves and one another." WATCH LIST "In the field events, Lucy Sherk will be a top points earner amongst the throwers, Brooke Edison will lead high jump and has a shot a winning any race we throw her in. Myra Garcia will lead the vaulters, and help Lauren Edison with hurdles. London Kwiatkoski, Lily Smith, and Mikalah Kuskye will be top competitors in the sprints, Jess Keb is also looking strong and could be a big points earner. Smith and Ava Fuchs will pick up points in the long jump pit with Singleton. Once we get out on the track it will be fun to watch the newcomers, they are a competitive group!" 2023 LAVILLE GIRLS TRACK Head Coach: Erin Ecker (fifth season overall) Assistant Coaches: Isaac Eash, Larry Huff 2022 Dual/Triangular Meet Record: 11-0 (Lancer Relay Champions, Dennis Rippy Relay Champions, HNAC Champions) Letterwinners Lost: 7. Olivia Goze (sprints, relays, long jump), Madelyn Fuchs (sprints, relays, high jump), Jamie Havera (distance), Faith Rock (distance, shot put, discus), Abby Leonhard (sprints, relays, pole vault), Helen Kiewel (long jump), Olivia Leonhard (pole vault) Returning Letterwinners: 12. Seniors - Lauren Edison (relays, hurdles), Lucy Sherk (shot put, discus), Myra Garcia (sprints), Jorryn Zellers (middle distance, distance). Juniors - Ava Fuchs (middle distance, relays, long jump), London Kwiatkowski (sprints, relays), Lily Smith (sprints, relays). Sophomores - Reagan Bollenbacher (shot put, discus), Brooke Edison (high jump, relays, 400m, 3200m), Jessica Keb (sprints, middle distance), Mikalah Kuskye (relays, middle distance), Moriah Richhart (shot put, discus). Newcomers: 9. Sophomores - Ava Barrett-Heaton (throwing events), Mackena Deason (sprints). Freshmen - Macie Edwards (middle distance, long distance), Sydney Horner (throwing events), Ava Miller (sprints, hurdles, field events), Trinity Pickett (throwing events), Madison Singleton (sprints, pole vault, relays), Myleigh Tolbert (hurdles, field events, middle distance), Ragen Wagoner (sprints, field events). Opener: at Plymouth w/ Triton at 5 p.m., April 5