EAGLES ARE COUNTING ON BECKER, STRUBER AND DARRAH TO LEAD THE WAY

By William

CANTON – The Canton/Galva track/field coach Tina McMannis brings 24 years of coaching experience to the sidelines and may need much of it to work with a team that might not be very big in numbers and may be rather young as they work to gel together for some successes in 2021 after missing the 2020 season due to the pandemic.

Losing two state qualifiers from the 2019 season who have both gone on to participate in collegiate sports, the Eagles still will have Morgan Becker and Tyson Struber to provide state level competition leadership to the youth movement.

The Eagles track/field coach is Tina McMannis, and she brings a career of coaching track as this will be her 24th season coaching with this being the beginning of season 14 as head of the Canton/Galva track/field program.

Here is a rundown of the reflections shared with us about the upcoming 2021 track/field season from Eagle coach Tina McMannis.

A BIT ABOUT THE 2019 SEASON:

Coach McMannis had several reflections regarding the loss of the 2020 season due to the pandemic and the 2019 season, which was the last full season of track the Eagles had.

  • “Losing our 2020 season makes the biggest impact on our freshmen and sophomores as both grades will be starting their first season this year as high school track athletes, so that alone will give us more inexperienced athletes than we would normally have.”
  • “Our Eagles could also have some extra ground to make up in the skill events such as throwing and jumping, since most of the athletes have not been able to practice these events since the 2019 season.”
  • “On the positive side, this is the way it is with all of the schools, we are all in the same situation so our team just has to work that much harder to overcome any setbacks that losing a season of competition might have created for us.”
  • “Our team shirts this season feature the word ‘RISE’ along with the image of a Phoenix, like the Phoenix in Greek Mythology, our goal as a team this year is to rise from the ashes of our lost season and emerge even stronger and more determined to succeed.”

KEY LOSSES FOR EAGLES TO GRADUATION/TRANSFERS:

Despite not having a 2020 track season, the Eagles still lose some key individuals from the 2019 season, including:

  • Kinser Colgin = in 2019 Colgin was a state qualifier in the triple jump. Colgin is now competing in the triple jump at Tabor College.
  • Tia Moddelmog = in 2019 Moddelmog was a state qualifier and medaled in both the triple jump and the 100-meter hurdles. Moddelmog is now playing basketball for Sterling College.
  •  Braylee Doughman = in 2019 Doughman missed qualifying for state in the shot put and discus but was a strong leader for the Eagles track team.

KEY RETURNING PLAYERS FOR THE EAGLES:

While coach McMannis acknowledged several impact athletes lost to graduation, she also noted the Eagles will have four athletes, one on the girls team and three on the boys team that have impact experience already and will be counted on to lead the team in 2021. They include:

  • Morgan Becker = a junior on the boys team, who as a freshman in 2019 placed 4th at regionals in the 3200 meters with a run of 10:57.49 before placing 13th at the state track meet with a run of 10:50.52. Becker in the fall of this school year finished 9th at the state cross country meet with a run of 17:12.90.
  • Tyson Struber = a junior on the boys team, as a freshman in 2019 was 2nd at regionals in the high jump by hitting a height of 5’9”. Unfortunately, Struber missed the opening height at the state meet in 2019. Even though he was suffering from shin injuries, Struber just missed qualifying for the state meet in 2019 in both the 100 and 200 meters. Struber has already made a commitment to play football at Kansas State in his future.
  • Christian Darrah = a junior on the boys team, as a freshman in 2019 just fell short of qualifying for state but had personal best runs of 4:53.34 in the 1600 meters, and a personal best of 10:52.91 in the 3200 meters. This past fall Darrah finished 15th at the state cross country meet with a run of 17:43.00.
  • Mimi Craig = Craig competed on varsity as an 8th-grader in 2019 in both the shot put and discus where she set a new Canton/Galva record for 8th grade girls with a shot-put throw of 38’ 39”.

Others who McMannis reflected on that will be upperclassman for the 2021 season include:

  • Conner Koehn = a senior thrower who has a phenomenal work ethic and will be a great leader for our large group of younger athletes.
  • Tyler Rummel = another senior thrower who also has a phenomenal work ethic and will be counted on as a leader for our large group of younger athletes.

EAGLE NEWCOMERS WORTH WATCHING:

Despite the lost season last spring, Coach McMannis is highly motivated by the large number of younger athletes that came out for track and reflected on several, including several on the boys team:

  • Tanner Koehn = a sophomore looking to make an impact in running events.
  • Jaden Ediger = a freshman targeting the running events for the Eagle boys.
  • Caden Marley = another freshman runner hoping to have an impactful season.
  • Lane McMannis = still another freshman looking to have an impact on the running events.
  • Preston Minson = a freshman in the throwing events.
  • Wyatt Collins = a freshman in the throwing events.

For the small but eager girls track/field squad, McMannis immediate help and impact from several girls including:

  • Sarah Kendall = a senior thrower.
  • Emily Lance = a freshman who participates in running and jumping events.
  • Carley Schmidt = a freshman who will do running and jumping events.
  • Natalie Street = a freshman who will be doing running and jumping events.

THE EAGELS SEASON OUTLOOK:

Coach McMannis reflected on the prospects of the upcoming spring track/field season with these notes:

  • “The boys team returns two state qualifiers from the 2019 season in Morgan Becker and Tyson Struber, as well as Christian Darrah who along with Becker medaled at the 2020 fall state cross country meet. Becker and Darrah will be the Eagles hope for medals in the distance events while Struber will be focusing on short sprints and the long jump this season.”
  • “Our girls team is small, but I feel the return of Mimi Craig plus Sarah Kendall will highlight the throwing events while several newcomers will be counted on in the running and jumping events.

AN EAGLE REFLECTION REVIEW:

With the 2020 spring season being lost to the pandemic, the Eagles will be counting on those with previous successes such as Morgan Becker, Tyson Struber, Christian Darrah and Mimi Craig to lead the team as they compete in the early meets.

If coach McMannis can make up for lost practice time and meet experience for the newcomers and younger athletes, the Eagles could have more successes than expected in the 2021 track/field season.

First 5 Scheduled Games:

Friday, March 26 = At Bennington

Tuesday, April 6 = Host at Hillsboro with Hillsboro, Marion, Peabody/Burns, Solomon & Moundridge

Friday, April 9 = At Lyons

Tuesday, April 13 = At Burrton with Burrton, Centre, Central Christian, Solomon & Little River

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