VIEWS: Individual performances take precedence now

This is the time of the year that really counts for track athletes, even if it’s not the most important time for the team as a whole.

In the sectional meet, coaches will try to qualify as many athletes as they can for the state meet. But they won’t necessarily try to scrape up every last point.

For example, Sycamore boys coach Pete Piccony ran freshman Dion Hooker in four events two weeks ago in the Gib Seegars Track and Field Classic, which the Spartans were able to win. The goal at that meet was to accumulate as many points as possible.

As the Spartans prepare for the sectional meet, Piccony probably will have Hooker run only three events, and he’ll hand pick the events that give Hooker the best chance at qualifying for the state meet.

“We’re not trying to gain as many points as possible,” Piccony said. “It’s not that we’re not trying to win any of these meets. We feel like we can use [Hooker] in three events [at the conference meet] and still make a pretty good stand as a team.”

Genoa-Kingston coach Barry Schmidt knows that Brianna Kramer will have a good chance of placing in the 100 meters, but it will be tough for her to place in the 300 hurdles after having to sit out for most of the season with injuries.

With the move to Class 2A, the competition will be tougher for the Cogs.