Several members of the Wolverine girls track team are on the verge of setting new records at Wiscasset Middle High School this spring.

“These kids are going to be a lot of fun to watch,” promises Josiah Winchenbach, returning for his third season as the Wolverines’ coach.

In 2017, the girls finished 12th at the State Class C track meet at Dover-Foxcroft. Winchenbach has three seniors returning, Vanessa Dunn, Ayanna Stover and Grace Webber. A year ago, Stover placed second in the 100-meter hurdles at the state meet that she hopes to qualify for again this season. She also has a chance to break her own WMHS 2015 record set in the triple jump, 34-1 1/4”, said the coach.

“Grace is a tenth of a second away from setting a new school record in the 200-meter race,” added Winchenbach. The WMHS record, set by Venus Pinkham, is 27.1 seconds and has stood since 1981. Last year, Webber ran a 27.2 second race.

Both girls, along with Dunn, will return to the 4x400-meter relay team. They, too, have a chance of surpassing the school record. Junior Cara Viele is the fourth member of that relay team, replacing Gabby Chapman who was lost to graduation. Last year’s 4x400 team placed sixth at the state meet. “They certainly have the potential to qualify for the states again,” said their coach.

Dunn also plans to run the 100-meter dash and 300-meter hurdles, while Viele is training for the long jump and 400-meter race and plans to play tennis for the Wolverines.

The coach said sophomore Lily Souza is the only other returnee from 2017. She’ll be back competing in the shot put, discus and javelin. Joining Souza in the weights competition is sophomore Heaven Larrabee who will also run the 100.

Gwen Webber is the only freshman to join the team. “Like all of the other girls, she’ll compete in three to four events, the 100, the high jump and maybe one or both of the relay teams,” Winchenbach added.

The track teams will continue to compete at the Class C level this season even though WMHS has dropped to Class D due to its declining enrollment. “Honestly, I don’t think this will make that big of a difference for us. Hopefully come June, we’ll be sending a few of our girls to this year’s state meet that will be hosted by Massabesic High School,” Winchenbach said.

The first regular meet of the Mountain Valley Conference will be on Monday, April 23 when the Wolverines host Monmouth Academy, Spruce Mountain and Dirigo. The meet will get under way at 4 p.m.