Track team is on track to succeed

The Destin Marlin track team is tenacious and ready to go.

“They are tough, both the boys and girls distance group has some tough runners,” said Destin Coach Ben Kackley, who coaches the track team along with Coach Demetris Stevens.

The Destin Marlins will get the chance to see just how tough they are when they take the track at Fort Walton Beach High School Wednesday against Pryor and Liza Jackson middle schools in their first Okaloosa County meet.

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The Marlins have already won two practice meets at Emerald Coast Middle School in Walton County.

“We’re on the upswing,” Kackley said.

One of the meets at Emerald Coast was a qualifier for state, and several of the Marlins did just that.

Among those qualifing were Chloe Hill, Georgia Bright and Jack White just to name a few.

The girls team is just a step ahead of the boys.

“The girls are kind of leading the race in showing others how to work out,” Kackley said.

“They have a solid returning core,” Stevens said, noting they finished second in the county last year, missing the mark by one point.

“They have banded together to get that thing done this year,” Stevens said. “But nothing is a given, so we’re trying to make sure they are working hard and progressing.”

The 4x4 team is “pretty solid and we’ve shifted some people around in the events,” Stevens said.

Hill, who is one of the captains, will be doing shot put, triple jump, discus and 4x4. The other two captains are Bright and Erin Eubanks.

As for the guys, “they are building,” Kackley said.

“We’re picking  up the pieces and getting better every week,” he said, noting he lost a few key athletes from last year.

Nevertheless he says they will be competitive.

“We’re going to have some guys that will do everything,” Kackley said.

Eighth graders Jack White and Christian May will be doing six events each, including two field events, two sprints and two relay events.

“They possess the ability to try to be successful in everything, so I’m going to lean on them a lot this season,” Kackley said as well as Wesley Turpin.

Kackley said he has challenged the  team to “focus on times, distances and heights. If they worry about that first, everything else will fall into place.”

Stevens is hoping for a good outcome as well.

“We’re looking strong. Hopefully if we keep training well, we’ll have a good outcome at the end of the year … but we’re trying not to look to far ahead,” Stevens said.

ON THE TEAM

(Boys)

Luke Bilger

Mason Brundidge

Kirch Bright

Easton Hill

Carson Hickok

Jamison Brundidge

Evan Olsen

Dylan Ogle

Jackson Luberto

Joey Jones

Kobe Babin

Wesley Heyse

Payton Kerle

Logan Pakiz

Jonathan Cheng

McDaniel Sumrall

Jack White

Christian May

Wesley Turpin

Will Haught

Will Tasillo

Jackson Stanford

(Girls)

Kathryn Ballard

Abigail Kline

Sarah Grace Willis

Kambry Smith

Dylan Rogers

Abbie Stanford

Clara Beth LaFollette

Maile Sweeney

Delaney Cookman

Lauren Turpin           

Lauren Adams

Hallie Bright

Brooke O’Keefe

Hayden Lowery

Jayden Horne

Maquire Holahan         

Georgia Bright

Chloe Hill

Jerre’ka White

Erin Eubanks

Autumn Rivera

Sidney Marotta

Renee England

Dani Locht