The Golden Eagle girls’ track team of Seneca High School is off to a fast start. The Golden Eagles are soaring over early season hurdles. Seneca is looking to track down its competitors and field a winning season. Use whatever cliché you’d like, the point is, the girls track team of Seneca High School is poised for a big season after returning a number of contributors from last season and welcoming a few promising newcomers.
“We have a lot of new girls who have shown potential in the hurdles, and I am anxious to see where this takes us this year and years to follow,” head coach Laura Heenan said.
Heenan is in her third year at the helm for the Golden Eagles, compiling a 7–1 career record in divisional dual meets.
Seneca graduated three starters from a season ago who are now competing at the collegiate level — Katie Grovatt at Baylor University, Paige Macaukey at Virginia Tech and Brynn MacDougall at Roanoke College. Despite the losses, Heenan still fields a deep roster comprised of both seniors and underclassmen.
“Two of our main strengths have always been our 4×400 and 4×800 relays. However this year we have a lot of new girls to the sport and spread across all event areas so it is hard to tell. This season, I would like to establish a competitive shuttle hurdle team early on,” Heenan said.
The goal of a successful hurdle team was met early in the season. At the Hall of Fame Relays held at Maple Shade High School the weekend of April 6, the Golden Eagles won the shuttle hurdle races and the distance medley relay. Seneca’s presence was felt in a number of other events as well.
“We also placed second in the sprint medley and third in the high jump relay. The first-place medalists included four first-year runners, freshmen Alexia Fotiou, Kayla Martin and Sabrina Helvie as well as sophomore Danielle Packard,” Heenan said.
The Golden Eagles return five letter winners from a season ago in senior hurdler and sprinter Moriah Webb, senior distance runner Mara Schiffauer, senior jumper Jess Packard, junior thrower Kayln Bryan and sophomore middle distance runner Joey Webb. Both Kayla Martin and Kayla Johnson are first-year contributors with promise this season and going forward, Heenan said.
“We have an invested and knowledgeable coaching staff and of course the spirit and enthusiasm for a successful season,” Heenan said.
