Etzold launches final crusade

~ Led by the senior, Saxony Lutheran pursues its first Class 1 team title.

Spurred by junior Brandon Etzold's perfect meet, the Saxony Lutheran boys track and field team finished as the runner-up in Class 1 last year.

Now with Etzold and much of the Crusaders' state qualifiers back, Saxony Lutheran will take another shot at defending state champion Polo.

"We're really optimistic," Saxony coach Larry Cleair said. "I don't know what the numbers will be like at districts, sectionals or state, but we have some good kids working hard. ... We've got a lot of points coming back, but so does Polo, who beat us. So we'll have to do well."

Etzold can do no better -- athletes are allowed to compete in just four events at the state meet -- after capturing state titles in the 800, 1,600, 1,600 relay and 3,200 relay. The Missouri-Rolla-bound senior still has personal goals for this season.

"My biggest goal is I'm going for the state record," Etzold said. "I'm not real sure of it yet, I'm mostly hoping to get faster and see what I can do."

Saxony Lutheran established its distance prowess thanks to back-to-back state cross country titles in 2004 and 2005, and the Crusaders have earned a top-four finish in all four state cross country meets where it competed.

The Crusaders did not fare so well in their first trip to the state track meet in 2004, failing to score a point. Saxony Lutheran finished fifth the following season, bringing home its first track state title in the 3,200-meter relay.

"You could really tell the maturity as a team from the first year to the next year," Cleair said.

Now the Crusaders will try to finish their climb toward the top of the podium. Only two relay members were lost from the two state title squads. Max Wieser and Etzold ran on the 3,200 relay, while Etzold, Wieser and Alex Jauch return from the 1,600 relay.

The Crusaders have plenty of options to fill those gaps, including sophomores Ross Gage, Andrew Etzold and Sam Kluesner, all cross country runners. Senior all-state cross country runner Peter Winningham is also out for track this season.

Brandon Etzold, along with some of Saxony's other older runners, will help bring the younger group along.

"It's fun. They don't know anything, and they look up to you and listen to you," Brandon Etzold said. "It's fun teaching them how to do everything."

Saxony failed to defend its state title in cross country in the fall, falling to third place. Brandon Etzold finished sixth after coming in second as a junior.

"I think it did [motivate us]," Brandon Etzold said of the cross country state meet. "I think coach Cleair has trained us harder to make up for it."

Along with the relay success, Saxony also got a pair of all-state finishes from Jauch in the 200 dash and 300 hurdles. Saxony also finished sixth in the 800 relay.

"We're not going to gauge individual success or team success on whether we have to be top four in the state," Cleair said. "That's one of our goals, but we'll gauge our success on if we go out and have fun running and the kids better themselves."

Saxony will open its season at the Perryville Invitational. Jackson will also open its season at Perryville, while Notre Dame will make the trip to Perryville on Saturday after opening its season today at Central.

"We're going to some meets with a lot of good competition," Cleair said. "When we run against teams like Jackson, Cape, Perryville or Sikeston, it gets our kids ready for when we see 1A schools."

Several area individuals could vie for state titles this season, including Jackson senior sprinter Rachel Kahle and Central senior jumper Tyler Terry. Terry finished second in the long jump and triple jump last year, while Kahle was fifth in the 100 and sixth in the 200.

Returningall-staters

Boys

• Brandon Etzold, Saxony Lutheran (Class 1), first in 800, 1,600
• Tyler Terry, Central (Class 4), second in long jump and triple jump
• Matt Willingham, Central (Class 4), eighth in pole vault
• Alex Jauch, Saxony Lutheran (Class 1), sixth in 200, fourth in 300 hurdles
• Walker Rice, Chaffee (Class 1), seventh in shot put
• Derek Goodin, Scott City (Class 2), seventh in 300 hurdles

Girls

• Carerra Patterson, Bell City (Class 1), seventh in 800
• Brittney Castleberry, Perryville (Class 3), eighth in 100 hurdles
• Brittany Moreland, Central (Class 4), fifth in 1,600
• Rachel Kahle, Jackson (Class 4), fifth in 100, sixth in 200
• Brianna Egbuka, Central (Class 4), seventh in shot put