Norwalk boys track coach Matt Ramthun will have plenty of good options to choose from when filling out meet lineups during the upcoming season.

The Warrior roster featured 99 athletes when February practices began, and is still a program-record 96 members strong going into Thursday’s Little Hawkeye Conference Indoor Meet at Grinnell College. The roster includes 31 experienced seniors and many younger athletes looking to make their mark this spring.

Ramthun loves the preseason competition taking place within the squad, noting that times and distances don’t lie and that few jobs are secure.

“We’ve got the most seniors we’ve ever had… and they’re going to lead the way and set the example and get pushed by some of these younger kids too,” Ramthun said. “That (competition) is good to see early on, and I think that will really translate into good things for us in May.”

The Norwalk boys won two regular season meets last year, placed fifth in the ultra-competitive Little Hawkeye Meet, and scored 11 points at State for 21st in Class 4A. Ben Hanson, now a senior, provided the biggest state meet highlight by placing fourth in the open 800 (out of the slow heat) with a school-record time of 1:55.6. Returning individual state qualifiers also include seniors Braeden Carlson in the 400 hurdles, Jacey Hutson in the 400 dash and Maddux Borcherding-Johnson in the shot put.

Hutson opened this year’s indoor season by placing third out of 219 runners in the 400-meter dash at UNI’s Dickinson Relays. Additional quarter-mile sprinters and hurdlers in the mix are Carlson, Landon Edwards, Dillon Ranck, Skyler Olson and Landon Hochstein.

Hanson and sophomore Henry Groos lead the middle-distance crew and will both be key cogs in the Warriors’ always-solid 4×800 relay. Building off an outstanding cross country season, Norwalk will also be strong in the distance events with seniors Will Chase, Donovan Card and Ethan Franklin leading the way along with sophomores Tony Anania and Grant Wallace.

Ramthun also expects good things in the field events, led by Borcherding-Johnson, Hochstein, Olson, Ranck, and others.

Ramthun adds that the Warrior coaching staff takes pride in getting the team’s athletes to peak at the right time. He also believes that facing outstanding competition all season long – both inside and outside the conference – will make his team better when it matters most.