By Mike Moore
Staff Writer
Jackson — The defending Division 3 state champs are about to begin the 2016 postseason, and as Mike Woolsey said Friday morning, repeating is the furthest thing from his guys minds right now.
“Our main goal is to do well, and get as many guys qualified as we can,” he said of Saturday’s regional event. “This is also a great chance for some younger guys to gain some valuable experience. … For us, thinking about last year really doesn’t make any sense. This is a different team. The goal now is to get as many guys as possible with their best performances.”
Lumen will be joined by 16 other teams Saturday at Quincy in the regional event.
Action is set to begin around 9 a.m.
“We’ve really improved as the year’s gone on,” Woolsey said of his guys. “These are athletes coming along. We’re getting a lot of what we need to right now, and that’s key.”
Last year’s state-title team had depth and a ton of high-level talent that carried it 44 points at the final, seven better than Hillsdale.
“But we graduated a lot of those guys, which is why we’re not focused on defending,” Woolsey added. “I think last year’s team set the standard around here, and now we’re focused on building this up to that again.”
Still, there are plenty of guys Woolsey believes can have an impact at the finals. But the first step is finding a way to qualify Saturday at Quincy.
Jacob Wildenhaus scored in the finals last year in the 110-meter hurdles, and Woolsey said he is one expected to get back.
Kyle Booth, in the shot and discus, is also expected to be in the running.
There’s another factor to consider, Woolsey pointed out.
“We’ve got so many young athletes,” he said. “If we can get them to the finals, and get them that experience, in that atmosphere, it’s a great thing. It’s also a great accomplishment, to get to this point. Enjoying that reward can only help in the future for a lot of these guys.”
Mike Moore is a play-by-play commentator and Sports Writer for JTV Sports. You can reach him atmjm12@albion.edu. He’s also the author of ‘Love, Defined; A Dedication to the Love, Sacrifice, and Magic of Motherhood.’
Love, Defined is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Tate Publishing or by contacting Mike directly.
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