Central Boys Track and Field Preview: Elevated expectations for Warriors this season
The Central boys track and field team includes (left to right) Elias White, Griffin Koehn, Zane Embretson, Carter Krugger, Gavin Holst, Corbyn Clark, Carson Ruegnitz, Henry Reimer, Jesse Polkinghorn, Michael White, Tyce Zittergruen, Griffen Hammersland, Owen Hammersland, Vaughn Zittergruen, Brandon Koth, Mason Loan, Jullian Singleton, Breckon Holst, Jacob Cook and Declan Finley. (Submitted photo)
By Willis Patenaude | Times-Register
Growth is a common theme from coaches when asked about their expectations for a season. It matters more than wins and losses, largely because, unlike records that only impact what occurs in the arena of play, growth follows athletes out of the arena and into the world. There, growth in character, integrity and work ethic matters significantly more.
In summarizing last season for the Central boys track and field team, coach Colten Ledbeter focused on “internal growth,” citing the fact all the athletes’ times improved. Despite a low number of athletes, the team still finished fourth at conference with multiple personal records and three wins from Gavin Holst, who eventually qualified for state.
“Almost everyone ran their personal best times in their events at the district meet, which again shows the hard work they put in through the season, and also is a great outlook for how we hope to start the season,” Ledbeter said.
This year, Central has 22 athletes on the roster, the largest of Ledbeter’s career as track and field coach. Added depth will allow the team to be more balanced in sprint and distance events, while being able to compete in more relays as well. The team will also have the benefit of coach Isaiah Hopp, who joined the staff last year. The former Central and collegiate athlete brings knowledge and experience that has paid dividends working with the distance runners.
Extra numbers and added experience has Ledbeter’s expectations set a little higher this year. He’s aiming for faster times, farther throws, longer and higher jumps and consistent progress. That progress, Ledbeter said, “helps them build the skills to help them in other seasons.”
Ledbeter also wants to finish higher than last season at conference and send more kids to state.
Looking to meet the coach’s expectations is an experienced group of juniors and seniors skilled in distance races and a crop of underclassmen who can also run the distance races, but are skilled sprinters and jumpers who should aid in scoring more points.
The team has additionally seen growth in its field athletes, entering this year with more throwers and jumpers, including a pair of freshman jumpers, the “explosive” Corbyn Clark and “impressive” Mason Loan.
Joining them are several other freshmen, including Zane Embretson, Griffen Hammersland, Breckon Holst, Griffin Koehn, Brandon Koth, Jullian Singleton, Elias White and Tyce Zittergruen. The group has been described as eager to do more, learn new disciplines and strong and explosive out of the blocks with powerful speed and throws.
Among the sophomore class is a pair of sprinting newcomers and a returning mid-distance runner. Jamison Feickert has shown “great explosiveness in his starts and sprints,” and Owen Hammersland is a “very powerful short distance runner,” according to Ledbeter. Jesse Polkinghorn is a “promising” mid-distance runner and key piece of several relay teams last season, including the third place 4x800-meter relay team at the conference championships.
The junior class is stacked with three returning letter winners, including Declan Finley, who adds critical points in the distance races, as well as Carson Ruegnitz and Michael White, who are both looking to “make big strides” in distance events. Promising mid-distance runner and relay member Henry Reimer also returns, and the Warriors welcome Jake Hertrampf. He is expected to help in short distance races and the high jump.
The bulk of experience and leadership comes from the senior class, featuring four letter winners. Vaughn Zittergruen is making the move from distance to sprints this season. Then there is shotput and relay member Jacob Cook and Carter Krugger, who competes in distance races and the 400-meter hurdles. Rounding out the seniors is Holst, who Ledbeter said is “looking to make it back to Des Moines in multiple events this year.”
Getting back to Des Moines for any track and field athlete comes with a challenge unique to the sport at Central: the lack of a facility. To overcome this obstacle, Ledbeter utilizes several methods, including using rolled mats on blacktop to mimic the surface of an all weather track. The Warriors even travel to nearby schools that will allow Central to use their track for an occasional practice.
When that’s not an option, the Warriors practice by running on the road near the school, which Ledbeter admitted “isn’t the most ideal running surface for repeated use.”
Wherever they train, though, the Warriors will be a prepared, with athletes who spent the weeks leading up to the season participating in morning workouts or competing in a winter sport that will help them shave a tenth of a second off their time here and a tenth there, or maybe leap another inch. Results will help them see the “importance of small improvements” and push beyond their comfort zone, noted Ledbeter.
Whatever the Warriors accomplish, they will do so as a team that “celebrates everyone’s success and improvements.”
“We will be celebrating the successes of everyone on the team and celebrating each improvement anyone on the team makes, as well as cheering each other on during their events,” Ledbeter said.
The Warriors started the 2025 season with a second place finish at the Upper Iowa Conference indoor meet, with individual champions in four events. This included Ruegnitz in the 800 and Finley in the 3200, then the 4x800 relay of Ruegnitz, Polkinghorn, Tyce Zittergruen and Gavin Holst and distance medley relay of Griffen Hammersland, Loan, Tyce Zittergruen and Gavin Holst.
The season continued April 1 at West Delaware. The Warriors will then head to Waukon April 3.
