OnFocus Season Preview: Mauston Golden Eagles Track and Field
Coaching staff:
- Head Coach: John Maki (2nd year as HC, Sprints/Hurdles Coach)
- Head Assistant Coach: Bill DeVoe (longtime MHS head T&F coach, Vertical Jumps Coach)
- Assistant Coach: Lakyn Kummer (2nd year, Long Sprints/Relays Coach)
- Assistant Coach: Kayleen Betthauser (5th year, Distance Coach)
- Assistant Coach: Autumn Miller (6th year, Throws Coach)
- Assistant Coach: Spencer Davies (3rd year, Horizontal Jumps Coach)
- Assistant Coach: Brad Bires (3rd year, Horizontal Jumps Coach)
Key returners (Boys):
- Josh Ellerman (Tied for top point scorer in 2024, 3x XC State Qualifier, Multi-time SCC Champion in XC & T&F)
- Tanner Winker (Tied for top point scorer in 2024, Multi-time SCC Champion in the Sprints/Horizontal Jumps)
- Brekk Peterson (#4 point scorer in 2024, State Qualifier in XC, Multi-time SCC Champion and all-SCC 1st team honors in XC & T&F)
- Weston Pouillie (#5 point scorer in 2024, State Qualifier in XC, SCC Champion and all-SCC 1st team honors in XC & T&F)
- Braydon Weyh (#6 point scorer in 2024, SCC Champion in T&F and many other all-scc honors in T&F)
Key returners (Girls):
- Alexys Smith (Top point scorer in 2024, State Qualifier in XC, Multi-time SCC Champion in XC & T&F and many all-scc honors in XC & T&F)
- Catie Lavold (Injured in 2024 season, had fantastic freshmen season in 2023, all-scc honors in T&F)
- Eden Finucan (#2 point scorer in 2024, Sectional qualifier in T&F as a freshmen, all-scc honors as a freshmen in 2024)
- Bre Heller (Returned in 2025, had a fantastic freshmen season in 2023, top 25 in the state presently in both long jump and triple jump)
Key newcomers (Boys):
- Jace Navis (9) – High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump
- Parker Smith (9) – Long Jump, Triple Jump, Short Sprints
- Garrett Pouillie (9) – Pole Vault
Key Newcomers (Girls):
- Jillian Cook (9) – Long Sprints, Relays
- Sophia Horn (9) – Throws, leading girls thrower
- Carmen Onsager (10) – Triple Jump, Long Sprints
- Addyson Laridaen (9) – High Jump, Short Sprints
Conference outlook:
- Boys Outlook: The boys team returns as the defending SCC champions from 2024. They also returned the vast majority of their squad from 2024, and also added some key freshmen pieces as well as developed some athletes that will get to shine this season in the varsity lineup. They also have the luxury of being led by their heavy-hitting squad of middle distance/distance runners, many of whom were a part of the XC team who finished 4th in the D2 State Championships this past Fall. The boys team looks to continue their steady program growth, score lots of points, and have tons of fun this season!
- Girls Outlook: The girls team finished a handful of points outside the top 3 of the SCC as a team in 2024. Having retained many key athletes and recruited many more, the girls numbers have steadily grown into a team that could be top 2 in the SCC this season. The girls team is led by XC state qualifier and multi-eventer in T&F, Alexys Smith. The girls team also has a great foundation of young talent and overall excitement to see how good they can get by this season!
Keys to your success this season:
- Fun: This is the key foundation to everything we do. If we aren’t having fun, or productively moving the needle in the right direction, then what is the point of all this anyways… Fun is the central theme to everything we do at practice, during meet prep, and on competition days. And the athletes tend to let this fun spill over into activities and bonding outside of the confines of our sport, this thing called “Becoming a team” that only reinforces what we hope to achieve on the track or in the field.
- Goodhart’s Law: “When a measure becomes a target/focus, it ceases to be a good measure.” Another common phrase thrown around in our communications with our team. We will not once mention outcomes or make them the central thing. We’re big believers in obviously wanting to win, but understanding that if that is our main focus, there might be some negative consequences along the way. The goal is to help our kids find the balance in being competitive, having fun, not taking it too seriously, and overall seeing how good “our best” can be.
- Togetherness: Third and final key is togetherness. T&F is often times regarded as an individual sport with its 18 events. Yet, we try to reshift the focus back to the team and to have a foundation of caring and community on and off the field of play. This really helps set the stage for the other keys above and supporting one another in our pursuits!
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2024-25 OnFocus Central Wisconsin Area Conferences: Conference and Team Links, Schedules
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at keechertheteacher@gmail.com
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