April 03, 2025
Local NewsState & National

Experience and youth balance out NV boys track roster

Warner returns after two top-10 state finishes in throws

By Ryan Stonebraker
NV senior Trent Warner, shown last season competing at state track, comes in after two top-10 finishes in the throws at state in 2024, as well as a 2025 state wrestling title.

NV senior Trent Warner, shown last season competing at state track, comes in after two top-10 finishes in the throws at state in 2024, as well as a 2025 state wrestling title. (File Photo)

The 2025 outdoor track and field season began this week when the Nodaway Valley Wolverines competed at the Bedford Bulldog Relays Tuesday, April 1. That meet was the first of 10 regular season meets that are guaranteed this season. The Wolverines will also try to qualify some events for the 2025 Drake Relays, scheduled for April 24-26 at Drake University.

The highlight of the schedule will be a pair of home meets. The first is the annual Nodaway Valley co-ed meet Monday, April 7. The other is the annual showcase of the best in the Pride of Iowa Conference as this year’s POI meet is in Greenfield May 5.

The Wolverines return six of last year’s eight roster members and add a few more to the total this season as 16 boys are on the roster, led by seniors Trent Warner and Eli Harris and juniors Keyin Steeve and Ashton Honnold.

NV will boast a lot of youth as the freshman and sophomore classes are the largest portion of the team’s roster with six in each class out for track and field. Sophomores are Caleb Christensen, Haden Colton, Erik Jensen, Paul Kading, Luke Kading and Kaden Stonehocker. Freshmen are Cassius Burnside, Trevyn Colton, Titan Foster, Cheribum Mercado, Gabe Winkelmann and Micah Cronk.

One goal the Wolverines have is to move up in the conference standings from where they were a year ago. Mount Ayr won the league meet for a second year in a row last season and Lenox took second.

Warner was a qualifier for state in both throwing events last year, placing fifth in the shot put with a throw of 50-10.25 and 10th in the discus, throwing 145-2. The Northwest Missouri State University football commit comes into the track season fresh off of a heavyweight state title in wrestling.

Distance events could be a strong point also for the NV boys as the Wolverines won the Pride of Iowa Conference cross country title lats fall in Mount Ayr. Winkelmann was the individual champion and advanced to state cross country. Five of six Wolverines out for cross country are also in track.

The Wolverines are coached by Head Coach Brett Welsch and Assistant Coach Jack West.