(Guthrie Center) ACGC graduated a few very talented tracksters, but will have some fantastic runners returning for the 2023 season.
ACGC coach Cody Matthewson is excited to see what this group can do. “It’s an exciting year. We are building off of a lot of momentum from last year and the years past.” Matthewson says, “I feel pretty strongly about our mid-distance and long distance areas. Graduating Trevin Suhr was a really big name in the program as well as the state with the things he did in the mile and 800, but cross country had another successful season so coach Colin Shawgo has built a lot of confidence in those kids building off of what they’ve done as champions and runners-up the last two years.”
Justin Reinhart and Andrew Mahaffey are two big names back in the distance group. Sprinter Austin Kunkle is a headliner returning to the team after medaling in the 100 and 200 last spring. “It’s going to be very interesting to see how we end up having to utilize him. Last year we had a lot of depth and were able to do a lot of relays, but we kind of lose that depth, Out of the 4X100 Austin and Brock Littler are back, but we graduate Charlie Crawford and Cayden Jensen. We have a couple of other guys we feel can potentially be plugged in there and help us out and make us potentially a dangerous team again.” Matthewson indicates Kunkle may expand his events to the 400 and long jump this season.
He likes their potential to score points in the field events as well. “Really excited about the throwers and field events. We have a lot of bulk coming back there. We didn’t graduate any shot put throwers and any high jumpers.” Matthewson says, “We have the pieces to put together a pretty good team.”
The Chargers will be participating next Friday at the Iowa State Indoor Meet in Ames.
ACGC coach Cody Matthewson:
