Sports : Des Moines bound! Track teams leave VSHS; to compete this evening, tomorrow

Coach Heather Kalous speaks during the pep rally for VSHS State Track athletes.

Ricky Jeray and Nolan Sagan listen to coach Aric Chvala.

Girls track team members pose for photos for parents before leaving for State.

Erica E, Emma L, Bristi G, Payton L, Dawn S, Devon W and Sydney R prepare to leave for State.

In masks and T-shirts, the girls show their VS team spirit.

Coach Janet Woodhouse and the Vikette Golf team: WAMAC West Champions.

The eight Vinton-Shellsburg athletes who qualified for the State Track Meet loaded into school vans this morning after a pep assembly. They will compete tonight and/or tomorrow in Des Moines.

Parents along with a busload of VSHS seniors are traveling to Des Moines to support the Vikings and Vikettes.

VS qualified the following athletes/events:

Boys:

* Nolan Sagan, 400M and 800 M.

* Ricky Jeray, 3200 M.

Coach Aric Chvala said that Ricky hopes to set a new VSHS record in the 3200, and that at the District meet, Nolan (who won the 400 and 800 events) was the athlete that every school wishes it had.

Girls:

Payton Leonard, 200 M and 400M;

4 x 200 team: (Erica Engbretson, Sydney Robertson, Devin Womochil, Dawne Schminke).

800 sprint medley relay team (Erica Engbretson, Dawne Schminke, Sydney Robertson, Payton Leonard).

Devin Womochil is an alternate for the 4 x 200; Emma Lippmann is also going as an alternate.

Coach Heather Kalous told the student body a little each athlete's other activities during the assembly.

The athletes and coaches left the school at around 10:30 -- after another round of photos.

Schedule:

Thursday:
6:20pm-Payton-200 (prelim)
7:00pm- Payton- 400 (final)
7:20pm- Nolan -400 (final)
Friday:
4:30pm- 4x200 (final)
Saturday:
9:00am- G Sprint Medley (final)
9:50am- Bristi- 800 (final)
10:30- Nolan-800 (final)
*1:25pm- Payton-200 (final) *if she qualifies on Thursday

Vikettes golf: WAMAC West and WD tourney champs

The assembly also honored the VS girls golf team. The Vikettes are the WAMAC West champions this year, and also won the WD Tournament, defeating some Class 4A teams. The team received a WAMAC West plaque and a WD trophy for the school trophy case.