Given the roster numbers that Prescott, Elmwood/Plum City and now Ellsworth have reported, track and field appears to be one of the most popular, fastest-growing sports in Pierce County.

After 2021 and 2022 campaigns in which Ellsworth struggled to field a complete track and field roster, especially on the boys’ side, those issues will likely go by the wayside this year, as the Panthers’ program has grown significantly since last spring.

The 2023 Ellsworth Panthers feature 70 athletes including 36 boys and 34 girls. A majority of the offseason growth has been for the gentlemen, as the 2021 and 2022 rosters had just 16 and 20 boys respectively.

For Ellsworth coach Drew Pechacek, having an influx of boys out for track and field makes roster construction exponentially easier. Instead of putting kids in events just to fill the slots, he can strategically maneuver the roster to set as many kids up for success as possible.

“On the boys’ side we see a lot of kids who want to compete and fight for spots on the track,” Pechacek said. “It’s a welcome sight after not being able to have a full team the past two years. It will be nice to not have to run kids in races they won’t be competitive in just to fill open slots.”

While track and field participation figures are up throughout the county this year, Ellsworth’s coaching staff believes a lot of the growth, particularly for the boys, is because of the Panthers’ success at the state championships in La Crosse the last two seasons.

In 2021, Max Grand, Ashten Quade, Bo Hines and Shane Lange won Division 2 state championships in the 4x100 and 4x200-meter relays. After Lange graduated following the 2021 season, Jack Janke stepped into his spot and became the fourth member of the esteemed relays.

Ellsworth returned to La Crosse the following June in both the 4x100 and 4x200-meter relays with Janke in place of Lange. The Panthers secured a second consecutive state championship in the 4x100 and finished runner-up in the 4x200 relay.

For coach Pechacek, having pep fests and state sendoffs at the high school helped Ellsworth’s track and field team generate buzz that ultimately led to a new wave of kids going out for the sport. He spoke about how the success of the relays catalyzed the team’s growth.

We’re starting to get kids excited for track,” Pechacek said. “A lot of kids have seen our success the past couple of years and want to continue that tradition and be a part of it.”

Since Grand, Janke and Quade have graduated, the aforementioned Hines is the lone athlete on this year’s roster from the iconic two-time state championship relay. There are a lot of young athletes looking to fill the openings, but that’s going to be a tall task for underclassmen.

“It will be extremely difficult to replace what we lost in Jack, Ashten, Max and Kyle Kressin,” Pechacek said. “They competed in multiple events for us and always placed high. As freshman, they struggled to finish in the top half of meets. As juniors and seniors, they consistently finished top half. To expect a young athlete to come in and replace them is an extremely tall order.”

Although the names on the roster have changed in the last several years, Ellsworth is expected to be one of the best teams in the Middle Border Conference in the sprints and short-distance events again this season.

“We have many great athletes returning this year,” Pechacek said. “Our short-distance races will be a strength for us. Bo Hines, Ean Quade, Michael Holst and Jake McCabe all placed in regionals last year. We also have a lot of newcomers who have only seen once on the track so far, but are showing a lot of promise as well.”

On the girls’ side, Ellsworth junior Kayla Kressin is expected to be one of the Panthers’ top performers. After a strong sophomore year, Kressin returns for her junior campaign and brings versatility to the roster.

Kressin and the Panthers made their 2023 season debut at the Middle Border Conference Invitational at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls on Tuesday, April 4.

Kressin was one of Ellsworth’s top performers, as she won the 400-meter dash, finished 14th in the long jump and helped the Lady Panthers secure a runner-up result in the 4x400-meter relay, along with teammates Mary Prissel, Gabby Christian and Chloe VanWatermuelen.

The girls’ 4x400-meter relay returns all four of last year’s starters that qualified for sectionals. For coach Pechacek, putting his athletes in a position to have success is his biggest goal this season.

“It has always been our goal to put kids in positions where they can compete in the events they’re best at,” Pechacek said. “I think that with our recent success, our goal is to be in the top half of meets we enter and at tournament time, set the kids up to be able to advance.”

Ellsworth is slated to compete in the Baldwin-Woodville Invitational on Tuesday, April 11. That meet is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.