RUSSELL — The Ellsworth boys’ and girls’ track teams are looking to key upperclassmen for leadership this season while gaining valuable experience for the underclassmen. Despite only three seniors on the girls’ roster, the team has a good mixture of freshmen through juniors for a balanced attack.

The girls will look to two-time state qualifiers to help lead the way. Senior Lainey Peschka and junior Molly Ehrlich qualified for the state last year, but also have experience going to the state races in 2024. Peschka qualified for state last season in the 100- and 200meter dashes, following a sixth place state finish in 2024.

Ehrlich battled injuries in the last half of the 2025 season but still managed to qualify for a state run in the 3,200meter run following an eighth place state finish to end her freshman season.

With only three seniors on the boys’ squad, the Bearcats are looking to build experience throughout the season as seven freshman and one sophomore make up the rest of the roster. Senior Cameron Gardner looks to take his place in a leadership role and make a big impact in the field events while freshman Octavio Rodriguez looks to follow his successful cross country season by scoring points in the distance runs on the track.

The Ellsworth thinclads started their 2026 campaign by taking a trip to Russell April 2 to compete in the Russell Invitational. The girls’ team came home with a strong second place team finish with four first place finishes. Ehrlich was the top individual finisher for the Bearcats, as she added a pair of gold medals to her collection by winning the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:38.76 and the 3,200-meter run with a time of 12:11.14.

Two Ellsworth relay teams also brought home first place medals. Consisting of freshmen Kathryn Buggeln and Kari Place, sophomore Kinly Place and Peschka, the girls’ 4x100-meter relay team won their race with a time of 51.34.

The girls’ 4x400-meter relay won their race with a time of 4:21.15. The 4x400 members are Buggeln, freshman Mallory Peschka, Kinly Place and Lainey Peschka.

Finishing in the top six and earning points for the girls were Lainey Peschka — second, 100meter dash, 13.11; second, 300-meter hurdles, 50.53; Kari Place — third, 100-meter dash, 13.21; fifth, long jump, 15-3 1/2; freshman Reese Newell — second, high jump, 4-10; fourth, long jump, 15-3 1/2; fourth, 200-meter dash, 28.73; freshman Mallory Peschka — fourth, pole vault, 7-1; fifth, 200meter dash, 28.74; Kinly Place — second, 400meter dash, 1:05.69; sophomore Sage Gray — fifth, 800-meter run, 2:48.98; freshman Korbyn Jensen, sixth, 800-meter run, 2:54.11; Kathryn Buggeln — second, 110-meter hurdles, 16.36; third, 300 hurdles, 50.81; sophomore Hadleigh Hicks — sixth, pole vault, 6-1; Leah Warta — fifth, discus, 99-5; and junior Sophie Homolka — third, javelin, 113-5; sixth, discus, 99-2.

The girls’ 4x800-meter relay team claimed a fourth place finish with a time of 11:42.69, with members Gray and freshmen Maisey Hulse, Eva Neuman and Korbyn Jensen.

The boys had two finishers in the top six in two different events with Gardner placing third in the shot put, throwing 40-5 1/4, and fourth in the discus with a throw of 145-2. Rodriguez brought home a fifth place finish in the 3,200meter run with a time of 11:18.99, and a sixth place finish in the 1,600meter run with a time of 5:06.57.

The Bearcats are coached by Nick Rodriguez, who is starting his ninth year as head coach for Ellsworth.

The Cats will host their home track meet April 14 then travel to Smoky Valley April 17.