The indoor track season is still ongoing, but four of the 20 Hillcrest High athletes competing have already set new school records. If this trend is any sign of things to come, coach Scott Stucki is optimistic about the upcoming spring track season.

Senior Adam Collins broke the school’s indoor shot put record and will have another opportunity to improve it at the 45th Simplot Games, taking place Feb. 20-22 in Idaho.

“Our boys’ throwing team is going to be strong this spring,” Stucki said. “Adam is going to qualify for state, and senior Lyrik Martinez is likely to make it in the javelin. Our girls are looking strong, too.”

Sophomore Coco Collins has set the pace for the girls, breaking the indoor shot put record.

The distance teams are also showing promising results, with senior Josh Martin, who finished ninth in the 4A state cross country race in October, improving the school record in the mile by three seconds. Sophomore Ella Goodman has broken three records: the 1600 by one second, the 800 by nine seconds, and the mile by 21 seconds.

“Ella is on track to break the outdoor 800 record,” Stucki said. “Josh is going to qualify in all his events: the 800, the 1600, and the 3200. We’ll choose two events for him, and he’ll anchor our 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams.”

Stucki anticipates all the boys’ relays will compete at state, though he is still evaluating the girls’ relays based on the number of athletes available.

The coach is also expecting strong performances from senior Hunter Hansen in the 200 and 400 meters, as well as sprinter Thomas Harris. Junior hurdlers Sophie Peterson and Drew Grimshaw will be leading the hurdle events.

While many athletes train during the winter months for the spring season—whether it’s practicing starts and acceleration on the school’s indoor track or running miles outdoors in the cold—Stucki believes this helps motivate them.

“There are meets, and meets are fun. But the kids will have to train, whether they’re competing or not, if they want to succeed this spring,” he said. 

He also mentioned several track athletes are currently participating in other winter sports and will join the team Feb. 24 or when their seasons wrap up.

This spring presents a challenge for the Huskies, though. The school’s six-lane track is under construction as it is being expanded to an eight-lane Husky green track. It’s expected to be finished after the season ends, Stucki explained.

For sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers, this means they will be bused after school to share Jordan High’s track and field facilities. Stucki said distance runners will continue to run their regular routes around Hillcrest, and throwers will likely practice at the Huskies’ throwing field, which is shared with the soccer teams.

The Huskies won’t have a meet at their stadium; however they may host meets at the opposing schools’ facilities. 

Dual meets are scheduled against Park City, Stansbury, Tooele and Murray; the team also will attend several invitationals, sometimes splitting athletes between different events.

Martin is already preparing to travel to the Snow Canyon Invitational March 7-8 and will be joined with teammates at the Early Bird Invitational March 14-15. On the weekend of March 28-29, the squad will split, with some athletes competing at the Juab Invitational and others at Utah Valley University’s meet.

In April, the Huskies will compete at the Taylorsville Invitational April 5, West Jordan’s meet April 12, and at the Davis and Air Show invitationals April 19. Some athletes will participate in the Tiger Trials April 26. The JV region meet is set for April 30.

Before regionals May 7-8 and the state competition May 16-17, the Huskies will compete in the Sentinel Twilight Invitational May 2.

Once the track is complete, Stucki plans to host an invitational relay race in March 2026.

“It will include the 4x100, 4x200, 4x400, 4x800 and 4x1600 relays, along with sprint and distance medleys,” he said.

The event also will feature field event relays and will be sanctioned to meet track state qualifying standards.

“It’s something we’ve wanted to do for years,” Stucki said. “We’ll invite as many schools as want to participate.” λ