The Orange Lutheran track and field program has had a strong start to the season with several athletes already posting personal bests and placing among the top competitors in early meets.

Last season, OLu had a group of athletes qualify for the very competitive CIF-SS Finals and Masters meets. With a relatively young roster a year ago, nearly every athlete has returned and is poised to take significant steps forward this season.

"Everyone we had that made it to CIF Finals last year, they're all back, so that puts us in a good position," says OLu track and field head coach Kevin Gillian.

Among the Lancers expected to make an impact are sophomore hurdlers Taylor Brinker and Baron Giacchetto, junior sprinter and jumper Brooke Dahman, senior sprinter and jumper Jordan Losco, and junior high jumper Gage Rhodus.

The girls 4x400 relay team that just narrowly missed qualifying for the California State meet last spring is back and led by seniors Isabel Adams, Kenzi Bernardino and Sarabella Stakley.

On the boys side, the distance and middle distance squads have added significant depth, led by sophomores Pierce Galan and Ezekiel Stakley, juniors Dean Lozano, JJ Marin and Lucas Schroeder, and senior Arno Snedker Pfaff.

The girls sprint team will be led by Brinker and Stakley, as well as sophomore Malia Jarrett, junior Haven Ward and senior Reyna Reed. 

"All of those kids have started out really well, so I think we're going to see some really good results this year because of that," says Gillian.

The Lancers have already competed in the Eagle Invitational and the Mustang Roundup and will head to Portola Hills High School this weekend for the Earl Engman Relays, a qualifier for major meets later in the season such as the Arcadia Invitational (April 9-10) and the Mt. SAC Relays (April 18).

Other key meets the athletes are targeting include OC Championships (April 18) and Trinity League Finals (May 1) as they prepare for the postseason.

The program has its sights set on returning to the California State Meet this year, and Gillian believes OLu has the talent to make that goal a reality.

"I'm looking for this group to get us back into the state meet," says Gillian. "My vision is set on that. It's a really good gauge of our program, and I'd like to put us back on that list again. All of the kids are thinking that way… and so with that in mind, I think they have a good shot."