The Siloam Springs boys and girls track and field teams will look to start the 2015 outdoor season on Friday with their annual home meet, the Siloam Springs Invitational at Glenn W. Black Stadium.
The outdoor season was supposed to start last week in Pea Ridge, but all the meets -- junior and senior high -- were canceled because of weather.
The track team has also had some adjustments early in the season with its coaching staff.
Chuck Jones, who was named head boys track coach in the summer, was reassigned to head boys and girls soccer coach after Jason Bowen was placed on a leave of absence last week.
Jones' wife, Sharon Jones, the Siloam Springs cross country coach, was named head boys track coach in her husband's place. Sharon Jones who will team with head girls track coach Rose Cheek-Willis, and assistant coaches Ken Bolinger, Henry Janes, LaTasha Armer and Conlan Efurd, was asked to assist with track to help fill the shortage of coaches.
The annual Panther Invitational will begin at 3:30 p.m. at Glenn W. Black Stadium on the middle school campus -- the district's only track facility.
More than 50 kids are out for varsity track, and nearly 125 are involved in the program from grades 7-12.
The boys feature the defending state champion in the 200-meter dash in Parker Baldwin, and several other athletes are expected to step up for the Panthers this season, including senior Zach Davis, junior Matt Downing and sophomore Christian Pearson.
The girls have several basketball players who are expected to help, including senior Taylor Gay in the pole vault and running events, and junior Alexis Duffy in running events and the high jump.
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The eighth-grade Panther Invitational, originally scheduled for Monday, was postponed to Wednesday at Glenn W. Black Stadium. The ninth-grade Panther Invitational was scheduled for Tuesday. Results were not available at presstime.
Sports on 03/11/2015