The Northwestern Lehigh track and field teams both had outstanding seasons and postseasons in 2023, including one history-making performance.

But a few of last year’s stars are gone, including Fiath Yost, the first girls in school history to earn a state gold in high jump.

This year’s teams will look to replace those graduates and achieve success of their own.

Girls

Yost, who won 33 medals in her four-year career, which included a shortened season in 2021, leads a list of graduates from the girls team that also includes Naomi Glassberg (400m and 1600 relay), Alicia Hunsicker hurdles) and Angelina Klein (Distance – 3200 state qualifier).

“We lost some really good athletes last year,” said Tiger head coach Chuck Groller of his girls team, which went 10-1 and finished second at the Colonial League Championship meet.

Northwestern still returns plenty of experienced and talented athletes, including Katie Brensinger (Sr., hurdles/throws), Mallory Connor (So., throws), Sophia Cornell (Jr., distance), Haley Dubois (Sr., distance), Sadie Fenstermaker (Sr., throws), Hannah Gober (So., javelin), Kaia Grantham (Senior-Sprints), Ava Okuley (Sophomore-pole vault), Abigail Pomajevich (Sr., jumps), Nora Silfies (Jr.,high jump), Carsyn Van Norman (Jr., sprints), Grace Yost (Sr., pole vault).

Brensinger, a state medalist wrestler, finished in the top 10 in three events at districts last season, taking third in 300-meer hurdles, fourth in 110 hurdles and ninth in discus.

Fenstermaker was a league champ in discuss and runner-up in shot put last season. She went on to third and second, respectively, in those events at districts.

Okuly earned a league pole vault medal last season with a third-place finish. Gober picked up a third-place league medal in javelin and went on to seventh place at districts.

Van Norman finished sixth last season in the 100-meter dash at both leagues and districts. Pomajevich was a top 10 finisher in triple jump (6th) at high jump (10th) at districts. Silfies was a seventh-place finisher in high jump at both leagues and districts.

Boys

The Tiger boys team also lost some talented athletes last season, including Evan Anderson (sprints), Sam Bower (distance), Cayden Kuhns (pole vault), Colin Myers (shot put) and Matt Santana (3200 state qualifier).

The Tigers have several athletes who return after helping the team to a 7-4 season last year and a fifth-place finish at the league meet.

Leading the list is jumper, who qualified for states last season after taking third place at leagues and second place in District 11.

“He hasn’t missed a beat coming from basketball,” said Groller of Nelson.

Some other returning athletes from last year’s team include Ben Bachman (Jr., prints), Jackson Bailey (Jr., throws), Xander Giandomenico (Jr., distance), Dan Jenkins (Sr., hurdles/jumps), Kit Kahm (Sr., jumps), Sean Kershner (Sr., distance), Shane Leh (So., hurdles), Landen Matson (Jr. sprints), Brendan Miller (Jr., hurdles/javelin), Del Tyler (Jr., jumps) and Greyson Wellings (Jr., distance).

Leh was a top-10 finisher at leagues in both hurdle races last season, while Kozlowski finished eight in high jump.

Groller, in his 10th year as girls head coach and seventh as boys head coach, is assisted by Matt Fritz, Rich Fogal, Mike Kistler, Jordan Smith, Paul Tomlin lll and Volunteer Coaches Vanessa Blose, Elizabeth Fornauf and Brian Meckley.

“If we can stay healthy, both girls and boys will be competitive,” said Groller. “We do have some unknowns and challenges ahead of us, but as the season progresses, we will get better and stronger.

“As a team, we will give everything we got and never turn down an athletic challenge.”

Northwestern’s boys and girls teams will compete in Class 2A this season, but next season will likely move up to 3A.