Three sports will start up during J-term. Baseball, track and field, and competitive cheer will each get their shot at exciting the Taylor community in a month.
After a very successful season last year, Taylor’s baseball team wants to repeat their magic.
The Trojans ended last season with a record of 42 - 16, and their conference record was 30 - 6. When the games came to Winterholter Field, the Trojans took care of business, going 23 - 4 at home. On the road, the team kept pace, going 16 - 10. The Trojans won their first two games in the NAIA World Series Opening Round but lost their next two, which sent them home.
Nine seniors are returning to take the Trojans even further. Senior Mason David leads the returning squad after batting .364 last season with 76 hits and 52 RBI. Other seniors include pitcher Jared Crandall, pitcher Dalton Swinehart, infielder Mason David, outfielder Kaleb Kolpien, outfielder Drew Loy, outfielder Luke Picchiotti, pitcher David Platt, catcher Micah Long, and pitcher Conner Miller.
Ten freshmen have also been added to the roster. This includes outfielder Parker Reinke, infielder Tyler Allemier, infielder Brady Gerig, catcher Hobie Raikes, pitcher Blake Osbourne, catcher Ryan Sommer, pitcher Conner Smith, pitcher Lane Lewis, pitcher JJ Prendergast, and outfielder Tyler Klemme.
Their first game will take place on January 24th against Benedictine Mesa. It will be the first of seven games played in Arizona during the snowy months.
Another sport that starts during J-term is track and field. Taylor’s squad is coming off a successful season. The Trojans sent 19 athletes to compete in 13 events, split almost evenly between men and women.
Taylor received twenty-six All-Crossroads League awards, including eleven women's and nine men's athletes.
Taylor has six senior men returning: sprinter/hurdler Braden Bixler, sprinter Bradley Braxton, hurdler Bennett Hill, distance runner Zach MacKowen, distance runner Grayson Rasmus, and sprinter Cole Whitehead.
The men’s team increased exponentially, adding sixteen freshmen as well. The depth looks better with eighteen sprinters, twenty-three distance runners, five hurdlers, two pole vaulters, five jumpers, and two throwers.
The women’s team has fifteen freshmen joining the squad and seven returning seniors, including distance runner Ahna Neidreck, thrower Adalyn Schoenbeck, hurdler/jumper Patience Sakeuh, sprinter Emily Johnson, sprinter Olivia Jeanette, sprinter Ashley Hall, distance runner Mollie Gamble,
In December, the team will have their opening meet in Indianapolis for the Racing Capitol Classic. Their next meet will be in Fort Wayne, IN for the Indiana Tech Warrior Invite.
The third sport starting up is competitive cheer. They have two returning seniors, flyer Emma Barile and base/tumbler Eleason Cooper.
The team added eleven freshmen to their roster. They are flyer Kenzie Buck, base Madison Carpenter, base Reese Dunford, back spot/tumbler Owen Gerig, flyer/tumbler Candace Layne, flyer Mikhaila Lillie, back spot/base Kaleigh Moller, base/flyer MacKenna Morris, base/tumbler Anna Osler, base/tumbler Sophia Schwartz, and flyer Maria Stayer.
The team placed third in the Crossroad League Championships and first in the Taylor Trojan Invitational the previous season.
For their first meet, the Trojans will head to St. Louis, MO for the Missouri Baptist Spartan Showcase. They will then go to Kissimmee, FL for the Florida Face-Off.
