Clapper, Berg headline Baxter boys’ track team

Senior Will Clapper is back for Baxter’s boys’ track and field team, and he hopes this season is even better than last year when he finished as the Class 1A runner-up in the shot put.

The Bolt boys also welcome back all four members of its 4x800-meter state qualifying team, including junior Logan Berg, a state qualifier in the mile.

Clapper was the state runner-up with a throw of 52 feet. He’s already hit 51 feet, 6 inches in the first indoor meet of the season.

The Baxter senior wants to get back to the Drake Relays and earn state medals in both the shot put and discus this season.

“He’s got some personal goals. It’s not gold medal or bust though,” Baxter boys track coach Josh Russell said.

“He just has some stuff he wants to do in his final year.”

Berg was 17th in the mile last season. He returns as the top distance runner, but the Bolts also bring back seniors Ian Thomson and Josh Bruntz and junior Cole Damman from the 4x800 state qualifying team.

Russell’s biggest problem on the track might be figuring out where to put each of those runners so it gives the team the best chance to score points.

“It will be tricky to figure out where we can score the most points,” Russell said. “I think I can put Logan in just about any race, and he can medal for us.”

Russell said the 4x800 team is not set in stone. Freshman Rory Heer is another option for the Bolts. He took the place of Bruntz at the first indoor meet, and Baxter’s team ran 17 seconds faster than it did at that same meet last season.

“Josh was out for an injury, but he is already back running,” Russell said. “Those guys will all push each other. They’d like to move up from where they finished at state last year. They are capable.”

The roster includes 16 total athletes. Others who figure into key roles include seniors Ben Huff and Dalton Heer on the track and junior Carter Nelsen in the throwing events.

Russell is still searching for hurdlers. Rory and Dalton Heer will try to score points in long jump.

“We have guys who go and compete,” Russell said. “They are working hard. We are not big in numbers, but they are eager to learn and get better every day.”

The Bolts compete in their final indoor meet of the season at Grinnell College at 4:30 p.m. on March 21. That meet is hosted by Colfax-Mingo.

Baxter’s first outdoor meet is at 4:45 p.m. on March 25 in Bondurant.