The Tahoma girls and boys track teams are ready to hit the hit the ground running in the South Puget Sound League North, 4A.

Gary Conner, the boys coach, said about 190 students turned out for the team.

Leading the charge for the Bears will be senior Savannah Johnson, nationally ranked in the triple jump. Johnson will also compete in the long jump, 800-meter relay and 200-meter relay.

Tate Latimer, a junior, is a top hurdler for Tahoma and runs the 800-meter relay.

Mande McKinney, a sophomore, will run the 800-meter relay and fellow sophomore Lauren Clawson will compete in the 1,600 meter.

Others girls to keep an eye on are Mollie Picha, a sophomore sprinter, junior Hannah Mittelstaedt, a distance runner and Molli Bahlenhorst, a senior distance athlete.

Freshman athletes include Cassidy Richmond in the sprints and jumping events. Alexis Taylor will be sprinting and Nadine Hyde will compete in the throwing events.

Jeff Brady, the girls coach, said his team is “deep in sprints and we have some freshman throwers. We don’t know for sure where they will end up.”

The girls team is within striking distance of a state championship, depending how the events break.

Conner said the boys were “young, a lot of freshman.”

One of the top athletes for the boys team, junior Derek Eager, broke his leg wrestling. Conner said he expects Eager, a thrower, will return by the end of the season.

Eager placed fifth in the 2008 state meet in the javelin and 10th in the discus.

A couple of strong distance athletes for the boys team include Casey Campbell, a junior, and senior Kelton Sears.

Tahoma will travel to Curtis for a 3 p.m. meet today (Friday).