Local Teams to Compete in Wartburg Indoor Invitational

Several high school track and field squads from the area will participate in the annual event on Tuesday.

Mar. 24, 2026 at 2:59pm

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As the indoor track and field season winds down, several local teams from AGWSR, Aplington-Parkersburg, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, Clarksville, Dike-New Hartford, North Butler, South Hardin, and West Fork will compete at the Wartburg Indoor Invitational on Tuesday afternoon.

Why it matters

The Wartburg Indoor Invitational serves as a key gauge for these teams to assess their progress and prepare for the upcoming outdoor season. With spring break ending, coaches expect stronger performances from their athletes compared to earlier meets.

The details

AGWSR, Aplington-Parkersburg, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, Clarksville, Dike-New Hartford, North Butler, South Hardin, and West Fork are among the local teams set to compete at the Wartburg Indoor Invitational on Tuesday. AP girls coach Alex Pollock anticipates more teams will be in attendance now that spring break is over, so his squad will need to be at their best. South Hardin girls coach Zach Allison is excited about the potential of two of his top sprinters, Ayda Eller and Lorina Dykman, who have already shown strong early-season performances.

  • The Wartburg Indoor Invitational will take place on Tuesday, March 25, 2026.
  • Action is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m.

The players

Alex Pollock

The girls track and field coach at Aplington-Parkersburg High School.

Zach Allison

The girls track and field coach at South Hardin High School.

Ayda Eller

A top 400-meter runner for the South Hardin girls track and field team.

Lorina Dykman

A junior sprinter for the South Hardin girls track and field team who is looking to have a strong season after being injured last year.

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What they’re saying

“This time around, there'll be more teams there. Now that spring break will be out of the way at that point, I think teams will be better. So we'll have to be at our best and we're hoping they're gonna be able to do some things on their own and we'll be able to pick up right where we left off.”

— Alex Pollock, AP girls track and field coach

“Ayda Eller, she's kind of our top 400 runner. I expect her to have a big year, and she's already in the two indoor meets, way ahead of schedule. She almost broke her own 400 meter record in the very first meet of the year. So that was encouraging. And then we have a Lorina Dykman. She's also a junior. Last year she was hurt, so we really didn't have her very much of the year. But so far this year, she's looking really, really fast. At ISU, she made it to the finals and placed fifth. Those two sprinters, if we keep them healthy, I'm very excited see what they can do by the end of the year.”

— Zach Allison, South Hardin girls track and field coach

What’s next

The Wartburg Indoor Invitational will serve as a key barometer for these teams as they prepare for the upcoming outdoor track and field season.

The takeaway

The Wartburg Indoor Invitational provides an important opportunity for local high school track and field teams to assess their progress, identify their top performers, and build momentum heading into the outdoor season. Coaches are optimistic that with spring break over, their athletes will be primed for strong showings at this annual event.