West Fork boys track aims to boost state qualifiers in 2025-26

The Warhawks look to send more events to the state meet after qualifying just one last season.

Mar. 24, 2026 at 2:56pm

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The West Fork boys track and field team is preparing to open the 2025-26 season with a focus on increasing its state meet presence. The team only qualified one event, the high jump, for state last year, but with a strong group of returning sprinters and an influx of talented freshmen, the Warhawks are aiming to send more athletes to the state competition in Des Moines.

Why it matters

Qualifying more athletes for the state track meet is an important goal for the West Fork program, as it would showcase the team's depth and development. The Warhawks are looking to build on last year's lone state qualifier and make a bigger impact at the highest level of competition in Iowa.

The details

Head Coach Caleb Hovenga says the team, especially the upperclassmen, is determined to get more events to state this season. The Warhawks return experienced sprinters from last year and are adding a sizable group of freshmen, many of whom will compete in the sprint events. Hovenga is optimistic about the team's sprint talent and is working to integrate the new freshmen into the high school program.

  • The Warhawks are scheduled to open the outdoor season on March 31 in St. Ansgar.
  • Last season, the team only qualified one event, the high jump, for the state meet.

The players

Xavier Haller

A West Fork athlete who qualified for the state meet in the high jump last season before graduating.

Caleb Hovenga

The head coach of the West Fork boys track and field team, who is focused on increasing the team's state meet presence this season.

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What they’re saying

“A lot of these guys, especially the seniors, are really looking to get down to Des Moines this year. We only had one event go down last year, and a couple of those events were just on the outside looking in. So a lot of these guys really want to end their season on a high note and get down to state and run in front of the big crowd there.”

— Caleb Hovenga, Head Coach

“We got a lot of returners from last year that were very good at the sprinters, and they're picking up right where they left off last year in a couple of the indoor meets we've had already. And we're bringing in a pretty well-versed group of freshmen here. They're making up about half the team right now. And those guys are primarily in the sprint stuff, and we're kind of converting them around and seeing where they'll fit in with the high school group as opposed to a middle school group. But I think we're going to be pretty talented on the sprint side this year.”

— Caleb Hovenga, Head Coach

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