The 2024 track and field season is officially underway in terms of practice.
There is optimism around the Ft. Zumwalt East boys program this year based on not only last spring's success but also in cross country.
Ft. Zumwalt East sophomore Ethan Wilmes (right #1196) runs the first leg of the 4x800 to help the Lions place 12th in the 2023 Class 4 State 4x800.
The Lions had a pair of all-staters last year that are back in senior Jackson Carter and Tyler Anderson. Carter, a Central Missouri signee, was third in the 100-meter dash, while Anderson was eighth in the 1,600-meter run.
Fort Zumwalt East junior Jackson Carter (#1191 center left) sprints to a runner-up finish in the 2023 Class 4 Boys State 100-meter dash in 10.74 seconds, just behind winner Winston Moore of MICDS (left) who won in 10.69.
Anderson took eighth at the MSHSAA Class 4 State XC Championship in November and had seven top-3 finishes throughout the year. He signed with Southeast Missouri State this winter.
He got a tuneup before the outdoor season on Jan. 14 by running in the Morolake Akinosun's Elite Invitational, winning the 800-meter run in 1:56.99. That was his fastest indoor time and about six-tenths off his outdoor best set last summer in AAU competition.
Coach Joe Klostermann joined Mo Mile Split to look ahead at the 2024 season and gave an update on what the team was doing during offseason conditioning before the start of practice on Feb. 26