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RAIDER TRACK — Front (from left): D.J. Clay, Brian Livorsi, Kyle Crihfield, Ethan Tyree, Tim Daniels, Randy Price, Juan Perez, Tim Williams; Row 2: Micah Seen, Adam Jett, Logan Cain, Sam Harper, Mike Pauley, Aaron Atkinson, Jordan Drake, William Alderman; Row 3: Ben Daniels (manager), Seth Williams, Jeremy Hall, Jeremiah Coon, Derek Davis, Brad Parsons, Jacob Minney. SUE KNOTTS PHOTO

Action is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. Roane and five other schools — Scott, Ripley, Buffalo, Point Pleasant and Chapmanville — have both boys and girls teams entered, and Ravenswood is bringing its girls team.

Following is a look at the Roane teams as they enter the season opening meet.

BOYS

New head coach John Gray is not satisfied with recent showings by the Raiders and has challenged his 22-member roster to do better.

“We’re better than that,” he said of a 19th place finish at last year’s Class AA state meet. “That’s not going to happen again. I think we have a pretty solid group.”

Gray, who replaces Scott Whoolery as head coach, has several talented returners led by 2007 team MVP Randy Price, a junior distance specialist.

“He can run forever,” Gray said. “He’s like the Energizer bunny. He can run and run and then run some more.”

The versatile Price can run any event from 400 to 3200 meters. He is also coming off an appearance in the state cross country meet last fall. Several other cross country veterans are running this spring under the direction of assistant coach Chrissy Cox, who was their mentor during the fall.

The group includes seniors Jeremy Hall and Micah Seen, junior Jeremiah Coon and freshman Kyle Crihfield.

“I think (the distance runners) will be a real strength as the season goes along,” Gray said.

The team’s sprinters have been a pleasant surprise so far, Gray said. They include seniors Tim Daniels, Aaron Atkinson, Juan Perez and Michael Pauley along with junior Jordan Drake and sophomore Ethan Tyree. That group will also combine to form several relay teams.

Junior Derek Davis is a top hurdler and sophomore Sam Harper is a relay specialist.

In the field events, Coon and Davis have set their sights on challenging school records. Coon has recorded a high jump of 5 feet, 10 inches and at 20 feet, Atkinson is not far off the long jump mark.

Drake, an athletic newcomer, may join Harper as pole vaulters. The strongmen include seniors Seth Williams and Brad Parsons and sophomore Jacob Minney. The trio will throw both the shot and discus.

“One of the reasons I decided to do this was I am hoping to get more of our athletes out to help them in other sports,” Gray, who has previously coached on the middle school level at Walton and Elkview, said. “It’s going to make them better for other sports and make our track team better.”

Gray hopes to reverse a trend that has seen the Raiders steadily drop from regional champs and fourth in the state in 2003 to their 19th place showing a year ago.

“I think we’ve got a chance to score some points and be competitive,” he said. “I’m excited, and I think these guys are excited.”

GIRLS

Fifth-year coach Paul Williams has a talented team gunning to improve on last year’s third place LKC finish and tie for eighth in the state meet.

“I think when our full team is there we probably have one of our best chances at competing, especially for the LKC championship,” Williams said.

Having a full lineup is a luxury for the Lady Raiders, who have three key performers sharing time with the softball team. A couple of other standouts will be full-time tracksters.

Senior Jessica Roberts will anchor the 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams and two events from among the 800, 1600 and 3200.

“She wants to be as good as she can be,” Williams said. “That’s what pushes her.”

Also back is junior Stephanie Mitchell, the team’s reigning MVP. Mitchell, who set a school record in the long jump at 16-0 last year, will anchor the 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams and run the 200.

“She’s a good all-around athlete,” Williams said. “She works hard and she wants to be at the top in whatever she’s competing in.”

The softball players include juniors Morgan Cottrell, Ashli Knotts and Annie Hodge. Cottrell plans to specialize in the high jump this season, an event in which she set the school record of 5-6 as a freshman. She is also a sprinter.

Knotts has been second in the pole vault at the state meet for two years in a row and has the school record at 9-0. She is also close to the mark in the 300 hurdles, an event she ran at the state meet last year.

Hodge is a hurdler who will compete in the 100, 300 and shuttle events.

Williams also has junior Laken Hottle back in the fold this year after she sat out as a sophomore. In 2006, she was part of the 4x800 relay team that set a school record.

Senior Annalee Tallman, a newcomer, will run the 200 and 400, and Heather Christian, a junior, is the only returning thrower. She will compete in the shot put.

Williams will have the softball players for only two or three meets during the season, but should have them for the LKC and regional meets.

“Even without them we should have a solid team,” he said. “But having those individuals really helps me be able to spread the talent out. It gives us an extra boost.”