As the spring air settles over Westside High School, the girls track and field team is preparing to transition from a developmental year into what coaches believe will be a championship-caliber campaign. Returning a deep roster of seasoned veterans and record-breakers, the Warriors are looking to build on the momentum of a successful 2025 season.
For Head Coach Andante Lloyd, the mission for the 2026 season is stripped of any complexity. Lloyd has established a two-word mantra for the year: “Take State.”
“The Westside girls team will look to erase any doubt that the Warriors are not a contending team,” Lloyd said.
That foundation begins in the field events, led by a trio of top-tier returners. Seniors McCartney Bazar and Auzlyn Anderson, who finished sixth and seventh respectively in the triple jump at the 2025 state meet, return as two of the highest-ranked athletes in Class A. Bazar also enters the season as a dual-threat after placing fourth in the high jump last year. On the runway, senior Evlyn Jasa is looking to put the finishing touches on a historic career. The school record holder in the pole vault spent the 2025 season consistently resetting her own mark and expects to be a favorite to return to the medal stand. The horizontal jumps remain a focal point for the underclassmen, with junior Jaydyn Macklin and sophomore Annika Jasinski both returning as state qualifiers in the long jump.
On the track, Westside features a blend of established speed and high-ceiling newcomers. Junior Mya Archie, a three-event state qualifier in the 100-meter, 200-meter, and 4×100 relay, anchors the sprint group alongside Anderson and Jasinski. The squad adds a major boost with the arrival of freshman Amira Johnson, who enters the high school ranks with a national pedigree after placing seventh at the 2025 USATF Junior Olympic National meet.
The distance group, led by state qualifiers Caitlin Steliga and Ellie Wittman, is coming off a successful cross-country season and includes veterans Emerson Hess and Nevaeh Fox. Fox, who recently committed to run collegiately at the College of Saint Mary, said the team’s continuity is its greatest asset.
“One of the most important things we are bringing back from last year is our team culture,” Fox said. “At Westside, we pride ourselves on having a family-like community, and that support system is a big part of what makes our team successful.”
While the roster is veteran-heavy, the team must replace the scoring output of graduated stars like Aubrie McDonald, a double-medalist in the throwing events. Lloyd noted that several younger athletes will be expected to step into larger roles to maintain the team’s depth as they integrate new assistant coaches Herbeck and Ward into the program. Despite the changes, the objective remains a top-10 finish at the state meet—a feat many of these athletes achieved as part of the 2024 championship squad.
“This season, our team goal is to continue pushing each other to step into events where we know we can succeed,” Fox said. “We want to challenge ourselves, support one another, and work toward having the best season possible.”
Westside officially opens its season Friday, March 20, at the College of Saint Mary.
