With the Greene County High School track and field regular season finished, the Rams look ahead to the Thursday, May 12 Coed State Qualifying Meet in Winterset. The Rams and Huskies will be joined by ADM, Perry, Carlisle, Dallas Center-Grimes, Chariton, and Saydel (Des Moines). First and second place finishers automatically qualify for the Coed State Meet May 19-21 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. Those placing third or lower could still qualify on an at-large basis.

The Rams have gone southwest instead of nearly straight south for qualifying meets in recent years and girls’ head coach Kelly Simpson talks about it. “When you’ve been used to going to the Hawkeye 10, and now you’re going to go to a different field here, the Hawkeye 10 is just so tough in every event. This one seems to favor a little bit more the sprint side, which is where we’re going to be battling because it seems to be where our strength is right now, too. When it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter who’s there, it’s can you run the times? And if you can run the times, throw the distance, or jump high enough, then you’re going to qualify to State no matter where you’re at, and we’ve proven that year after year after year. It’s more about your performance than your placing or who you run against.”

Starting time Thursday in Winterset is 4 p.m.