Coach: Robb Myhre

Last year: Finished ninth at the NWC Championships. Finished seventh at 1A tri-district meet. Finished tied for 31st at 1A tri-district meet. Finished 11th at the 1A State Championships.

Returning state participants: None

Others to watch: Luke VandeHoef (sr. jumps, throws), Stephen Dietz (sr. distance), Connor Beard (fr. sprints), Leni Halaapiapi (jr. throws)

Outlook: Nooksack Valley has nearly twice the number of athletes out for the boys' team as they've had in recent years, with 26 participants. Pioneers girls' coach Justin Bronn attributed it to a large freshman bump. One of those freshmen who is sure to make an impact is Beard, who is the younger brother of Mitch Beard. Unlike his brother, Conner will anchor a young, but improving sprints program for Nooksack Valley. "We're going to be more diverse than we have been the last few years," Bronn said in a phone interview. "Conner and some of the other guys we have in the sprints are going to help us in an area we aren't normally strong in. We'll be fielding relays, which we haven't done in a while." Nooksack still will be strong in the distance events, but the Pioneers don't have their normal allotment of strong-armed throwers, though Halaapiapi could make vast improvements after never attempting the throws before this spring. "We're challenging our guys to get back to where we have been throwing-wise," Bronn said.

Reach DAVID RASBACH at david.rasbach@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2271.