(Editor’s note: the following is the first in a two-part series featuring the Salamanca track and field teams. This week: the Salamanca boys.)

SALAMANCA — Michelle Hill doesn’t want to think about how her boys track and field team will look in a year. Luckily, the Warriors have another month to make some memories closing out the spring and school year with a senior-laden team.

The Warriors are led by a junior returning sectional qualifier, Kohl Ambuske, who runs hurdles and the high jump. But the team gets its most depth from the senior class including William Meyer, Seth Bocharski, Tyler Hedlund, Caleb Reed, Zach Helms, Ira John and Tristen Gillette.

“We have a whole lot of depth with our seniors,” Hill said. “It’s going to be hard at the end of the season letting all of those gentlemen go. We are losing a ton of seniors. We have great leadership with this senior class and because of that we have a pretty decent start from the throws with Will Meyer and Seth Bocharski to our jumps with Tyler Hedlund and Caleb Reed. I’ve got Zach Helms in our … he used to be middle distance, but he’s more of a 400, 800 runner now and in the sprints with Ira John and Tristen Gillette. We have a tremendous group of seniors who are going to be hard to replace.”

Ambuske, meanwhile, is the team’s leading point-getter.

“And he is a huge leader on the team,” Hill said. “He’s very versatile. I don’t have anyone else running the hurdles right now and he does it without complaint and doing well and being consistent at the high jump and has been a part of the four-by-400. I can move him around if need be and he’s come a long way over his years on track and field. He’s doing outstanding.”

That kind of willingness to try different events sets an example Hill hopes the rest of the team can follow.

“I’m looking for people to step out of that comfort zone and not to be afraid to run in the events that a lot of people are afraid to run in because they are difficult and challenging,” she said. “So I’m looking to see some young men to step and to get out of their comfort zone and make some bigger gains and challenge themselves. If we do that, I will be extremely happy.”

The Warriors also get contributions all the way down to the seventh grade, highlighted by Arlen Newark.

“He is going to be a force to be reckoned with,” Hill said of Newark. “He is a joy, he runs with a smile on his face, works hard and seems to hit personal records almost every time that he runs. He certainly is going to be something to look out for and to watch in future years.”

Like many spring sports at the school, Salamanca’s track teams share some athletes with other sports like baseball, lacrosse, tennis and golf. But better weather this season (so far) has allowed athletes to compete in multiple sports in a given week.

“You do the best you can,” Hill said of coaching dual-sport athletes. “It’s certainly not a perfect situation but it’s a blessing that we’re able to share them between two sports because it helps both sports for sure. With the weather and the cancellations, that’s where the struggle is because we start off with very little conflicts and then there’s just no way around it so hopefully we can pretty much stay on track and not have to deal with those reschedules.”

The Warriors have just one event on the schedule before school resumes next week, as a handful of athletes will compete in the Wellsville Pentathlon/Steeplechase. A home meet on April 29 against Allegany-Limestone starts the home stretch of the season, with invitationals in Hornell and Wellsville to follow and the annual Super 8 meet, held here on May 17, with league championships the following week.

Hill hopes to see Ambuske return to sectionals in the hurdles or other events, and he could be joined by some teammates if they log the right times after returning from spring break.

“I have a group of senior boys that are very hopeful in the four-by-100-meter relay,” Hill said. “We had an opportunity for all four of them to be together but (we’re) nursing some injuries so we weren’t 100 percent healthy. They ran well, just not where they want to be, but it’s still early in the season. We’re very hopeful with them.”