Although the Oak Harbor High School girls track team is young, it doesn’t lack for varsity experience.

“One of our greatest strengths this season will be the amount of younger letter winners that we have returning,” coach Eric Peterson said. “These girls have experience competing all the way to the state level, which should translate to early development and good performances early in the season.”

Twenty-three letter winners are back, and 11 are still only sophomores. Eleven of the 13 Wildcats who earned all-league honors last year also return.

The senior letter winners include Krista Alamo, Claire Anderson, Alana Austin, Deja Bunch, Matti Miesle, Priya Osborne and Janae Payne.

Returning juniors are Hailey Bell, Kaitlyn Chelberg, Julie Jansen, Laura Rodeheffer and Carolynn Wicker.

The talented sophomore group includes Taliah Black, Alora Caillier, Kia Ceya, Jenna Cooley, Megdaline Fink, Samantha Hines, Megan Keating, Callie Nuttall, Chantelle Rector, Amaya Rittierodt and Kristina Tirado.

2015 league honors went to Austin (first team, 200); Chelberg (second team, 300 hurdles); Anderson (second team, triple jump); the 4×200 relay team of Rittierodt, Cooley, Caillier and Austin (second team); the 4×400 team of Bunch, Fink and Austin (second team); Jansen (honorable mention, discus); and the 4×100 relay team of Rittierodt, Cooley, Payne and Miesle (honorable mention).

The 4×100 team finished eighth in the state meet.

Peterson said it is too early to tell which newcomers will have the most impact, but noted that freshman Alex Smith, based upon her success in cross country, should be one of the top distance runners.

Peterson said his goal is for Oak Harbor “to finish in the top half of league this season.”

Coupeville, South Whidbey and Lakewood will come to Oak Harbor for the Island Jamboree at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 17.