The Coupeville track teams will build around two of the state’s best this spring.

The girls team will feature junior javelin thrower Kyra Ilyankoff. Ilyankoff finished third in the state last year after winning the tri-district title. She also won the Cascade Conference title with a school-record throw of 129 feet.

Junior Tyler King, one of the state’s top distance runners, will lead the boys team. He finished second in the 3,200 and third in the 1,600 at state last spring. He also set a school record in winning the league title in the 800 with a time of 1:58.48.

Other returning letter winners for the Wolves include Rachel Weinstein in the middle distances, Will Hoskins in the high jump and Zach Piercy in the discus and shot put.

Coupeville coach Randy King said his girls team welcomes “four hard working frosh led by Jai’lysa Hoskins.”

On the boys side, newcomers include two members of the football team, wide-receiver Mitch Pelroy and running back Dalton Engle, and basketball post Hunter Hammer, who, according to King, “looks very competitive in the shot put.”

Another newcomer is co-coach Jackie Bykonen. King said she “brings a strong running background to our staff.”

King said, “We have seven girls and 23 boys currently out for the team. Hopefully we will be able to put together some competitive relay teams from these groups. Our team is young, somewhat inexperienced, but very enthusiastic. Our first week of practice has been outstanding. Our experienced athletes do a great job of sharing their expertise with the new kids.

“We often compete against teams comprised of 60-100 athletes, so our focus is always on continued individual performance rather than comparing team scores.”

The Wolves start the season at South Whidbey Thursday, March 25, against the Falcons and Lakewood.