“Second place is always a great motivator for that,” Jaeger-Smith said.

Three trophies in the first three seasons is proof of the Raptors’ rapid ascent in Class AA. But Jaeger-Smith said it’s a foundation to build on, not the peak of the program.

“It’s just great to have those trophies won and in the school,” she said. “But I hope we just keep going upward from here.”

Gallatin will open its 2024 season in a triangular against Bozeman and Belgrade Saturday. Both the Hawks and Raptors feel better prepared this season thanks to the mild winter, with athletes able to get preseason track workouts in December, January and February.

Bozeman head coach Blaine Pederson said his jumpers couldn’t use the long jump and triple jump pits until the third week of the season last year due to all the snow. With last week’s temperatures getting into the 60s, Pederson is the most excited he’s ever been for a track season.

“Just the energy that we felt at practice (last week),” Pederson said. “Myself and all of our other coaches have been talking about it. Everybody’s just been out, been working.”

Jaeger-Smith added that this was the best first week of practice weather-wise that she can remember in her seven-plus years of coaching.

“We always give the kids a heads up that this won’t last forever,” she said. “So we’re utilizing every minute we get outside when it’s nice out.”

Gallatin brings back several point scorers from last season. On the boys side, senior Nash Coley won individual state titles in the 300-meter hurdles and the 400 meters, while also placing sixth in the 200 meters and fourth in 110-meter hurdles.

The Raptors have won back-to-back titles in the 4x400 relay and return three members of last year’s team in Coley, senior Osker Patterson and sophomore Carter Dahlke. Gallatin also returns the sixth-place 4x100 relay team of Coley, Dahlke, Patterson and senior Christian Heck.

In the field events, junior Jack Murray is coming off a second-place finish in the discus at state last year. Murray also finished ninth in the shot put, but is hungry for redemption in that event, Jaeger-Smith said.

Seniors Ryan Nansel and Quinn Clark placed second and sixth, respectively, in the long jump last year. Clark also placed fourth in the high jump.

On the girls side, dynamic distance duo Isabel Ross and Claire Rutherford return for their junior season. Rutherford has won consecutive individual Class AA girls cross country tiles and been named Montana Gatorade Player of the Year two years in a row. She placed second in the 3,200 meters, third in the 800 meters and seventh in the 1,600 meters at state track.

Ross has placed in the top five at state cross country each of the past two seasons. She captured the 800 meters title and placed sixth in the 400 meters at state track last year. Ross and Rutherford also competed on the girls 4x400 relay that won state.

Senior Tesse Kamps has placed second in the shot put each of the past three years at state. Jaeger-Smith hopes Kamps can get over the hump and capture a state title in her final year. Kamps — who is committed to throw at the University of Idaho — also placed second in the discus at state in 2023.

Jaeger-Smith also pointed to junior Ava Dierolf, a state qualifier in the javelin each of the past two years. Dierolf — who is coming off a “great offseason” with indoor track and basketball, Jaeger-Smith said — finished 14th as a sophomore and ninth as a freshman.

Returning several state placers helps with establishing a team culture, Jaeger-Smith said.

“I think a lot of our mature athletes that strive for that team excellence, they kind of know where they specialize and how they can help the team,” she added. “And then if they can help elsewhere, a lot of them are always willing to do so.”

For Bozeman, senior Nathan Neil will look to capture his first Class AA individual title. He’s coming off an individual cross country title, along with a third-place finish at Nike Cross Nationals. He was later named Montana Gatorade Player of the Year and won the Nike Indoor National title in the Boys 2 Mile on March 10.

Last year at state track, Neil placed second in the 3,200 and third in the 800. He would have finished second in the 1,600 as well, but was disqualified for a move he made entering the bell lap. Neil also raced on Bozeman’s 4x400 relay.

The Hawks also return seniors Oak Sullivan and Titus Sykes. Sullivan qualified for state in the long jump, triple jump and 100 meters last year. Sykes placed 10th in the 400. Both ran on the 4x100 and 4x400 relays, with the latter placing 14th at state.

Pederson added that he’s very excited about the incoming group of freshmen and sophomores on the boys team.

On the girls side, the Hawks return senior Ava Epler, who placed sixth in the shot put and seventh in the discus at state last year. Epler set a new personal best in the shot in each of her final four meets last season, along with a new PB at state in the discus.

Seniors Natalie Nicholas, Nomi Friedman and Serena Sproles qualified for the 3,200 last year, with Sproles finishing ninth. Sproles also qualified in the 1,600. That group — along with freshman Kylee Neil — helped the Hawks take third at state cross country last fall. Neil placed third individually too.

The Hawks lost just one senior sprinter from last year’s team in Eliza Smith, who ran in both relays. Juniors Hadley Brown, Macey Primrose and Maya Bossenbrook return on the 4x400. Primrose, Bossenbrook and sophomore Scotland Jones also ran on the 4x100. Brown qualified in the 800 and 1,600 last season as well.

Pederson is hopeful for the start of the new season, equating the first meet to opening up presents on Christmas morning. It’s the first step toward the ultimate goal of winning a team championship, which Bozeman hasn’t accomplished since 2019 on the girls side and 1970 for the boys.

“If that happens, it’s a really rare feat to be able to do and a really special thing,” Pederson said. “And I think if that were ever to be able to come to fruition, it means that we’re checking off the boxes of all the other important aspects of our program of long-term athlete development, enjoying their time out, rising to the occasion in challenges and being pushed and working hard for goals.”

Meanwhile, Jaeger-Smith wants to continue building up the junior varsity program and the overall team culture of Gallatin track and field. Bringing home more hardware at the end of the season is also top of mind, but Jaeger-Smith’s attitude is always athlete first, winning second.

“The coaches that I work alongside have to be enjoying what they’re doing. They set the tone for the athletes,” she said. “And we want the athletes to enjoy what they’re doing.

“If they’re enjoying what they’re doing, they’re going to put in the work, and work hard to achieve any goal that they have as an individual. And then of course, that all compiles in for the team as a whole to do well.”