In her final go-around in high school athletics, Makayla Witthaus aims to throw everything she has into her sport.

Literally.

As one of the top returning throwers for the Warrenton girls’ track team, Witthaus said she and the team should look for big things from themselves this season.

Witthaus, who took eighth in the discus and sixth in the shot put at the Class 4 district 4 meet last season, said the results leave her hungry for more.

“It makes me want to push myself to obtain high standards and show that I'm good enough,” Witthaus said. “I want to work to make the state. I think that would be really fun as a senior.”

Warrenton Coach Matthew Dodge said that, after working with a state meet performer in Avery Shaw, Witthaus is ready for her turn in the spotlight.

The coach added that her attention should be fully on making it to Jefferson City and the Class 4 state meet. After all, she was about three meters from making state in the discus and a little over a meter away in the shot.

“Makayla has improved year-over-year as a thrower and will be looking to break into that top-end group, getting out of Districts,” Dodge said. “She brings a work ethic and attitude that will push her to do just that.”

While Witthaus’ time is now, the rest of the Warrenton girls' track team will look to build both in numbers and experience, Dodge said.

Working hard with an eye on the future is something the coach hopes his student-athletes will take to heart.

“This year, we'll look to develop our freshmen and sophomores to hopefully build a good-sized senior and junior class a couple of years from now,” Dodge said. “Our current senior and junior classes are fairly small, with three juniors and two seniors. Our goal for that upperclassmen group is to hopefully challenge for the top end of their respective events. Other than that, we would like to see our underclassmen build each year as they get older.”

The girls begin the season at the Montgomery County Early Invite meet at 4:15 p.m. on March 24.

For Witthaus, seeing her teammates grow and in fact, challenge for success during meets is something she’s ready to see.

While the early season will be about laying a foundation, Witthaus hopes her teammates will work toward other goals, such as personal and team records, in the later weeks of the season.

I think (being successful at) conference is a very good goal,” Witthaus said. “As well as like going into districts (ready to compete) is another goal.”