By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

WaKEENEY -- Victoria High School track and field coach Randy Stanley has issued a familiar refrain throughout the spring.

"There are several positions for regional that we are kind of right on the edge," Stanley said. "I keep telling them, 'We are on the outside looking in.' If they run well, they have a chance to make it to state, but they are going to have to run really well and that's some individuals, that's relays. That's just the way it is."

The Knights have consistently performed well, especially on the girls' side the last two years. Victoria, led by Taylor Kisner, won the Class 1A title in 2010 and took second last spring. The Knights had many athletes qualify last spring, including Desirae Karlin and Colin Schmidtberger, who each reached state in at least three events. Victoria also brought boys' and girls' 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays to state.

This year, Victoria has graduated Kisner, Karlin and Schmidtberger, had a key injury to sophomore Kristin Huser and some scheduling conflicts that have kept the Knights from having full squads. On Thursday, Victoria will host its annual meet. Start time is 1 p.m. Stanley said it should be the first time all year the Knights will have their full roster at a meet.

"We have been moving people around," Stanley said. "We have had injuries. We have had people missing because of other activities."

Huser ran on both qualifying relays last year and is consistently around 67 seconds in the 400-meter dash. At the April 10 Redmen Relays at Smith Center, Huser stepped in a hole while she warmed up for the 400 and suffered a mid-foot injury. She could compete Thursday, but may wait until the Central Prairie League meet next week.

"I want to get back as soon as I can," she said.

The Knights' girls have consistently ran around 4:35 in the 1,600 relay and 11:10 in the 3,200 relay. Stanley thinks the relays will have to run around 4:20 and 10:30 to qualify for state.

"She will make the difference," Stanley said. "If she runs, she will knock off two to three seconds in the 4x4. She will knock off 8 to 10 seconds in the 4x8, so that's big."

Junior Jublain Wohler qualified in the 3,200-meter run and 3,200 relay last year at state. This season, he has run around 11 minutes in the 3,200 and five minutes in the 1,600. Stanley believes Wohler needs to drop in the 10:40-10:45 range in the 3,200 and 4:50 in the 1,600 to reach state.

"He is going to have run better than he has ever ran to make it," Stanley said. "He is one of our better kids, but it's the same situation. They are going to have to run better and do better than what they have done all year to make it."

Seniors Corey Dinkel (pole vault) and Zach VonLintel (throws) are in similar situations. The duo, along with all the Victoria seniors, missed Monday's Goldsmith Relays in WaKeeney because of a conflict. VonLintel qualified for state in the javelin last year and has thrown 161-6 this spring.

"I would be completely, really excited if the kids are PR'd at regionals," Stanley said. "That's our goal. We want to do well at the league meet, but we are not going to win the league meet. ... So our goal is to make it to state in some of the events, so that's what we are shooting for."