ESCANABA — With low numbers and having a very young track and field team the Escanaba girls figure to be rebuilding this season.

The Eskymos, who open in Thursday’s Gladstone Invitational, have 13 on their roster which includes 11 underclassmen.

Gone through graduation is Alisha Mabie, who’s running cross country and track at Northern Michigan University.

Esky’s lone senior is Giada Frau, an exchange student from Italy, who’s entered in the sprints.

Sophie Hill, who’s representing the junior class, will do high jump, long jump and middle distances.

“This will be a big learning experience,” coach Ryan Wender said. “Some of these kids have never run before. Although, they’re working hard.”

Sophomore hopefuls are Lily Benetti in pole vault and long jump, Harlee Dubord (sprints), Miley Meshigaud (distances and shot put), Aliva Niedbala (weight events) and Dameki Ingebritsen (distances).

The freshman class is led by Avah Ackerly, last fall’s pacesetter in cross country, in the distances.

Evey Bevins is also entered in the distances. Joining her are Carsyn LaBonte (sprints and long jump), Rayne Martin (long jump, high jump and pole vault) and Kira Trombley (hurdles and sprints).

Esky, as other area schools, missed a week of pre-season training due to a major snowstorm in mid-March.

“It has a goofy spring,” Wender said. “We were outside the week before. It’s a typical U.P. spring. Everybody’s in the same boat. We don’t worry about other teams. We just focus on what we can do.”

After Thursday’s opener, the Eskymos return to Gladstone for the Delta County Invite April 21.

Esky then travels to Menominee April 28 before hosting its invitational May 1.

New on this year’s schedule is the Northern Michigan Meet of Champions at Gaylord May 26.

The schedule:

April 16 — Gladstone Invitational; April 21 — Delta County Invitational at Gladstone; April 28 — Menominee Invitational.

May 1 — Escanaba Invitational; May 5 — Manistique Emerald Invitational; May 8 — Negaunee Invitational; May 13 — Division 1 regional at Manistique; May 18 — Great Northern Conference at Gladstone; May 26 — Northern Michigan Meet of Champions at Gaylord; May 30 — U.P. Finals at Kingsford.