Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Saturday, so we have six more weeks of winter.

It’s just in time for the Eastern track team to start its outdoor season.

The indoor track team is only two meets and three weeks away from what it has been training for since the beginning of the school year: the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championships.

It is hard to believe the season is nearly over, but the Panthers look to be in good shape for the indoor championships.

The Panthers said this year they want more than anything now to be peaking.

Judging from the results of the last two meets, it appears the Panthers are doing just that.

The team has had strong performances all season from senior jumper Obe Eruteya, sophomore thrower Kandace Arnold and the middle-distance team.

Eruteya, a two-time OVC Field Athlete of the Week this season, is on top of the OVC best lists in the high jump and the triple jump.

Arnold has been impressive in both the shot put and the weight throw and finished in the top 10 in both events this weekend at the Indiana Relays.

The men’s middle distance runners have separated themselves from their competition all season as junior David Holm, sophomore Jason Springer and senior Chris Wesson have all been on top of the OVC shattering school records and personal bests.

Wesson posted the best Eastern finish this weekend and finished second in the 800-meter run.

Several other Eastern athletes also sit atop or near the top of a variety of different events.

The team just finished another successful meet at the Indiana Relays against some of the top competition in the country.

The meets all season have just been a preparation for the OVC Championships.

The Panthers have only the meet at Iowa State and the EIU Friday Night Special to work out the kinks for the biggest meet of the season.

But when it’s business time, the Panthers will be ready.

Dan Cusack can be reached at 581-7944 or at dscusack@eiu.edu.