State Track and Field: Boldt, Boys 4×800, Lead Impressive RPH Podium Contingent

RPH track and field competitor Aubry Boldt went to state with high expectations.  A year ago, she was state champ in the Triple Jump while also taking third in the 100-meter hurdles and fourth in the Long Jump.  The Houston senior could not top those finishes, but found her way to the podium three more times to culminate a fantastic high school track and field career as an 11-time qualifier and 10-time podium-maker.   On Thursday, she took on the Long Jump.  With a best leap of 17’4 ¼”, Boldt took seventh.  Boldt leapt 17’11” at sections this year and 17’11 ½” at state last year.  Math and Science Academy’s McKaylen Lewis repeated as state champ (19’1 ¾”).  Boldt also qualified third (15.14) to make the 100-meter hurdle finals.  A day later, Boldt ran that race in 15.07 to take fourth place.  She ran 14.89 at sections and 15.41 in last year’s state finals.  St. Paul Academy’s Elizabeth Tuttle ran 13.89 to win the state title, setting a Class A record by .42-seconds.   Finally, in trying to defend her Triple Jump state title, Boldt’s best leap was 36’2 ¾”. She finished in third place.  Boldt leapt 38’0 ¼” to win sections this year and 37’1 ½” to win a state title a year ago.  Rush City’s Kendra Heintz (38’4 ¾”) won this year’s title with last year’s runner-up Ellie Sosa of Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (37’0 ½”) taking third.  Among her various records, Boldt leaves the RPH program atop the girls 100-meter hurdles (14.89), Triple Jump (38’00 ¼”), and Long Jump (18’10”) lists. She is currently the only RPH gal to hold three program individual records. Boldt was not the only RPH athlete to have a very fine day.  Tro-Canes made the podium seemingly everywhere, with only one of their state qualifiers not doing so. The heart-warming (and big hearted) story, because of the tragic back-plot, was the all-senior boys 4×800 team (Aaron Ploetz, Landon Dahl, Hunter Rislov, Isaac Rasmussen). The Section 1A champs used a little extra poignant motivation to take third overall.  One of the members’ parents died just days earlier. The guys finished (8:06.62) behind state champ Sauk Centre (7:56.26) and Nova Classical Academy

(8:05.61) putting a little bit of positive high school sports light on a heavy real-life situation. They set a program record, running 11-seconds faster than their 1A Meet time (8:17.74).  Last year’s state qualifying RPH 4×800 took 15th place. Rasmussen then also took on the 1,600-meters.  He also set an RPH program-record, running 4:18.23, taking fourth place.  He took 15th in the same event at state last year. Four of the top five in the event were from Section 1A, as GMLOKS’ Tate Goergen (4:14.57) took first, Cotter/HL’s Kellen Groth (4:15.61) second and Ryan Littlefield (4:18.90) fifth.  The strong showing culminates an amazing year slash careers for distance guys Ploetz, Rasmussen, and Rislov, who were each also parts of the LARP cross country state championship team.  On the girls’ side of the distance running equation, sophomore Caitlin Bauer singularly carried the flag well. Bauer took on the two most grueling runs, the 3,200-meters on Thursday and the 1,600-meter on Friday.  She made the podium in both.  In the 3,200, Bauer ran 11:17.92 to take fifth place overall with St. John’s Prep’s

Margaret Duffy (10:49.48) winning the event.   Bauer ran 11:15.23 at sections.  A day later in the 1,600-meters, she placed ninth running 5:12.54. Duffy (4:55.50) was again state champion. Bauer ran 5:13.84 at sections.  Tossing the little steel ball were Chace Drazkowski and Jorja Meyer.  Each also made the podium.  In his second straight state meet (and fourth overall counting wrestling), Drazkowski finished seventh with a best Shot toss of 54’4 ¾”.  Lakeview’s Jackson Staub (61’4 ¾”) won the state title.  Drazkowski did not score at last year’s state meet in the same event. He threw 49’11” at sections. Meyer also took seventh place in the girls competition with a best throw of 38’1 ½”.  La Crescent/Hokah’s Brooklyn Mitchell won the event (44’5 ½”) by half of an inch.  Meyer’s best throw of sections was 37’3 ¼”.  Finally, Emily Helgemoe took on the 800-meters, running 2:19.86 to take 11th place.  St. Clair/Immanuel Lutheran’s Valerie Quast won the event in 2:15.25.  Helgemoe, a sophomore, ran 2:19.50 at the 1A meet.