State Track & Field

Area track and field conglomerates Caledonia/Spring Grove, Grand Meadow/LeRoy-Ostrander/Kings-land/Southland, Lanes-boro/Fillmore Central/Mabel-Canton, and Rushford-Peterson/Houston plus standalone Chatfield took on the state Class A meet. Three of those schools had a least one state champion while the lowest top finish for all five was third. Another standout group of area athletes competed at the highest level.

C/SG Claims Two Relays, an Individual, and Team State Titles

Caledonia/Spring Grove sent seven guys to compete at the state meet. All seven reached the medal stand at least once. It was a spectacular day highlighted by four total state championships. Starting with the sprint relays, the 4×100 (Eli Staggemeyer, Gabe Curley, Owen Staggemeyer, Josh Beardmore) and 4×200 (Staggemeyer, Staggemeyer, Curley, Fischer Wait) teams each claimed state titles. The 4×100 posted the fastest prelim time (43.40), which was on par with their 1A meet time (43.39). In the finals, they were even faster (42.75) than both times to top nearest foe Howard Lake-Waverly-Winstead (43.23) for the state title. The 4×200 also ran the fastest prelim time (1:30.87) by more than a second over St. Cloud Cathedral (1:31.97). In the finals, it was a bit closer but the Warriors claimed the state title (1:29.28) over nearest foe Cathedral (1:30.54). The teams improved upon ninth and tenth places finishes at state a year ago. The 4×200 won the title with an altered line-up from sections, showing the Warriors depth of speed. Curley subbed for Beardmore, who was busy elsewhere. The senior won his heat (10.97) and qualified first overall in the 100-meters. In the finals, Beardmore ran fastest, 10.87. He topped nearest foe Cam Jones of Howard Lake-Waverly-Winstead (10.95) to claim the state title. Junior teammate Eli Staggemeyer (11.05) qualified sixth in the event to also make the finals, where he placed a more than respectable fourth overall (10.99). Beardmore also competed in a third event, the Long Jump, but he failed to record a distance (fouled thrice). He took fifth a year ago in the event. The senior graduates having qualified for state seven times over the past two years. Claiming a state runner-up was Jordan Tornstrom. The senior’s best Discus throw went 170’9”. He was just a bit short of his 1A title winning distance of 171’2”. Only Litchfield’s T.J. Christensen threw further (182’6”) though, and Tornstrom was one inch better than third place Justin Jacobson of Pelican Rapids (170’8”). Tornstrom improved greatly from last year’s state meet, where he took 11th place with a throw of 140’2”. He graduates the Warrior Discus record holder. Back to the sprints, Fischer Wait took on both the 200-meters and 400-meters. In the 400, the junior qualified first overall (50.16). He ran faster in the finals (50.07), but so did St. Paul Academy’s Oliver Thompson (48.78) and Cotter/Hope Lutheran’s Luke Gardner (49.39). Wait claimed third place in the event. It was a nice redemption as Wait qualified last year in the 400, but did not compete. In the 200, Wait grabbed the ninth and last qualifying spot (22.99). But he ran 22.56 in the finals to finish in sixth place, making the podium. Concordia Academy’s Judah Zinter (22.14) won the event. Oddly enough, Wait took third at sections and third at state in the 400, and he took fifth at sections but sixth at state in the 200. Teammate Gabe Curley also took on the 200-meters, running 23.11, but he did not qualify for the finals. He finished in 12th place (of 20). The senior ran 22.48 at sections. The Warriors lowest podium-maker was High Jumper Ethan Stendel. The junior, who just recently signed to play football at the University of Minnesota, was one of five guys who topped out at 6’4″, which was also his best height from sections. He took seventh place overall, as GMLOKS’ Sam Snitker went 6’6” for the state title. The guys’ collective efforts secured the C/SG team 67 total points, which secured the Warriors the team title over 1A foe Cotter/Hope Lutheran (39) and Howard Lake-Waverly-Winstead (38.5). The last ‘Journal-covered’ track and field team in win a team-title at the state individual meet was the 2016 Rushford-Peterson/Houston three-man squad of Noah Carlson, Matt Culhane and Trevor Lundberg. C/SG also had a sole girls’ representative. The 4×200 team (Loisah Gay, Chloe Lange, Sienna Augedahl, Nicole Banse) ran 1:49.15 in the prelims and did not qualify for the finals. They took 13th overall. The squad ran 1:47.38 at sections. None of the girls is a senior and only Augedahl a junior.

Snitker Grabs High Jump Title to Lead GMLOKS

GMLOKS had seven athletes competing in nine events at the state meet. They made the medal stand in eight of those nine competitions. Coming off a 2023 track and field season where GMLOKS grabbed a pair of state titles, the Fillmore/Mower County conglomerate kept the string going. Sam Snitker came in seeded first in the High Jump (6’8”). The senior got all his jumps on the first try until the height was moved to 6’8”. At that point, it was between the Knight and 1A rival Gabe Hein of Blooming Prairie (a rematch of basketball). Neither cleared 6’8”. With Hein taking multiple attempts to clear 6’6”, Snitker was thus state champion. He tied for fourth place last year in the event, jumping 6’4”. The title concluded a dominant year for the senior, and a crazy two-year track and field run where he basically showed up as a junior to High Jump and became a two-time state podium-maker in the event. The High Jump title also stays in the Southeast Conference, as Spring Grove’s Tysen Grinde won it last year. Youngster Tate Georgen was GMLOKS’ next highest finisher. The freshman won his heat and qualified first overall (1:58.01) in the 800-meters. But in the finals, Georgen could not keep up with four-time state 800-meter qualifier Jayce Kiehne of LFCMC. Kiehne broke a program record (1:53.11) but Georgen was not far behind (1:54.81), also breaking a program record, to finish as state runner-up. Georgen was the only underclassmen in a finals’ field of all juniors and seniors. Junior Chantle Reiland was the busiest GMLOKS athlete. She took on four events. Last year’s 100-meter and 4×200 relay double champion did not find that kind of success, but she made the medal stand thrice. Her top finish was amidst the 4×200 (also Lydia Redman, Breeley Galle, Gracie Foster) which, likewise, was not able to continue its state title winning tradition. GMLOKS entered having won the last five state 4x200s. The foursome won its prelim heat (1:45.84) and qualified second to Cotter/Hope Lutheran (1:45.69) overall. In the finals, GMLOKS (1:44.92) ran faster, a season-best time, but took third overall behind Class A record-setter Cotter/HL (1:43.60) and Chatfield (1:43.80), thus giving Section 1A spots one, two, and three atop the podium in the event. The GMLOKS 4×200 will be back in all likelihood. Reiland is the only junior of the group. The other three are sophomores. Reiland also individually took on the 100- and 200-meters. She qualified third (12.21) in the 100 and seventh (26.02) in the 200 to make the finals in both. In the 100, Reiland ran 12.43, faster than her state title time from last year (12.48), but she took fifth. Eight of the nine finalists ran faster than last year’s state title time with Bagley-Fosston’s Ava Phrakonkham running 11.80 to win the state title. It was Reiland’s third time making the 100-meter state podium. In the 200, Reiland ran 25.55 to take sixth overall. Phrakonkham also won that title (24.60). Reiland took on the Long Jump on Day 1, leaping 16’4 ¼”. She took 18th place (of 27) and was short of her section meet jump of 17’1 ¾”. Math and Science Academy’s McKaylen Lewis won the Long Jump state title with a leap of 19’9”. She beat her nearest foe, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown’s Addison Condon, by almost two feet (17’11 ½”). Two of Reiland’s 4×200 teammates, Gracie Foster and Breeley Galle, took on the 100-meter hurdles. Each made the podium. Foster ran 15.30 and Galle 15.48 to qualify for the finals. Galle then ran 15.53 and Foster 15.61 as they took seventh and eighth places respectively. It was Galle’s third state hurdle competition, as she went in the 300-hurdles the past two years. Finally, Lexy Foster took on her third state meet. The Grand Meadow senior competed in the Shot Put, an event where she took third last year. Foster made the finals, and her best throw was 37’6 ½”. She could not match her 1A title winning throw of 39’6 ½” (which was seeded second). Foster took sixth place overall, with Minnewaska Area’s Jayda Kolstoe throwing 43’9 ¼” to win a state title. It was Foster’s third time making the state podium in the Shot Put, as she took third place the past two years.

Kiehne Grabs 800-meter Title to Lead LFCMC

LFCMC had not had a state track and field champion in a long time heading into the 2024 meet. Despite being a perennial True Team contender in both the boys and the girls, and typically getting athletes to the podium, the Burros last individual state title was 2010 when Jordan Jarland won both the 300-hurdles and Long Jump. That streak is over as their most accomplished runner this year went out on top. Senior Jayce Kiehne competed in his fourth 800-meter state competition. He won his prelim heat (1:59.31) and qualified third overall to make the finals. GMLOKS Tate Georgen (1:58.01) won the other heat to qualify first. But Kiehne (1:53.11) then led the duration of the finals, using all that experience and some awfully good athletic genetics, to top nearest foe Georgen (1:54.81) for the state title. Kiehne set LFCMC’s 800-meter record. He also helped the boys 4×400 (Mason Howard, Luke Ruen, Isaac Snyder) make the medal stand. The foursome qualified third overall (3:28.22). But the finals race was just a few minutes after anchor-runner Kiehne completed his 800-meter event. LFCMC ran 3:27.34 to finish in sixth place. Crosby-Ironton won the state title, running 3:22.8. All four Burro runners are seniors. It was the third straight state meet for Kiehne, Snyder, and Ruen in a relay (4x800s in 2022 and 2023). The Ruen portion of the LFCMC track and field experience has also concluded. For over a decade, siblings Leah, Bailey, Brielle, Carson and Luke have competed, all making state at one time or another. The Burros’ other podium maker was thrower Lucas Nikoloski. The senior, in his second state competition, had a best toss of 152’1”, or about what he did at sections (152’11”). Nikoloski placed eighth, as Litchfield’s T.J. Christensen (182’6”) won the event. Nikoloski took ninth place last year with a throw of 141’6”. Fellow Lanesboro senior Boston Wright did not make the podium, but performed a personal best height in the Pole Vault. Wright eclipsed 13’0” to take 11th overall. St. Croix Prep’s Joseph Arens vaulted 14’3” to win a state title. The event was held indoors per a gusty wind. Two LFCMC girls’ relays were in action. The 4×400 (Kinley Soiney, Sahara Morken, Kammry Broadwater, Lillyan Kiehne) ran 4:12.91 and did not make the finals. They took 11th overall. The squad ran 4:08.55 at sections. Eden Valley-Watkins/Kimball Area (4:02.48) won the event. The 4×800 (Autumn Rakosnik, Morken, Broadwater, Kiehne) ran 10:04.31 and took 12th place (of 17 overall). The foursome ran 9:54.18 at sections. St. John’s Prep (9:36.26) won the 4×800 state title. Rakosnik, just an 8th grader, also took 12th place in the 3,200-meters (11:58.59). She ran 11:40.89 at sections. Olivia Pauly of St. John’s Prep claimed the 3,200-meter state title (10:52.85). She was 15-plus seconds faster than her #1-seeded section time of 11:07.98. Broadwater also took on the Discus competition. She threw 110’2” to take 14th place (of 18). The senior threw 112’6” at sections. Allison LaVine of Clearbrook-Gonvick won the Discus state title with a throw of 135’7.”

Chatfield Girls Relays Each Finish as State Runner-Up

They entered with hopes of winning a state title. Chatfield’s 4×100 and 4×200 girls’ relays (Lauryn Daniels, Savannah Peterson, Evy Goldsmith, Jaelyn LaPlante) took second and third respectively a year ago at state. Both entered the state tourney having posted the fastest time at sections of all the participants (49.27 and 1:44.15). But each ended up as bridesmaids. The 4×100 qualified second (50.09) and the 4×200 third (1:46.09) to each make the finals. There, Bagley/Fosston (48.84) out-ran the second place Gopher girls (49.36) for a state title. B/F’s anchor was Ava Phrakonkham, the individual 100 and 200-meter champion. In the 4×200, Section 1A foe Cotter/Hope Lutheran (1:43.60) just out-ran the second place Gophers (1:43.80), as the Ramblers set a Class A record, breaking a mark that had stood since 1985 (Blue Earth 1:43.62). Cotter was almost three seconds faster than their 1A Meet time (1:46.21) in taking second to Chatfield. The Gophers’ times (49.36, 1:43.80) were better than last year’s (49.53, 1:44.57) in the finals. It thus concludes the excellent sprint foursome of Daniels, Goldsmith, Peterson and LaPlante. Goldsmith and Daniels are seniors. The group made state four times, twice each in the 4×100 and 4×200, placing top three all four times. LaPlante also took on two events individually. She took 13th place in the 200 (26.48), not qualifying for the finals. She ran 25.79 at sections. Bagley/Fosston’s Phrakonkham (24.60) was 200-meter state champion. LaPlante High Jumped just 4’9”, as she placed 20th (of 24) in that event. LaPlante jumped 5’3” at sections. The event was held indoors per a gusty wind. Math and Science Academy’s McKaylen Lewis leapt 5’5” for a state title.

Honken’s Vault Tops RPH’s Achievements

 

RPH was the only Journal-covered squad that did not send a relay to state. But five athletes across seven events took on the big meet. Four made the medal stand. Senior Lauren Honken’s achievement headed the cast. In her third state Pole Vault competition, Honken was one of three athletes to clear 11’0”. By doing so, she thus claimed RPH’s top finish, third place. LeSeuer-Henderson’s Riley Sater went 11’9” to claim first place. Honken cleared just 9’0” two years ago as a sophomore when she took 10th place and 10’6” last year when she also took 10th place. Her 11’0” vault is the RPH record. Teammate Aubry Boldt was the busiest of the Tro-Canes, taking on three events and making the podium twice. Her best finish was in the 100-hurdles. Boldt won her heat and qualified fifth overall (15.27). In the finals, she ran 15.41 to take sixth, an improvement from ninth last year (15.87). A-B-E’s Lucea Wales (14.76) grabbed the state title in the event. In the Triple Jump, Boldt also made the finals. Her best leap was 36’0 ½”, which gave her an eighth-place finish, an improvement from seventh place last year (35’2”). She leapt 36’1 ¾” at sections. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felten’s Ellie Sosa won the Triple Jump with a leap of 38’11 ½”. Boldt also took on the Long Jump, leaping 16’3 ¼” and taking 21st (of 27). The sophomore leapt 17’0 ¾” at sections. Math and Science Academy’s McKaylen Lewis won the Long Jump state (19’9”). She beat her nearest foe, W-E-M’s Addison Condon, by almost two feet (17’11 ½”). R-P senior Ryan Prinsen took on the 800-meters, qualifying eighth overall to make the finals. There, he moved up, finishing fifth overall in a time of 1:57.70. He re-set his own RPH record (1:57.92). Prinsen thus took third at sections but fifth at state. LFCMC’s Jayce Kiehne won the 800-meters state title (1:53.11). Prinsen was a state qualifier last year amidst RPH’s 4×800 team and a state qualifier amidst multiple LARP cross country state qualifying teams. Junior Quintin Betthauser qualified seventh in the 300-meter hurdles (41.21) to make the finals. There, Betthauser ran 40.73 to take ninth place and made the podium. He took tenth in the event last year, not making the finals. Minnewaska Area’a Owen Muelebroeck won the 300-hurdle state title (39.86). Finally, Gregg Gile took on the Triple Jump, leaping 41’1 ¼”. He took 16th overall (of 20). Gile leapt 41’5 ¼” at sections. Lac Qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd’s Brayson Boike leapt 45’3 ¼” to win a state title. Boike, standing about 6’6”, played on a Dawson-Boyd boys basketball team that beat R-P this year.

*The Fillmore County Journal Sports page is a written collaboration of Paul Trende and Lee Epps.