The Tomahawk track teams torqued 10 entries into this weekend’s state meet after a superior performance, several of them actually, in Thursday’s WIAA Colby Sectional.
In fact, the Hatchets have a number of high seeds for the state meet based off that production, including double-winner Matt Gerber with the D2 best of :22.01 in the 200M and a second-best D2 100 of :10.83.
Gerber’s :21.69 in the 200 from the GNC outdoor is still the state’s fastest time in any division and his :10.74 in the 100 from regional is the third-fastest overall.
“That we were able to score in all but five of our entries at the sectional level is indicative of athletes that really came to compete,” THS coach John Zuelsdorf said. “It also showed in the boys team scoring as we were narrowly edged for the team title (of 30 teams).
“We were worried about the weather going to Colby with the high winds earlier in the day, and with Colby’s facility being so ‘open’ we anticipated some very slow times in the running and low performances in the field that had to go into the wind. But our worries were not warranted as early in the meet the wind died down and by mid-meet was not a major factor. This was important as the sectional results determine seeding at state.
“For Matt to qualify (for state) for the 4th straight year is quite a feather in his cap. His efforts in the dashes and relay were outstanding.”
Kellan Flynn won the high jump at 5′ 3″, and is the fourth-highest D2 seed, while Anna Sudbury is seeded 3rd in D2 with a triple jump of 35′ 5.5″, although she was the Colby runner-up to the #1 seed from Nekoosa, Raquel Ebbe (36′ 0″).
“Kellan’s leap of 5’3″ and Anna’s jump of nearly 36 feet were great efforts that rank them near the top of their events going into State,” Zuelsdorf said. “That will be a confidence booster as they prepare this week.”
The winning 400M boys relay team of Travis Spaeht, Gerber, Eddie Yirsa and Dan Galloy (:44.18) is the #6 seed. Galloy also placed 4th in the 100 in :11.38.
“Dan’s PR in the dash at regionals I knew would set him up for a chance to advance at Sectionals and he really took advantage of it leaning at the finish to edge the runners from Pines and Mosinee who had beaten him earlier in the year,” Zuelsdorf said. “To see Dan, Travis, and (newcomer) Eddie put it all together in the 400 relay and advance was super.”
Bryan Tomek ranked as the 1600M runner-up (4:33.57). In the 800M, Rachel Sudbury ran second (2:21.61) and Tomek (2:02.46) was third. The 1600M team of Flynn, Marlee Kiander, and the Sudbury sisters was also second, in 4:08.75.
“Bryan had two very tactical races where he really had to time his kick to place and advance,” Zuelsdorf said. “He will gain some invaluable experience for the future competing at the state meet.
“Rachel’s 2:21 was her seasonal best in the 800 and she will have to go below 2:20 with a PR to place next weekend. Our 1600 relay continues to improve all with nearly identical 1:02 splits, with a top 3 (THS) performance of all-time at 4:08. The key will be to match that or improve slightly to make the finals at state for an opportunity at a medal and a school record.”
The boys scored 52 points to finish second, a single point behind Northland Pines. The girls tallied 45.5 which put them in 8th, 6.25 points out of 4th.
Others collecting sectional points were: the 800M relay (5th, Flynn, Katie Koth, A. Sudbury, Emily Miller, 1:50.23); Spaeth (6th, 110 HH, :15.57); Rachael Miller (1600, 5:42.35); the 400 relay (7th, Kayli Ogstad, Koth, A. Sudbury, Flynn, :52.96); the 3200 relay (7th, E. Miller, R. Miller, Kelsey Renn, R. Sudbury, 10:09.02); Kiander (8th, 100 HH, :16.4); and Grace Mickelson (8th, PV, 8′ 6″).
Top 10 team standings-Boys-N. Pines 53, Tomahawk 52, Rice Lake 47.25, Nekoosa 40.25, Bloomer 39, Osceola 36, Northwestern 34, S. Croix Central 33, Chetek/Weyer. 29, Prescott 29.
Girls-Osceola 74, Rice Lk. 64, Bloomer 60.75, Nekoosa 51.75, NWern 50, Stanley-Boyd 49.25, Mosinee 48.5, Tomahawk 45.5, Somerset 38, Ladysmith 25.