The Hatchet track teams entered the GNC Indoor with a tall task, but although coming up short, strong efforts abounded.
The girls scored 110 points to rank third behind Lakeland (134) and Mosinee (114), and the boys (69) finished fifth. The T-Birds (139.5) topped Northland Pines (121.5) for the title.
“We were pretty confident going into the meet on the girl’s side of the ledger,” THS coach John Zuelsdorf said. “We knew that in order to top the GNC, we needed to come close to or exceed our seasonal indoor bests to date. With a relatively youthful girls team that’s a lot to expect and it showed. It would have been pretty cool to be able to defend our co-conference indoor title, but it just wasn’t meant to be.
“Give Lakeland all the credit in the world as they were able to exceed their seeds and scored more points in many areas that they weren’t supposed to. All in all we were in the ‘thick of things’ right up until the 800 meter run, where Lakeland went 1-2-3.
“For the boy’s portion of the GNC, we knew Lakeland and NPHS were the teams to beat. We were just hoping to make some noise with the next group of teams. Although we finished at the back of that next group of teams, we were in a good position to place as high as third midway through the meet.”
The girls’ 800M relay team of Hanna Meyer, Breanna Renn, Emmy Larson and Katie Koth set a new GNC record time of 1:56.50, and Larson (32′ 6″) and Meyer (32′ 3″) grabbed the top two spots in the triple jump. Other runner-up finishes came from: Sam Schade (SP, 33′ 10″); Renn (55, :07.86) and the 3200M relay (Audrey Dichsen, Alex Zedler, Alice Egorov, Talyn Jones, 11:42.10). Placing 3rd were: Anna Nyberg (HJ, 4′ 10″); Renn (200, :28.89); and the 1600M team (Meyer, Nyberg, Larson, Sara Kouba, 4:48.01).
Bryan Tomek captured titles in the 1600 (4:45.33) and the 800 (2:07.07). The 1600 squad of Eddie Yirsa, Austin Bellile, Neko McMahon and Tomek ranked 2nd in 3:41.48.
“Brian defended his title in the 1600 meter run and was able to top the field in the 800, becoming one of the few double-winners on the boy’s side of the meet,” Zuelsdorf said. “Bryan teamed with Eddie, Austin, and Neko to nearly take the evening’s last event. His split of 53 seconds in the anchor leg was outstanding!
“Breanna had a super meet, placing in all of her individual events with indoor PR’s in two of them. She also ran a “key” leg in the victorious 800 meter relay, giving her teammates a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish. Her speed is solid, making her transition to the long jump very natural. She placed in that event as well, after just picking up that event a couple of weeks ago!”
Other top boys’ finishes were turned in by: Yirsa (4th, 55, :06.99/ 4th, 200, :25.14); Tomek (4th, TJ, 39′ 0″); Mitch Schauer (4th, SP, 44′ 0″); Bellile (4th, 400, :55.68); the 800 (McMahon, Jacob Ungerer, Jake Dichsen, Austin Ehn, 5th, 1:45.40); the 3200 (Dakota Tomek, Nate Flohr, Austin Kaiser, Ryan Kuehn, 9:42.76); Ben Yirsa (6th, 55 HH, :09.14/7th, 200 IH, :30.01); Kuehn (7th, 3200, 11:23.83); Vic Ierulli (8th, PV, 10′ 0″).
Additional girls’ placings came from: Kate Gaedtke (4th, HJ, 4′ 6″/6th 200 LH, :35.25); Renn (5th, LJ, 14′ 5″); Meyer (5th, 55, :07.96); Dani Whiting (5th, 1600, 6:14.45); Dichsen (5th, 800, 2:49.41); Zedler (5th, 3200, 13:36.63); Koth (6th, LJ, 13′ 11.5″); Michaela Galganski (6th, PV, 7′ 6″); Jones (3200, 14:06.12); Jenna Schade (7th, SP, 27′ 10.75″); Nyberg (7th, 400, 1:09.56).