State track meet
JCC sends large group; MCW represented and more
Jackson County Central is sending a large group to the state track and field meet at St. Michael-Albertville High School.
The Huskies are in Class 1A, which will compete on Tuesday at Wednesday, with meet time at 3:30 p.m. both days. Martin County West/ Butterfield-Odin will also have a representative in the Class 1A meet.
JCC will have entries in three field event finals on the first day and the Huskies will also have athletes in three events on the track trying to advance to Wednesday’s finals.
Senior Rylie Cother will compete in two field events, long jump and high jump. Both start at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
There are 16 automatic qualifiers for the state meet as the top two placer winners in each section advance. Athletes can also advance to state by meeting a qualifying standard and there 19 high jumpers who met the 5-foot qualifying standard, bringing the number of competitors in the state meet to 35.
Of the state meet entries, 16 went 5-0 at their section meet; Cother is among 14 who went 5-2; two went 5-3 and three cleared 5-4.
Cother is also seeded ninth in long jump.
Also starting at 3:30 p.m. is the boys pole vault, where JCC senior Quinn Landherr is seeded fifth. It’s his third time competing in pole vault at the state meet as he was 10th as a freshman in 2022 and tied for sixth as a sophomore in 2023.
An injury sidelined him last season.
Clay Malchow qualified in both boys hurdles races. The senior is seeded seventh in the 110-meter high hurdles, which have their prelims scheduled for 3:42 p.m. and sixth in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, which start at 5:54 p.m.
JCC’s final Tuesday competitor is another senior, Ben Dahlin, who will compete in the 200-meter prelims at 6:42 p.m.
Dahlin is seeded second in the 200. He made the finals in that event last year and placed eighth.
MCW/BO has one entry in the state meet.
Senior Bear Kosbab is seeded 16th in the 100 meters, which is slated for 4 p.m. Tuesday.
The Huskies have two relay teams who will compete in the finals on Wednesday as both the girls and boys qualified their 4x200-meter relay team.
For JCC’s girls, Natalia Botello-Ramos, Zoey Hall, Stevie Untiedt and Allison Luebben are seeded 20th for their race, which is scheduled for 5:09 p.m. Wednesday.
On the boys side, Malchow, Landherr and Dahlin are joined by Isaac Hesebeck. They’re seeded fourth for their race, which is scheduled for 5:17 p.m.
Here’s a list of Big South Conference entries in the Class 1A state meet:
Jackson County Central
Girls
Relays
4x200: Natalia Botello-Ramos, Zoey Hall, Stevie Untiedt, Allison Luebben
Field events
Long jump: Rylie Cother
High jump: Rylie Cother
Boys
Track events
110 high hurdles: Clay Malchow
300 intermediate hurdles: Clay Malchow
200 meters: Ben Dahlin
Relays
4x200: Clay Malchow, Isaac Hesebeck, Quinn Landherr, Ben Dahlin
Field events
Pole vault: Quinn Landherr
Luverne
Girls
Track events
100 high hurdles: Augusta Papik
800 meters: Ella Schmuck
3200 meters: Summer Mollberg
Field events
Shot put: Taya Johnson
Discus: Hannah Woodley, Hannah Sneller
Boys
Track events
1600 meters: Owen Janiszeski
3200 meters: Marcus Papik
Relays
4x200: J. McLaughlin, A. Hood, D. Dolo, J. Johnson
4x800: D. Ommen, M. Papik, S. Viessman, O. Janiszeski
Field events
Shot put: Elijah Woodley, Ryker Johnson
Discus: Elijah Woodley
Pipestone
Girls
Track events
200 meters: Aurora Winsel
400 meters: Aurora Winsel
Boys
Track events
400 meters: Cayden Zephier
Redwood Valley
Girls
Track events
1600 meters: Ellie Nelson, Addie Thomes
3200 meters: Ellie Nelson
Relays
4x100: K. Huhnerkoch, B. Wicks, C. Johnson, C. Flinn
4x200: K. Huhnerkoch, C. Flinn, C. Johnson, B. Wicks
Field events
Long jump: Kendell Huhnerkoch, Cali Johnson
Triple jump: Kendell Huhnerkoch
Boys
Track events
1600 meters: William Ahrens
3200 meters: Kilen Cilek
Relays
4x100: T. Amberg, D. Kramer, L. Fuhr, R. Crawford
4x200: L. Fuhr, D. Kramer, R. Crawford, T. Amberg
4x400: M. Anderson, W. Ahrens, L. Fuhr, L. Nordby
4x800: M. Anderson, W. Ahrens, K. Cilek, L. Nordby
Field events
Triple jump: Tucker Amberg
St. James Area/Madelia
Boys
Track events
3200 meters: Josiah DeMaris
Windom
Boys
Field events
Long jump: Kevin Blees, Job Ogeka
Triple jump: Job Ogeka
A few other notes on the state meet:
Class 1A boys
Already a nine-time state champion, St. Charles senior Tyler Gunnarson looks to add to his medal haul in his final state meet. He’ll compete in four Wheelchair events (Discus, 100, 200 and 800) after setting all-time state records in the 100 Wheelchair and 400 Wheelchair last year.
Osakis has the top qualifying times in both the 4x200 and 4x400 relays. Andrew Jones is on both teams and carries the top qualifying time entering the 300 hurdles.
Concordia Academy’s Judah Zinter (200), St. Paul Academy’s Oliver Thompson (400) and Redwood Valley’s William Ahrens (1,600) are returning champions with No. 1 qualifying times in their events. Ahrens led Redwood Valley’s cross country team to the Class A state title in the fall.
Class 1A girls
Bagley/Fosston’s Ava Phrakonkham had the top qualifying times in both the 100 and 200 after winning both state titles last year.
McKaylen Lewis of Math and Science Academy won both the long jump and high jump last year. She's the No. 1 qualifier in the long jump and tied for the top high jump.
Staples-Motley's Audrey Brownell is the returning 1,600 champion and the reigning Class A Cross Country Champion. She qualified first in the 1,600 and third in the 3,200 after also winning the 800 last year.
Class 2A Big South
Here are the Big South Conference entries in the Class 2A state meet:
Belle Plaine
Girls
Track events
800 meters: Kallie Thaemert
Field events
Shot put: Ellie Martin
Boys
Track events
300 intermediate hurdles: Ethan Martin
3200 meters: Isaac Bemmels
Relays
4x800: I. Bemmels, J. Buerkle, B. Pint, K. Koepp
Field events
Long jump: Isaac Hanson
High jump: Boden Siegle
Fairmont
Girls
Track events
400 meters: Harper Artz
1600 meters: Macy Hanson
3200 meters: Macy Hanson
Relays
4x200: N. Johnson, A. Toothaker, M. Leiding, H. Artz
4x400: A. Toothaker, M. Thompson, M. Hanson, H. Artz
Field events
Pole vault: Ellie Perkins
Boys
Track events
100 meters: Jeremiah Lebbi
200 wheelchair: Nelson Remington
400 wheelchair: Nelson Remington
1600 wheelchair: Nelson Remington
Relays
4x400: C. Chambers, J. Putney, B. Lenort, C. Hanson
4x800: C. Hanson, J. Thompson, J. Putney, B. Lenort
Field events
Pole vault: Jase Meade
High jump: Tytan Tumbleson
Shot put: Oliver Tordsen, Hank Artz
Discus wheelchair: Nelson Remington
Discus: Oliver Tordsen, Hank Artz
Marshall
Girls
Track events
400 meters: Peyton Boeck
800 meters: Taleighia Bigler
3200 meters: Katelyn Leibfried
Relays
4x100: P. Gillingham, A. Deutz, C. Onyeaghala, A. Miles
4x400: P. Boeck, E. Deutz, K. Leibfried, T. Bigler
4x800: P. Boeck, K. Leibfried, T. Bigler, O. Schneekloth
Field events
Long jump: Chiome Onyeaghala
Pole vault: Autumn Duetz
High jump: Brooklyn Purrington
Shot put: Paige Gillingham
Boys
Track events
110 high hurdles: Aiden Schuerman
300 intermediate hurdles: Aiden Schuerman
400 meters: Alex Franson, Keagen Anderson
800 meters: Josh Leibfried
1600 meters: Samuel Deutz
Relays
4x400: K. Anderson, A. Schuerman, J. Leibfried, A. Franson
4x800: S. Deutz, E. Bly, M. Paulsen, J. Leibfried
Field events
Triple jump: Hamish Ahmed
High jump: Jack Meier
New Ulm
Boys
Relays
4x100: I. Friese, H. Heil, J. Ocampo, J. Portner
4x400: D. Barie, M. Hames, G. Gag, S. Gusso
St. Peter
Girls
Track events
100 high hurdles: Lydia Fell
400 meters: Vivian Hendrickson
800 meters: Keira Friedrich, Ella Dirks
1600 meters: Keira Friedrich
3200 meters: Brielle Friedrich
Relays
4x400: K. Friedrich, M. Portner, E. Dirks, V. Hendrickson
4x800: E. Dirks, M. Gazzola, L. Penner, B. Friedrich
Field events
Long jump: Lilian Prunty, Alexis Ibanez
Pole vault: Addison Landsom, Annika Magelee, Kyla Yost
High jump: Lydia Fell
Boys
Relays
4x100: M. Jimale, E. Mercado, B. Guth, R. Alcantara Alvarez
4x200: M. Jimale, B. Guth, R. Alcantara Alvarez, D. Guth
Field events
Pole vault: Brock Guth
Shot put: Luke Banks
Discus: Luke Banks, Parker Maloney
Tri-City United
Girls
Track events
100 high hurdles: Khloe Flicek
100 meters: Kaitlyn Hartwig
200 meters: Kaitlyn Hartwig
400 meters: Carly Hartwig
800 meters: Yasmin Ruiz-Ruiz
Relays
4x200: J. Houn, C. Hartwig, C. Hartwig, K. Hartwig
4x400: G. Lopez, C. Hartwig, Y. Ruiz-Ruiz, C. Hartwig
Field events
High jump: Nyadek Ruei
Waseca
Girls
Track events
100 high hurdles: Brooklyn Flatau
800 meters: Stella Omtvedt
Relays
4x800: S. Omtvedt, M. Schimming, C. Dufault, E. Kopischke
Field events
Long jump: Brooklyn Flatau
Triple jump: Bella Wikan
Shot put: Kalea Sartori
Boys
Field events
Pole vault: William Mansfield
High jump: Jacob Hadley, Tovin Grannis
Shot put: Jauston Rupe
Worthington (Class 2A)
Girls
Field events
Triple jump: Grace Bates
Boys
Track events
110 high hurdles: Tethlouch Gach
1600 meters: Fanuel Wolday
Field events
Triple jump: Welbaka Morke
High jump: Caleb Meyer, Thet Tay
Class 2A boys
Fairmont’s Nelson Remington holds Class AA records in four events, including the 200 Wheelchair and 400 Wheelchair he is competing in at this meet.
No. 1 long jump qualifier Carter Reckelberg of Becker is the two-time defending champion.
Lorenzo Hampton III helped Fridley to the state championship last year with a 300 hurdles gold medal. He returns as the top qualifier in that event.
Class 2A girls
St. Peter freshman Lydia Fell will compete in two events in the Class 2A girls meet. She’s the daughter of Jackson High School graduate Brian Fell and his wife, Nissa. Dave and Barb Fell of Jackson are proud grandparents. Lydia won the Section 2AA 100 hurdles last week with a PR of 15.03.
Sophomore Adaylia Borgmeier of Mankato East set all-time records in the 100 Wheelchair, 200 Wheelchair and 400 Wheelchair last year. She also has the 800 Wheelchair record and a total of nine state titles, hoping to add more gold in the 200 Wheelchair, 400 Wheelchair and 800 Wheelchair this year.
Big Lake’s Tayla Gassman is a three-time state champion in both the Discus Wheelchair—Category 1 and Shot Put Wheelchair—Category 1. She claimed the Class 2A record in both events last year.
Mankato West has the top qualifying time in both the 4x100 and 4x400. Ruby Marble is part of the 4x100 team and is the top qualifier in both the 100 and 200.
Providence Academy’s Maddyn Greenway looks to defend her title in the 300 hurdles. She became the fourth Minnesota girl to surpass 4,000 career points in basketball and led the Lions to their fourth consecutive state title in the winter. She’s also the No. 2 qualifier in the long jump and sixth in the 100 hurdles.
Class 3A boys
Hastings has the top qualifying times in the 4x200 and the 4x400 and the top two individually in the 400 in Sebastian Strauss and Gunner Hanstad.
Roseville Area’s Robert Mechura is the defending champion in the 1600 and 3200 meters and also won the Class 3A cross country state title in the fall.
Macalister Hedtke of Wayzata can win his third consecutive titles in the 200 Wheelchair and Discus Wheelchair—Category 1.
Henry Risser of Hopkins (800) and Ty Nelson of Brainerd (Triple Jump) are also former champions who return with top qualifying marks.
Class 3A girls
Wayzata's Madelyn Gullickson is a two-time state champion in the 3,200 and carries the No. 1 qualifying time in that event and the 1,600. She led the Trojans to the cross country championship in the fall. Evie Malec of Minnetonka won the 1600 meters last season and has the top 800 qualifying time.
St. Michael-Albertville's Emma Kvant is the No. 1 qualifier in the 200 and 400. She won the 400 last year and was on the winning 4x200 relay. Returning 200 champion Zeal Kuku of Minnetonka is also a top contender in both events.
Shakopee’s Samantha Carr is the two-time defending long jump champion. Roseville Area’s Jayda Wilson returns to defend her pole vault crown with the best qualifying height and is No. 2 in the long jump.