Track teams send 17 athletes to state meet
By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
The final step in the 2017 journey is now in front of both the East Troy High School boys and girls track and field teams.
But it’s a big one – in fact, the biggest.
The two squads combined to advance 17 athletes in 18 events from last week’s Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 East Troy Sectional.
Next up for all 17 is a trip to this week’s state meet on the UW-La Crosse campus. Action at Veterans Memorial Stadium will run Friday and Saturday.
Hopes are high for the entire contingent heading to La Crosse, East Troy coach Reid Oldenburg said.
“Our goals have not changed,” he said. “We want (them) competing to have their best performance of the season to be their last. If they can do that, then they are successful.
The East Troy girls, who won the sectional team title, enter state with two top-seeded entries.
Senior Hope Schneider brings the top high jump of 5-6 into the state meet, while the 1,600-meter relay team of freshman Christina Nolting, Schneider, sophomore Morgan Bartlett and sophomore Rachel Bottum has the top sectional qualifying time of 4:01.49.
Seeded behind Schneider are four athletes who posted jumps of 5-4 in the sectional: Richland Center junior Madison Rizner, Monroe senior Jordan Hirsbrunner, Platteville freshman Makayla Rooney and Dodgeville senior Sydney Staver.
It certainly won’t be an easy road, but Schneider definitely has a chance for a grand finish to her high school career.
“If Hope jumps as consistent as she did Thursday, she has as good a shot as any,” Oldenburg said. “She is always in the mix in the high jump. She has tough competition, (and) she needs to makes sure her legs are fresh and go out and do what she does best.”
The 1,600-relay could be a wild affair, as the defending champions from Wittenberg-Birnamwood – with all four girls back from a year ago – bring a second-place seed time of 4:02.25 into the meet.
Right behind East Troy and Wittenberg are the foursome from nearby Big Foot that qualified at 4:02.29.
“Having fresh legs and running (confidently) is what we need out of our girls if they want to bring home a state title,” Oldenburg said. “Nothing is guaranteed, but if they go out and compete like they have been, they have as good a chance as any to do something special.”
Other state seeds on the girls’ side are:
- Bottum, fourth in the 400 (58.49). The top seed is Arcadia senior Abbey Zastrow (56.1);
- The 3,200-relay of freshman Ella Rondeau, Bartlett, Bottum and freshman Christina Nolting, seeded eighth (9:44.23). The top seed is Big Foot in 9:37.56;
- Rondeau, eighth in the 1,600 (5:20.74). The top seed is Gale-Ettrick-Trempeleau sophomore Dana Feyen (5:08.33);
- Nolting, ninth in the 800 (2:21.48). The top seed is Viroqua sophomore Jillian Weston (2:16.74);
- Senior Tori Miller, 10th in the 100-hurdles (15.97) and 16th in the 300-hurdles (48.54). Monroe Jordan Hirsbrunner holds both top seeds in 15.08 and 44.52, respectively.
- Senior Maddie Rosin, 14th in the 3,200 (12:05.12). Feyen is the top seed in 11:06.04; and
- Senior Michaela Evans, 15th in the pole vault (9-3). The top seed is Wrightstown senior Brielle Buechler (11-6).
Dominski leads boys
Senior Billy Dominski is seeded second in the 110-hurdles (14.83) and fourth in the 300-hurdles (39.05).
Luxemberg-Casco’s Sam Larson is the top seed in the 110-hurdles in 14.79, while Lodi junior Robby Hatch leads the way in the 300 (38.59).
Dominski has a chance for a big finish to his career as well, Oldenburg said.
“Billy needs to continue to run strong and confident,” he said. “Having the experience from last year under his belt will certainly help. The 300-hurdle field this year is extremely competitive, but his experience will take him a long way.”
Other state seeds for the boys are:
- The 1,600-meter relay team of senior Evan Harding, junior Ethan Sweet, junior Eli Leising and senior Nathan Mack, eighth (3:25.89). The top seed belongs to Rice Lake of 3:21.84;
- Harding, eighth in the 800 (1:58.14) and sophomore Nate Fox, 15th (4:32.13).The top seed is Xavier senior Nathan Broullise of 1:54.53;
- The 800-meter relay team of Dominski, sophomore Miles McCarthy, junior Allen Olson and senior Dawson Kruse, 12th (1:31.23). The top seed is Osceola in 1:29.64;
- Harding, 13th in the 1,600 (4:32.13). Top seed is Xavier’s Luke Bailey (4:15.02); and
- Olson, 14th in the triple jump (42-2). The top seed is Lake Mills junior Ben Dunkelberger of 45-7.
