Davey, Mair break records en route to state
By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
Records fell, and Elkhorn’s Derek Davey and Taylor Mair gorged on the fruits of their labors March 26 in a WIAA Division 2 high school track and field sectional meet at Stoughton.
Davey for the boys and Mair for the girls each broke school records and are headed to the WIAA Division 1 State Track and Field Championships at UW-LaCrosse. The top three in each event at each sectional meet advance to state.
Davey finished second in the 800-meter run and Mair finished third in the 3,200-meter run. Each set a school record in qualifying for state.
Davey finished the 800 in 1:55.32. Oregon’s Christopher Cutter won the race (1:54.99).
“At this point, he is just scratching the surface of what he is capable of as a 400 and 800 runner,’ Elks coach Steve Simonson said “I think this is just the start of what could be some amazing performances from him over the next two years.”
Simonson said Davey bested the previous school record by two seconds.
Mair, a senior, finished third in the 3,200, and broke the previous school record by more than three seconds (11:39.15).
Stoughton’s Anna Wozniak finished second (11:38.26) and Kenosha Indian Trail’s Madison Taylor won the 3,200 (11:35.18) at Stoughton.
“It was a dream scenario for a senior that we have leaned on in all of the distance races over the last four years,” Simonson said. “She qualified for state and set a school record all in the same race.
“She has run with a new attitude all season long, and this was the way that every senior hopes they can finish their career.”
For the girls, Alyssa Reeves finished fourth in the 1,600 (5:21.29) and Gabby Pinnow finished fourth in the high jump(5 feet).
Isabella Ewan finished sixth in the 100 (13.16) and Pinnow finished sixth in the 400 (1:02.52). Katie Hickey finished sixth in the pole vault (8 feet).
Reeves finished seventh in the 3,200 (12:05.27) and Kassie Thompson finished eighth in the 300 hurdles (51.37).
Three girls’ relays set personal season bests for the Elks.
Tiffany Orin, Madison Page, Payton Christensen and Ewan finished seventh in the 4×100 relay with a season-best time of 52.62 and Sarah Taylor, Ryley Rand, Elise Blum and Page finished seventh in the 4×200 relay with a season-best time of 1:53.17.
Paige Murphy, Maddie Barlow, Natalie Sesing and Pinnow finished eighth in the 4×400 relay with a season-best time of 4:16.74.
Tyler Daehn finished seventh for the boys in the triple jump (39-4). Sam DiVarco posted a personal best and finished seventh in the 800 (1:55.32) and Caleb Jacques-Hembree finished eighth in the 3,200 (10:25.86).
“The meet was a great opportunity for all of the kids that did not PR to see how the competition goes to an extremely high level when a trip to state is on the line,” Simonson said. “All of those kids will be back next year, and they have the opportunity over the next 10 months to do the work that will enable them to make the type of jump that will give them the opportunity to go to state.”
The Elkhorn girls finished 11th in the sectional with 32.50points. Beloit Memorial won the sectional title (77). The Elkhorn boys finished 17th (13) and Madison LaFollette finished first (70).
