Colby track sends 8 to state meet

A swarm of Hornets buzzed down to Boscobel on Thursday for the WIAA D-3 Sectional meet. Every Hornet knew what was at stake - a chance to compete against the best in Wisconsin at the WIAA state meet in Veterans Memorial Stadium on UW - La Crosse’s campus.

Once the sectional meet was complete, over half a dozen Hornets will attend the first day of the state competition.

To give you an idea of how monumental that achievement is, and just how deep and talented the competition in Boscobel was, just look at Jay Irizarry.

Irizarry won the regional title in the 110-meter hurdles at the Colby regional meet last Tuesday. On Thursday the talented hurdler failed to make the finals, finishing tenth in the prelims with his time of 19.34 seconds.

Boscobel also worked as a crucible, forging Colby into strong steel, and with some of the best runners, throwers and jumpers in the state competing at the D-3 sectional, numerous personal bests were set in those challenging conditions.

No one had as big a day as Colby senior Chase Oehmichem. Oehmichen has been chasing the state tournament for years tional meet. He came close to La Crosse as a sophomore but fell short of state by just two seconds in the one mile, two mile and 800-meter, and then COVID-19 robbed everyone of the chance to contend for a state title last year.

Oehmichen came into sectionals with four chances to reach state, having advanced from the Colby regional in the pole vault, 3200-meter race, 1600-meter race and the 800-meter race.

Oehmichen missed state in the pole vault by one spot on Thursday, tying for fifth place with after he cleared a height of 10-06. He missed out on the two mile race as well, clocking in at eighth place with a time of 10:49.25.

Thankfully, Oehmichen qualified for state in his two strongest events - the 800-meters and the 1600-meters. Chase blew away his former personal bests in both events, clinching third place result in the 800-meters in 2:00.93. That time is also the third fastest in the state.

Oehmichen had another podium result after he smashed his old PR in the mile by nearly ten seconds, crossing the finish line in third in 4:33.

He won’t be alone in La Crosse. Caden Healy competed in three events, and saved his best showing in the long jump.

Healy’s distance of 20-1.5 netted him third place, and a ticket to state. If Healy can reach his PR of 21-1.75, he could very well be on another podium on Thursday.

Healy was hoping to advance in the 100-meter and 200-meter races. His time of 11.57 seconds in the 100-meters sent him to the finals, but his time of 11.45 earned him fifth - one spot shy of going to state. Healy qualified for the 200-meter dash final as well, but finished eighth in the finals in 23.51 seconds.

The 4x100 team of Joseph Streveler, Seth Hopperdietzel, Brody Decker and Caden Kleparski took 16th in 50.73. The 4x400 relay of Brandon Voelker, Rich and Joseph Streveler and Kleparski was also 16th in 4:07.50. Carter Roth, Voelker, Richard Streveler and Talon Severson guided the 4x800 relay to twelfth in 9:32.54.

Derek Jeske and Cory Steen took part in the throwing events, but did not advance to state after Jeske went 14th in the shot in 37-1, and 15th in the discus in 99-09. Steen placed 15th in the shot with his throw of 36-10.5.

The Colby boys scored 27.5 points in Boscobel to finish in ninth place.

The Colby girls placed ninth as a team with 31 points and will send six athletes to compete in the WIAA D-3 meet in La Crosse this Thursday.

Junior Trinity Severson continued her dominance of the 300-meter hurdles last week, and set a new personal best en route to qualifying for state.

Severson’s previous best time had been 48 seconds, but with athletes to finally push her, Severson took first in 47.19 seconds - the third fastest in the state.

Severson’s strong day extended to the 4x800 relay. She, along with fellow runners Willow Oehmichen, Daisy Feiten and Mercedes Sarkkinen, took fifth in 10:10.62, but that time was enough to qualify for state after it was determined to be among the eighth fastest across all four sectionals.

She, as well as her fellow athletes are encouraged by those results, and with even bigger competition awaiting in La Crosse, Severson cannot wait to see how she fares against the best that Wisconsin’s D-3 has to offer.

“It feels amazing to go to state,” Severson said via Facebook. “I worked really hard for it all year, and I’m so happy to see all my hard work finally pay off.”

Severson is hoping to use her sectional performance for something even bigger a state title.

“My sectional performance does give me a lot of confidence. I know I can handle the pressure and the challenge of running at state. I’m actually super excited to be competing in two events. I can’t wait to see how our 4x800 does!”

Reagan Schraufnagel and Payton Roth will make the trip to Veterans Memorial Stadium as alternates for the 4x800.

Willow will take part in two events at state after placing third in the pole vault in 8-09, a new PR for her.

Malayna Rieck was the final Lady Hornet to punch a ticket to state after she took third in the shot with a throw of 33-07. Freshman Jazmyn Heeg was in the 200-meter dash on Thursday, but saw her first season come to a close after she took 14th in 28.93 seconds.

Willner placed ninth in the 400-meters in 1:03.13. Sarkkinen was 16th in the 800-meters in 2:59.44. Schraufnagel was 13th in the one mile with a PR of 6:13.61.

Oehmichen and Schraufnagel finished the two mile run in 12th and 15th in 13:14.47 and 14:01.01. Willner ran 17.11 in the prelims of the 100-meter hurdles, and ran a new PR in the finals in 16.92 seconds to take seventh place.

The 4x100 relay of Emma Kroll, Olivia Krause, Kaylee Podevels and Heeg was 16th in 56.68. The 4x200 team of Podevels, Krause, Anna Kroll and Elizabeth Winters was 14th in 2:00.46.

Severson, Feiten, Oehmichen and Willner clocked in at 4:26.11 to take ninth in the 4x400. Kaylee Podevels and Lydia Decker went eleventh and 15th in the high jump with heights of 4-10 and 4-06.

Katrina Gosse was seventh in the shot put with her best throw of 31-07.50.

The WIAA state track and field meet will be held on June 24-26, with every day featuring a new division. The D-3 state meet will take place on Thursday at Veteran’s Memorial stadium, with the events beginning at 11 a.m.

ON A MISSION - Trinity Severson races in the 4x800 relay. Severson won the 300-meter hurdles in Boscobel and is a favorite to win a state title.STAFF PHOTO/ROSS PATTERMANN

DETERMINED STRIDE -Mercedes Sarkkinen runs the 800-meters on Tuesday. Sarkkinen will run the 4x800 relay in La Crosse on Thursday.STAFF PHOTO/ROSS PATTERMANN