Hornets hustle at state
A dream is a delicate thing. It begins as something small, barely more than a glimmer of a hope, and it takes hard work, commitment and perseverance to foster it and grow it and to make that dream come true.
No one knows this better than Colby High senior Chase Oehmichen. It’s only fitting that his name is Chase, after all, he’s been Colby’s best runner for the last three years, and he’s been in pursuit of a dream for even longer.
Last week that dream came true in stunning fashion as Chase competed in the WIAA D-3 state track and field tournament for the first time in his career. But getting to state was only one half of the goal, making it on the podium was the other part of the dream.
Chase achieved that after he nearly ran a new personal best in the one mile under harsh conditions as a ferocious head wind and high temps and humidity beat down on every athlete. His time of 4:34.39 gave him fifth place, and ensured him a medal and a place on the podium.
“This is amazing,” Chase said as he attempted to put into words what running at state meant to him. “I’ve literally been dreaming about this stuff since as long as I can remember. Then getting to race against such high class competition, it’s amazing.”
Chase likely would have been in this position in 2020, but like everyone across the state, his ambitions were put on hold due to COVID-19. That year off only made he, and his fellow Hornets, eager to get the 2021 spring season underway.
“It’s such a great experience for them to be there,” head coach Chrisie Wright said after the meet was over. “Again, to get to be part of a state event is an amazing task. When they set their goals to make it to state, that’s a big deal.”
Wright and the entire Hornets shared in Chase’s elation after he placed fifth, and Wright expressed what it meant to her as a coach to see Oehmichen standing on the podium, a medal draped around his neck.
“There were lots of tears seeing him finish his career on the podium. We are so glad so many of his teammates were there to see this,” Wright said.
“I don’t think you can put into words what Chase has meant to us as coaches or to his teammates. He has left a legacy for sure and athletes look up to him as a role model. He’s part of something special and will always have a special place in all our hearts.”
Chase’s last race of his career was the 800-meter, and while he came in as one of the top seeds, the effort of the one mile caught up with him. But Chase gritted his teeth and gutted out a ninth place finish in 2:03.15.
Chase’s prep career is now over, and he goes down as one of Colby’s greatest run- ners. His efforts are now part of the Hornet’s history, but for others, their legacy is only just beginning.
Sophomore Caden Healy is one of those whose name could be remembered long after he’s left Colby High. Tall, strong and possessed of rare athleticism, Healy nearly qualified for three events at state. He just missed going in the 100 and 200 meters, but earned his ticket to Veterans Memorial Stadium in the long jump.
Healy scratched on his first two attempts, but qualified for finals with his third jump after he sailed twenty feet, four and three quarters inches through the air.
Healy’s fourth jump would be his longest of the meet, landing at 20-9.5. But the competition was better, though he still placed inside the top ten, finishing ninth in the state.
Healy will have two more cracks at the podium, and with a year of experience, and a trip to state, now under his belt, expect him to compete in more than just one event in 2022.
Malayna Rieck surprised everyone when she went out for track halfway through the season. She surprised everone again when she not only won conference in the discus and shot, but when she qualified for state in the shot.
“It means the world to me. I never thought that I’d have such a knack for this sport,” Rieck said, still flabbergasted at her season. “It means the world to be here right now, and it’s only going to push me to do better and bigger things next year.”
Rieck was in the lead after the end of the first flight, in which she threw the shot 35-10.5 with her second throw. That distance would prove to be her best of the year, but like Healy, others fared better and, Rieck took tenth overall.
“Coming out after the season started and learning so much in that time!? It will be amazing to see what next year will hold for her,” Wright said regarding Rieck and her potential.
Chase wasn’t the only Oehmichen competing at state on Thursday. His sister, sophomore Willow Oehmichen, was competing as an individual in the pole vault. To give you an idea the level of that competition, three ladies all broke the state record on Thursday.
Oehmichen acquitted herself well in the pole vault, and like Rieck, she earned another top ten finish for the Hornets, placing tenth after she cleared nine feet.
“She did exactly what she needed to and is set to carry on from here for next year,” Wright said. “She worked a different pole and saw results. Great finish to her season to be there and to get back to 9’!”
Junior Trinity Severson was the last of the Hornets to compete in an individual event. Severson came in with arguably the most momentum after the sectional meet in Boscobel.
Severson won the 300-meter hurdle title with a PR of 47.19 seconds, which also happened to be the third fastest time coming into the state tournament. But when it comes to state, the margin for error is slim to none.
Severson caught the back edge of her first hurdle, and that threw her out of her rhythm.
“It’s pretty cool to run as an individual. I’m super proud of myself for making it, but the race itself was pretty disappointing,” Severson admitted when it was done. “I was on the wrong lead leg, so I jumped the rest of the hurdles with my turn leg, so that messed me up a bit.”
Severson still captured ninth in the state with her time of 48.77 seconds. A state qualifier in cross-country as well as track, Severson has already made plans to reach the podium next spring.
“I definitely appreciate this a lot more after a lost season, and I’m definitely pumped for next season.”
Willow and Severson did double duty on Thursday, kicking their day off with the 4x800-meter relay, the first track event of the WIAA D-3 state tournament.
They were joined in the relay by juniors Daisy Feiten and Mercedes Sarkkinen, and just being at state was a welcome surprise. The ladies had placed fifth at Boscobel, but their time was extremely fast, and they knew they had a good chance of making it to La Crosse.
“I was pretty mad after we finished, but then coach always said ‘Watch out for extra qualifiers,’ because we did run a really good time,” Feiten said. “It took two days to find out, and I was on my toes for the whole two days. I was so nervous, but I was so happy when I realized we got in.”
The Hornets had the seventh fastest time going into Veterans Memorial Stadium, but the heat and wind had other plans, and those factors were enough to slow the ladies down and lead to a ninth place result in 10:17.72.
It was up to Wright to put those state results into perspective, and if you’re a Hornets fan, there’s plenty to be happy about, especially for next year.
“Not only did this group make it to state but they were also part of the Regional Champion teams, and the girls also Conference Champions. To end the season at state just puts it all into perspective. All athletes finished 10th or better!! That’s in the entire state.”
Wright also reminded her athletes how monumental it is to be a state qualifier, and what it takes to reach the pinnacle of the sport.
“A person can’t coach or teach what the feeling of being part of state is. They have to be there and only then can they understand,” Wright said.
Wright also expressed her delight with her athletes this year, and the high bar that they have set for 2022.
“We are really going to miss our seniors, but are so excited to see where this group will go next year after ending with an incredible and history making season that we had this year. I know I’ve said it before, but we simply can’t put into words what this team has done and what it means to us.”
WILLOW ARRIVES ON THE BIG STAGE -Colby High’s Willow Oehmichen fights for position during the first leg of the 4x800-meter relay. Oehmichen joined her big brother Chase at the state meet last week, and like her older brother, she placed inside the top ten in two events - the pole vault and the 4x800-meter relay. Only a sophomore, Willow will have two more years to see if she too can make it to the podium at a state tournament. Willow’s teammates in the 4x800 relay, Trinity Severson, Daisy Feiten and Mercedes Sarkkinnen, are all coming back, giving Colby an excellent shot to pick up a medal in 2022.
IT’S YOUR TURN NOW -Colby’s Daisy Feiten, left, hands the baton off to Trinity Severson during the 4x800-meter relay on Thursday. The ladies 4x800meter relay finished ninth in the state. Severson added another top ten finish after she placed ninth in the 300-meter hurdles. STAFF PHOTOS/ROSS PATTERMANN
FLY THROUGH THE SKY -Caden Healy propels himself across the long jump pit at the WIAA state meet last week. Healy took ninth overall.
MAKE A MARK -Malayna Rieck hurls the shot during the WIAA D-3 state tournament in La Crosse last week. Rieck went out for the sport halfway through the season, and finished inside the top ten at the state. STAR NEWS/MATT FREY
BURNING RUBBER - Colby High junior Mercedes Sarkkinen runs her leg of the 4x800 relay.STAFF PHOTO/ROSS PATTERMANN
