Pole vaulters paradise

Decker tries for second state D-3 title

By Casey Krautkramer

Athens senior Caden Decker is trying to break Daniel Drewek’s school pole vault record of 15 feet, one inch this season.

While doing so, Decker also wants to match Drewek’s feat of winning back-to-back WIAA Division 3 state pole vault championships in 2006 and 2007. Drewek is the only Athens pole vaulter to win two straight state titles in school history. Last season, Decker won the Division 3 boys pole vault state championship with a personal best height of 13-9.

Drewek’s height of 15-1 he reached at the 2007 state meet broke the state pole vault record. Jack Szmanda of Wausau Newman broke Drewek’s state record the very next season in 2008 when he reached 15-2 to win the Division 3 state title.

Noah Zastrow of Spencer has held the Division 3 boys state pole vault record since 2017 when he reached a height of 15-4. Coincidentally, Noah Zastrow’s father, John Zastrow, was Drewek’s pole vaulting coach in Athens.

Since then, Athens pole vault coach Ken Kraft has continued to craft Bluejays student athletes into becoming great pole vaulters. He also helped Gabriella Janke win the girls Division 3 pole vault state championship in 2018.

Athens head coach Cheryl Strunk, now in her 24th year as boys coach and 25th year as girls coach, is happy to have Kraft as an assistant coach who instructs the pole vaulters.

“Ken Kraft has brought out the best in all athletes who wish to pole vault, mainly because he brings a simplicity to it, yet he still makes it challenging with a variety of drills that build skill development; plus the athletes enjoy it which makes success come easy,” Strunk said. Aidan Guralski joined Decker as state competitors in the pole vault last spring in La Crosse. Guralski, now also a senior, is hoping for a return trip to state so he can improve on his 11th-place finish in the pole vault last season. Coach Strunk said the two seniors work well together at practices.

“Caden and Aiden have always pushed each other, and they’ve celebrated the hardest when the other one either won first place or accomplished a personal goal,” she said.

Other top returning Athens track and field boy athletes, besides seniors Decker and Guralski as pole vaulters and sprinters, are juniors Aiden Janke and Blake Hein in both the shot put and discus; Janke also competes in the high jump and sophomore Ryan Peel who is a pole vaulter and sprinter.

Bluejay boy newcomers to the varsity squad are senior Brooks Kraus and juniors Connor Sheahan and Nathan Wolf as long distance runners; sophomore sprinter Drew Haines; freshman Kyle Schreiner as a pole vaulter, sprinter and triple jumper and juniors Karson Mueller and Connor Komarek who’ll both compete in the high jump and sprints.

The following are Athens’ top returning girls track and field athletes this season: senior distance runner Elizabeth Van Rixel; junior throwers Alonna Haines, Emma Ford and Lila Thompson; senior sprinter Brooke Rogaczewski; junior longer jumper and middle distance runner/sprinter Addyson Zettler and junior high and triple jumper Katlyn Schreiner.

The top Bluejay girl newcomers to the varsity team are junior sprinter and jumper Savannah Epping, sophomore sprinter and jumper Kaydin Streit, freshman distance runner Brianna Sheahan, freshman middle distance runner/sprinter Aleah Frahm and freshman sprinter, hurdler and long jumper Malaina Telschow.

Elizabeth Van Rixel will attempt to compete at the WIAA Division 3 girls state meet this season, just like her older sister, Abigail Van Rixel, did in 2019 in the 1,600-meter run. Abigail Van Rixel is now a middle distance runner for Concordia University in Mequon.

“Elizabeth Van Rixel’s success has always been due to her role models, which is her sister for one, and the fact that she sets goals and works hard to achieve them,” Coach Strunk said. “Elizabeth has overcome a lot of obstacles, mainly with her health and having ankle injuries as one of her them, but then her sister Abby ran on a broken ankle for quite a few weeks before it was diagnosed. Again, personal goals and desire mean a lot to achieving success.”

It’s been many years since the Athens boy and girls track and field teams have won a Marawood Conference championship. The boys last won the Marawood North title in 2009 and the girls in 2011.

“As a coach, I always feel the athletes can do anything they really set their minds and hearts to; as coaches we help develop their skills and desire but the final piece is them wanting it for themselves,” Coach Strunk said. “Winning a conference title is always good but seeing individual athletes succeed in their track and field events is always a blessing, and if personal success is accomplished by most everyone, then a conference title goes with it; only time will tell.”

Head coach Strunk’s high school track and field assistant coaches this season, besides Ken Kraft, are: Korey Rottscheit, Karla Erickson and Savannah Ellenbecker/Dakota Zilmmer who’ll share coaching the throwers. Cade Ellenbecker and Destiny Horst are volunteer coaches. Middle school coaches are Kaylyn Halopka and Macy Wirkus.

Caden Decker