Stratford boys win first meet on the new track

Local teams get ready for the Marawood meet

By Casey Krautkramer

Stratford’s varsity boys track and field team broke in its new home track in fashion on Thursday by winning the 51st annual Stratford Invitational. The Tigers dominated their competition on one of the warmest days of the season.

Tigers head coach Nate Heeg, who is also a Stratford alum, enjoyed the experience of coaching the athletes on the newly-minted track. In the past, field events including the high jump, long and triple jumps and pole vault were on the hill behind the visitor’s football bleachers at Tigers Stadium.

The new format has the high jump and pole vault located on asphalt inside the track on the north end of the football field. The long and triple jump competitions take place inside the track on the south end of the football field. Only the shot put and discus are in their old locations, but a new discus cage net has been installed.

“With the Stratford Invite being the first meet on the new track, it was special to have the boys take home the first place trophy,” Heeg said. “The girls did great as well, coming in third place. It was a great night for track and field and it was a pleasure to be a part of it.”

The Stratford boys racked up a team best 117-1/2 points ahead of runnersup Edgar with 99. Athens placed fifth out of 12 teams competing with 65 points.

Stratford sophomore Jett Schoenherr literally “turned on the jets” in winning the 100-meter dash in 11.07 seconds, ahead of Colby senior Caden Healy. Stratford junior Payton Glenn took second place behind Healy in the 200-meter dash in 24.03 seconds. Glenn did win the long jump with 20 feet, 7-1/2 inches.

The Tigers’ 4x100-meter relay team of Schoenherr, Glenn, Colton Breit and Austin O’Neil won the event in 44.93 seconds. Stratford’s 4x400-meter relay squad of Lance Krieg, Reid Miller, Xander Curtice and Garrett Zuelke took second place in three minutes, 45.89 seconds.

Stratford’s Benjamin Zuelke placed second in the high jump with five feet, six inches and his teammate Curtice was third with five feet, four inches. Curtice took second place in the 300-meter hurdles in 44.90 seconds. Tigers junior Koehler Kilty placed third place in the shot put with 44 feet, one inch.

Streit wins three events

Edgar junior Teegan Streit won three individual events in the 110-meter hurdles in 16.32 seconds, 300-meter hurdles in 43.55 seconds and the triple jump with 42 feet, 1/2 inches. Wildcats junior Kohlbe Weisenberger won the 400-meter dash in 52.07 seconds.

The Wildcats’ 4x400-meter relay team of brothers Teegan and Tucker Streit, Avery Normington and Weisenberger took first place in three minutes, 40.57 seconds.

Pair of ‘Jays win two each

Athens senior Connor Sheahan won both the mile run in four minutes, 33 seconds and the two mile run in nine minutes, 59.27 minutes at the Stratford Invitational. Senior Aiden Janke won both the shot put with 50 feet, two inches and the discus with 167 feet, six inches.

Bluejays senior Ryan Peel took first place in the pole vault with 13 feet.

Marathon boys in Waupaca

The Marathon boys track and filed team took third place at Thursday’s Waupaca meet with 98 points, behind Division 2 squads Winneconne in first place with 134 points and New London in second with 113-1/2 points.

Red Raiders senior Griffin Treankler both won the 110-meter hurdles in 16.82 seconds and the 300-meter hurdles in 42.86 seconds. Sophomore Logan Witberler took second place in the 100-meter hurdles in 18.29 seconds. Junior Jacob Smith placed second in the pole vault with 11 feet.

Marathon senior Drake Carlson won the 100-meter wheelchair in 20.80 seconds, 400-meter wheelchair in one minute, 14.49 seconds, 800-meter wheelchair in two minutes, 42.44 seconds and the shot put wheelchair with 20 feet, five inches.