‘Success breeds success’

By Casey Krautkramer

Athens boys track and field athletes Aiden Janke and Connor Sheahan were key pieces in helping the Bluejays win back-to-back WIAA Division 3 state runners- up trophies last season. The duo won two state tournament events apiece. They graduated from high school last spring and are now competing in sports at their respective colleges. Now the challenge is for the next athletes in line to strive for greatness too like they did.

Fortunately, both the Athens boys and girls’ teams return athletes who competed at state last season in La Crosse. Senior Ryan Peel took third place in the Division 3 pole vault last season after placing second behind his former teammate, 2022 state champion Caden Decker, in the pole vault two seasons ago.

Peel is attempting to break the school’s pole vault record of 15 feet, one inch set by Daniel Drewek in 2007 while winning his first individual state championship to conclude his high school career this spring. Athens track alumni Cade Ellenbecker is co-head boys coach with Karla Erickson, but he also coaches the boy and girl pole vaulters. Ellenbecker believes that Peel is capable of accomplishing both feats this season.

“Ryan is motivated as ever to succeed this year,” Ellenbecker said. “He has started off the season very strong by putting up some big bars already. He’s had the opportunity to vault with some great vaulters in the past, which in turn has helped make him the vaulter he is today. He’s got some big goals this year, with his eyes on the school record and proving that he’s one of the best vaulters in the entire state, no matter the division.”

This will be Athens girls head coach Cheryl Strunk’s last of 27 years coaching track in Athens as she retires from working in the school district’s business office at the end of this school year. She coached both the boys and girls teams for 25 years but last year decided to split up the boys head coaching job as a cost-saving measure for the school district when it was making budget cuts. She is hoping to be an assistant track coach next season in Athens.

Strunk said Ellenbecker’s Athens pole vault coach, Ken Kraft, did a great job over the years. Ellenbecker has kept Athens’ tradition of producing great boys and girls pole vaulters. Junior Katlyn Schreiner took 11th place at state last season and sophomore Ava Ford placed 13th in the pole vault. Junior Kyle Schreiner competed in the pole vault at state last season.

“I believe a big reason why we have been able to have success in the pole vault year after year is by having the next manup mentality,” Ellenbecker said. “Ryan Peel had the chance to learn from some great pole vaulters, so he just filled in their shoes. The same now goes for Kyle Schreiner, Malaina Telschow and Ava Ford. They’ve seen what it takes to succeed and have worked their butts off to put themselves in the same position. All four of those vaulters are now in a position to do some really great things this year, and they all have their eyes set on state. Iron sharpens iron and they push each other every day and you can see it’s paid off. It’s been really awesome to be a part of and hopefully these vaulters instill what it takes to be successful into the younger generation of talent so Athens pole vaulters can continue to have success.”

Besides the boys and girls pole vaulters, the following are the other top returning Athens track and field athletes this season: senior boys distance runners Andy Schaer and Drew Haines, senior boy thrower Daniel Dvorak, junior boy triple jumper and sprinter Austin Dean, junior distance runner Breanna Sheahan, junior middle distance runner Aleah Frahm, senior throwers Faith Nowak and Jennifer Espinoza-Quiro and sophomore Sy’ Rih Hartwig.

Strunk is excited to see the amount of success the athletes have this season including the shot put and discus throwers.

“Sy’ Rih is more than anxious this year to throw even better than last year in shot put and discus,” she said. “She is a hard worker and already her consistency and talent are showing her high goals. Sy’ Rih’s upper classmates, Faith Nowak and Jennifer Espinoza-Quiro, are also working hard alongside in the throws events to find their personal best with their new throws coach, Lance Bloch. He brings years of experience and ironically was the throws coach when the boys track team won the state championship in 2005.”

The following track and field athletes are newcomers on the team this season: Sophomore boy distance and high jumper Brandon Krause, sophomore boy thrower Jordan Frahm, sophomore boy middle distance runner Marshall Venice, freshman boy sprinter Gavin Frahm, freshman boy hurdler and long jumper Brock Beaty, freshman thrower Cole Hartman, sophomore all-around performer Vanessa Espinoza- Quiro, freshman distance runner and triple jumper Ellis Baer, freshman thrower Delaney Beasley and freshmen cousins Grace and Terah Schreiner who are both jumper and upcoming pole vaulters.

Ellenbecker said the Athens boys need the next-man up mentality to bring home more state trophies in the future. Strunk also gave her take on how this year’s Athens boys team can try to maintain the success of the last two teams winning silver state tournament trophies.

“Success breeds success, meaning when other teammates, especially underclassmen see what you can accomplish, they too wish for that success,” she said. “I refer back to the 2005 Athens boys state championship team’s motto that ‘hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.’ Anyone can be successful if you work hard at it and truly want to accomplish the best you can. There is always talent available but the secret is finding it and convincing the person they can be successful.”

ATHENS BOYS AND GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM- Introducing the 2024 Bluejays track and field squad. Pictured, from left to right, front row: Ava Ford, Sy’ Rih Hartwig, Malaina Telschow, Vanessa Espinoza-Quiroz, Brianna Sheahan, Ellis Baer and Isabella Zastow; second row: Faith Nowak, Jennifer Espinoza-Quiroz, Delaney Beasley, Grace Schreiner, Kaydin Streit, Terah Schreiner, Aleah Frahm, Alexa Weiler and Cambrea Sarasin; third row: Co-head boys coaches Karla Erickson and Cade Ellenbecker, Kyle Schreiner, Eli Paul, Gavin Frahm, Ryan Peel, Marshall Venzke, Daniel Dvorak, girls head coach Cheryl Strunk and volunteer coach Brooke Rogaczewski; back row: Drew Haines, Cole Hartmann, Andrew Schaer, Brock Beaty, Brandon Krause, Jordan Frahm, Isaac Bushmann and coaches Korey Rottscheit and Lance Bloch. Missing from picture is Austin Dean.

PHOTO BY TANILLE HARTWIG