Sectional champions again

By Casey Krautkramer

Stratford’s varsity boys track and field team captured its second straight WIAA Division 3 sectional championship at Thursday’s sectional in Rosholt. Now the Tiger boys are attempting to win their first state championship since 2008.

The Tiger boys amassed 80 points in Rosholt. Iola-Scandinavia was sectional runners-up with 73 points while Marathon placed third with 50. Edgar finished in seventh place with 38 points.

Stratford alumni and head coach Nathan Heeg is proud of his boys team winning backto- back sectional titles.

“Winning sectionals is a total team effort,” he said. “We were up against 40 plus schools and working toward a state qualifying performance means it’s all on the line. They delivered, not only by winning the meet but qualifying multiple people and all four relays to state.”

Retired head coach Mark Guderski guided the Tiger boys to their only state championship in school history in 2008. It’s coach Heeg’s turn to lead the Stratford boys to a state title at the 128th WIAA boys track and field championships this Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1, at the Veterans Memorial Stadium Complex on the UW-La Crosse campus.

The Stratford boys have the most state entries in Division 3 with nine, including representation in five individual events and four relays. Iola-Scandinavia has the second most boys at state with seven, including six individual events and one relay.

“The boys do have a shot at the state title,” Heeg said. “A lot of things happen at the state meet and it will take everyone involved to pull it off. The competition is very strong this year, and they are focused on the goal at hand.”

Both of Stratford’s boys 4x100 and 4x200-meter relays broke school records at Thursday’s sectional in Rosholt.

Stratford’s 4x100-meter relay including senior Payton Glenn, juniors Coltan Breit and Jett Schoenherr and sophomore Zander Zawislan won the sectional championship in 42.94 seconds. The Tigers 4x200-meter relay placed second behind Edgar in one minute, 31.09 seconds and includes Glenn, Breit, Zawislan and sophomore Austin O’Neil.

The top four individuals and relays advance from sectionals to the state tournament, but there are a few extra qualifiers. Although Stratford junior Brandon Knetter placed fifth at sectionals in the triple jump, he met the state qualifying distance of 43 feet, 4-1/4 inches to earn a trip to the state tournament.

Schoenherr took second place in both the 100-meter dash in 11.03 seconds and 200-meter dash in 22.21 seconds. Breit placed fourth in the long jump with 20 feet, 9-1/2 inches.

Stratford senior Koehler Kilty won the shot put with a throw of 52 feet, 4-1/2 inches. Stratford’s 4x800-meter relay team of juniors Ethan Heeg, Derek Wiese, Reid Miller and Garrett Zuelke took first place in 8:22.36. The 4x400-meter relay of freshman Austin Niehaus, junior Kaden Foster, Zawislan and Zuelke placed third in 3:29.98.

For the Stratford girls, freshman Brianna Sherden won both the long jump with 17 feet, 1-1/2 inches and 100-meter dash in 12.60 seconds. Sherden took second place in the 200-meter dash in 26.57 seconds. Sophomore Dawnyel Martin placed third in the 300-meter hurdles in 49.22 seconds.

Edgar 4x400 breaks school record

Edgar’s boys 4x400-meter relay including seniors Kohlbe Weisenberger and Teegan Streit, junior Ty Schnelle and sophomore Tucker Streit won the sectional championship in Rosholt in 3:25.49 which is a school record. The same four boys also teamed up to win the 4x200-meter relay in 1:30.72.

The Wildcat boys 4x100-meter relay took second place in 43.41 seconds and includes junior Austin Schreiber, Schnelle, Weisenberger and Teegan Streit.

Teegan Streit placed third in the triple jump with 43 feet, 10-1/2 inches.

See SECTIONAL TRACK/ page 24

TIGER AND WILDCAT BOYS 4x100-METER RELAYS ARE TOPS IN ROSHOLT- Stratford’s boys 4x100-meter relay team broke its own school record on Thursday at the WIAA Division 3 sectional in Rosholt by finishing the event in 42.94 seconds. Members of Stratford’s sectional champion 4x100-meter relay, pictured, from left to right, front row on the podium are: Sophomores Zander Zawislan and Coltan Breit; back row: Senior Payton Glenn and junior Jett Schoenherr. Edgar’s 4x100-meter relay took second place at the sectional in 43.41 seconds. Its relay team members, from left to right, front row are: Juniors Ty Schnelle and Austin Schreiber; back row: Seniors Kohlbe Weisenberger and Teegan Streit.

TRG PHOTOS/VALORIE BRECHT

ARCH-RVIALS TRADE PLACES IN THE 4x200-METER RELAY- After Stratford’s 4x100-meter relay won first place at Thursday’s WIAA Division 3 sectional in Rosholt, Edgar turned the tables on Stratford by winning the 4x200-meter relay. Both teams are shown next to each other at the final baton handoff. Stratford sophomore Coltan Breit is pictured exchanging the baton with sophomore Zander Zawislan. Edgar sophomore Tucker Streit is pictured handing the baton to senior Kohlbe Weisenberger so he can sprint toward the finish line. Sectional track

Continued from page 14

Edgar’s girls 4x100-meter relay including seniors Brooke Imhoff and Malana Koehler, junior Addison Trawicki and freshman Rachel Burke won the event in 51.29 seconds. These same four girls teamed up to place fourth in the 4x200-meter relay in 1:49.60.

Burke won the triple jump with 34 feet, 11-1/2 inches. Senior Kyra Anderson placed third in the discus with a throw of 116 feet, four inches.

Marcell sets facility record Marathon sophomore Chris Marcell won the sectional discus throw with 174 feet, five inches which is a Rosholt facility record.

Red Raiders junior River Stanecki won the pole vault with a height of 12 feet, six inches. Senior Jacob Smith took second place in the pole vault with 12 feet, three inches.

Senior Alisha Blenker placed third in the girls 100-meter hurdles in 16.59 seconds. Freshman Garrett Bracewell placed fourth in the boys 110-meter hurdles in 15.65 seconds.

Marathon’s boys 4x400-meter relay of juniors Levi Krautkramer and Logan Rohland, freshman Brady Annis and Bracewell placed fourth in 3:31.97. The Red Raiders boys 4x800-meter relay of sophomore Ethan Huebsch, Annis, Rohland and Krautkramer placed fourth in 8:32.89.

Telschow breaks own record

Athens junior Malaina Telschow broke her own girls school pole vault record on Thursday at the WIAA Division 3 sectional in Cameron. She placed second in the pole vault with 11 feet, three inches.

Senior Ryan Peel won the boys pole vault championship with 14 feet while junior Kyle Schreiner placed second in the pole vault with 13 feet.

Sophomore Sy’ Rih Hartwig placed third in the shot put with 37 feet, 10 inches. Sophomore Ava Ford placed fifth in the girls pole vault but she reached the state qualifying height of 10 feet, three inches to be an extra qualifier.