High flying Bluejays at state

By Casey Krautkramer

All five Athens varsity track and field athletes placed in the top six in their WIAA Division 3 state events to make it onto the podium last weekend in La Crosse.

Sophomore Sy’Rih Hartwig made the most of her first trip to state by taking fifth place in the shot put with a throw of 37 feet, 11-1/2 inches. The other four Athens state track and field athletes continued the school’s strong tradition of having great performances from its pole vaulters at the state tournament.

Athens senior Ryan Peel took second place at state in the pole vault on Friday with a height of 15 feet. Bangor senior Sam Crenshaw broke the Division 3 state record by reaching 16 feet, six inches. He won back-to-back Division 3 state pole vault championships.

Peel took third place at state last year in the pole vault with 13 feet, six inches. He placed second at state in the pole vault as a sophomore with 13 feet behind his Athens teammate, Caden Decker, who won the state championship with 14 feet, nine inches. Peel came close to breaking the Athens boys pole vault record of 15 feet, one inch set by Daniel Drewek in 2007.

“I really wanted to break the school record this year because Caden (Decker) really wanted to do it and he didn’t get it, so he told me to break it for him but I just came up a little short,” Peel said.

Peel is thankful to his parents, Tim and Shanon Peel, and Athens pole vault coach Cade Ellenbecker for their support during his journey in high school pole vaulting.

“Cade (Ellenbecker) has meant everything to me and my parents have been with me every step of the way. It means a lot to have their support,” Ryan Peel said.

Athens junior Kyle Schreiner also made the state podium with a fifth-place finish in the pole vault with 13 feet, six inches. He’ll be counted on next season to lead the Athens boys pole vaulters now that See ATHENS TRACK AND FIELD/ page 18

PEEL ADDS ANOTHER STATE RUNNERS-UP FINISH- Athens senior Ryan Peel is shown competing in Friday’s WIAA Divison 3 pole vault competition at the state championships in La Crosse. He took second place at state this season after taking third last year and second as a sophomore.

STAFF PHOTOS/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER

ATHENS GIRLS POLE VAULT DUO MAKES THE PODIUM- Athens junior pole vaulter Malaina Telschow, left, and sophomore pole vaulter Ava Ford are all smiles after landing on the podium on Saturday at the WIAA Division 3 state championships in La Crosse. Telschow was state runner-up and Ford took sixth place.

SCHREINER PLACES AT STATE- Athens sophomore Kyle Schreiner is shown going up over the bar during a pole vault attempt on Friday at the WIAA Division 3 state championships in La Crosse. He took fifth place this year. Athens track and field

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Peel has graduated.

Bluejays junior Malaina Telschow took second place at state in the girls pole vault, which was moved inside because of the rain on Saturday, with a height of 11 feet. She broke her own school record of 10 feet, 10 inches that she set at the Marathon meet this season.

Telschow was happy with how she placed in the pole vault at state this season.

“I set goals at the beginning of the year and my last goal was to get top three at state and I went out there and did it,” she said.

Athens sophomore Ava Ford made the state podium too with a sixth-place finish in the girls pole vault with 10 feet, six inches.

“I was extremely happy to get on the podium because I worked so hard for this and it feels great,” Ford said.

GIVING IT HER BEST AT STATE- Athens sophomore Sy’Rih Hartwig is shown throwing the shot put on Friday at the WIAA Division 3 state track and field championships in La Crosse. She took fifth place to make it onto the podium in her inaugural trip to state. STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER