Athens has talented track and field athletes
By Casey Krautkramer
Cade Ellenbecker and Karla Erickson are in their second season as Athens varsity co-head boys and girls track and field coaches. Ellenbecker best summarized the small number of athletes competing in the sport this season.
“The best way I can describe our team is quality over quantity,” Ellenbecker said. “Although we might not be big in numbers, we have some very high quality athletes.”
Athens’ top returning boys track and field athletes this season are senior pole vaulter Kyle Schreiner, senior long and triple jumper Austin Dean, junior high jumper and distance runners Eli Paul and Brandon Krause, junior sprinter Gavin Frahm, sophomore shot put and discus thrower Cole Hartmann and sophomore hurdler and long jumper Brock Beaty.
The top freshmen boys new to high school track and field this season are pole vaulter and long jumper Eli Schaer, distance runner Ben Hartwig and sprinter and discus thrower Chris Velazquez.
Athens’ top returning girls track and field athletes this season are senior pole vaulter Malaina Telschow, senior onemile and two-mile distance runner Brianna Sheahan, senior middle distance runner Aleah Frahm, junior shot put and discus thrower Sy’Rih Hartwig, sophomore pole vaulter Grace Schreiner, sophomore shot put and discus thrower Delaney Beasley and sophomore middle distance runner and triple jumper Ellis Baer.
The top freshmen girls new to high school track and field this season are sprinter, shot put and discus thrower Itzel Espinoza-Quiroz and middle distance runner Jaci Hart.
All five of the Athens varsity track and field athletes who competed in the WIAA Division 3 state championship last season finished in sixth place or higher in their events to make it onto the state podium. Ryan Peel took second place in the pole vault and he’s now a college freshman on the Division 2 UW-Parkside track and field team. Kyle Schreiner took fifth place in the pole vault in his first trip to state last season. Sy’Rih Hartwig placed fifth in the shot put in her inaugural trip to state last season. Malaina Telschow broke her own school record of 10 feet, 10 inches to take second place in the state girls shot put last season. Ava Ford placed sixth in the state girls shot put last season.
Unfortunately, Ford got injured at the start of the girls basketball season this winter and she is out for this entire track and field season. Co-head coaches Ellenbecker and Erickson will definitely miss seeing Ford compete in pole vault this season. Ford continues to support her teammates at their meets.
“Ava Ford sadly got injured and will not be able to compete this season,” Ellenbecker said. “This is a huge blow for us, since she was not only a very high level pole vaulter (placing at state last year as a sophomore) but was also a top notch sprinter. It will be an adjustment this year not having Ava there to push Malaina to get better, but I think Malaina definitely has it in her to give it a run at getting gold at state. She has worked her butt off these past four years and deserves every bit of success that comes her way.”
“I also think Kyle Schreiner has an extremely good shot at winning state this year as well. He has had the opportunity to watch and learn from some pretty great pole vaulters that came before him and has the chance to be the best one yet. With Ryan and the other high-level pole vaulters in Division 3 last year graduating, the door is wide open for Kyle to go get it! Sy’Rih is also hoping to build off her success last year and have an even bigger year this year. All winter she has been in the weight room getting stronger and working on her footwork, and we believe it is all going to pay off. She definitely has her eyes set on gold, not only in the shot put but in the discus as well!”
Telschow signed her letter of intent on National Signing Day in early February to pole vault at Division 2 Lewis University
See BLUEJAYS TRACK/ page 14
BLUEJAY VARSITY GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD- Introducing the 2025 Athens varsity girls track and field squad. Team members pictured, from left to right, front row: Trisha Giese, Grace Schreiner, Jaci Hart, Sy’Rih Hartwig, Aleah Frahm and Ellis Baer; back row: Malaina Telschow, Itzel Espinoza-Quiroz, Danica Delis, Pretty Blake, Katelyn den Otter, Terah Schreiner and Delaney Beasley. Missing is Breanna Sheahan.
PHOTO BY CHRIS KEPNER
BLUEJAY VARSITY BOYS TRACK AND FIELD - Introducing the 2025 Athens varsity boys track and field squad. Members pictured, from left to right, front row: Whyatt Martyn, Ben Hartwig, Daytin Baird, Kyle Schreiner, Christopher Velazquez, Eli Paul and Zack den Otter; back row: Cole Hartman, Brock Beaty III, Austin Dean, Eli Schaer, Brandon Krause and Ted Schultz-Becker.
PHOTO BY CHRIS KEPNER Bluejays track
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in Romeoville, Ill. next season. Sheahan also signed her letter of intent to run both cross country and track at Division 3 St. Norbert College in De Pere next season.
Athens co-head coaches Ellenbecker and Erickson are hoping to have more athletes qualify for the state championships this season, including Sheahan who took sixth place in the two-mile run at sectionals last season. The top four athletes in each sectional event qualify for state.
“Brianna Sheahan has been knocking on the door of state the past two years and I have a feeling this year might be her year!” Ellenbecker said. “She’s a very talented runner that has worked extremely hard these past four years. We are excited to see if she can end her high school running career with a bang! Making it to state in both the one and two-mile runs is a very difficult thing to do, so we are going to see how the year goes and put her in the events at regionals and sectionals where we believe she will have her best chance of making it to state, and if that ends up being in both long distance runs, awesome! We are also hoping for a breakout year for our senior jumper Austin Dean. He has the potential and has worked very hard at it the past few years, now he just has to put it all together at the right time.”
Athens assistant track and field coach Korey Rottscheit returns to work primarily with the boys and girls long distance runners. Assistant coach Lance Bloch is back to work with the boys and girls throwers.
“Lance was a huge addition to our team last year bringing a vast knowledge in the throws,” Ellenbecker said. “Cheryl Strunk will also be returning this year as a volunteer assistant coach.”
NEW HIGH SCHOOL THROWER - Athens freshman Itzel Espinoza-Quiroz throws the shot put during last Thursday’s girls meet at Marshfield Senior High.
TP PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD
GREAT LEAP AT THE INDOOR MEET - Danica Delis of Athens competes in the long lump during last Thursday’s girls only indoor meet at Marshfield Senior High.
jump
TP PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD
