Tiger boys attempting to win state title
By Casey Krautkramer
The Stratford varsity boys and girls track and field teams enjoyed a historic 2024 season. Both the boys and girls’ squads won Marawood Conference championships for the first time in the same season. The boys team won its third consecutive conference title.
Both the Stratford boys and girls track teams also captured WIAA Division 3 regional championships for the first time in the same season. The Tiger boys won their second straight regional championship while the girls won their first regional title since 2007.
Stratford alumni Nate Heeg returns for his seventh season as the Tigers varsity boys and girls track and field head coach. His assistant boys and girls coaches are Tiny Michalski, Robyn Jarocki-Hughes, Joe Drexler and Derek Joswiak. Heeg explains how Stratford’s boys and girls track and field teams can continue their level of success this season and into the future.
“We need to continue to have good numbers of student athletes coming out for track and field, and we have a record number out this season,” Heeg said. “When you have good numbers, you can find ways to fill spots on the roster and go for those points. We are balanced on the guys and girls teams, with a good mix of competitors in the field events along with the distance runs and sprints. The boys have have goals this season, and the girls do as well.”
Stratford’s boys team won their second straight WIAA Division 3 sectional championship last season. Both of the Tiger boys’ 4x100 and 4x200-meter relays broke school records at the sectional meet in Rosholt. Stratford advanced the most boys from sectionals to state of any other Division 3 school with nine entries, including five individual events and four relays. This resulted in the Stratford boys winning their first WIAA Division 3 state runnerup championship in 24 years. Retired Stratford track and field coach Mark Guderski guided the Stratford boys to their lone state championship in 2008.
Heeg explains what it’ll take for the Stratford boys to win the WIAA Division 3 state championship this season.
“It will take a lot of selfless determination and a team first mentality to pull off a state championship,” he said. “We will need a number of guys scoring in different events at state. They tasted the opportunity last year and I can tell you it’s a goal to go for it. Health and different situations will play an impact as with any season. With a large amount of guys returning and a new group coming in ready to contribute, I know they will do their best for each other to achieve this goal.”
Stratford’s top returning boys track and field athletes this season are senior Jett Schoenherr, 100 and 200-meter dashes; senior Xander Curtice, high jump, 400meter run and 300-meter hurdles; senior Cree DeFoe, 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs; senior Kaden Foster, high jump and 400-meter run; senior Ethan Heeg, 800 and 1,600-meter runs; senior Garrett Zuelke, 300-meter hurdles along with 400 and 800-meter runs and senior Brandon Knetter, long and triple jumps and 200meter dash.
The following Stratford freshmen boys are top newcomers who will contribute to the varsity team’s success this season: Jayden DeFoe, 800 and 1,600-meter runs; Henry Heeg, 110 and 300-meter hurdles and 400-meter run; Kaden School, 110meter hurdles along with the 100 and 200meter dashes and Joey Cable, pole vault and 800-meter run.
Stratford’s boys 4x100-meter relay team of Peyton Glenn, Jett Schoenherr, Coltan Breit and Zander Zawislan took first place at regionals, sectionals and state last season. They finished the state championship 4x100-meter relay in 42.54 seconds, which was only three hundredths of a second slower than the state record of 42.51 seconds held by Brookfield Academy and set in 2011.
The Tiger boys 4x200-meter relay took second place at both regionals and sectionals and third place at state last season. This relay consisted of Brandon Knetter with Glenn, Breit and Zawislan.
Glenn graduated high school last spring therefore Nate Heeg said there’s a competition to replace him in the 4x100 and 4x200-meter relays this season.
“We are currently working on replacing Peyton,” Nate Heeg said. “He was a great starter for the relays. We have a competition currently going on to get that spot, but the other three guys are returning. I believe both the 4x100 and 4x200-meter relay teams can do great things again this season, and I do think the opportunity to have success is there again this year.”
Stratford’s top returning girls track and field athletes this season are senior Kayla Casperson, 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs; senior Breleigh Skaya, 800 and 1,600-meter runs; senior Emily Rundle, long and triple jump; junior Dawnyel Martin, 100-meter dash and the 100 and 300meter hurdles and sophomore Brianna Sherden, long jump and the 100 and 200meter dashes.
Sherden had a great first season by competing in three events at the WIAA Division 3 state championships in La Crosse. She took fifth place at state in the 100-meter dash, 10th place in the 200-meter dash and 16th place in the long jump. Nate Heeg is looking for even bigger things from Sherden this season.
“She is a talented runner,” he said. “As a sophomore she is already emerging as a
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STRATFORD VARSITY BOYS TRACK AND FIELD - Introducing the 2025 Tigers varsity boys track and field squad. Team members, pictured from left to right, front row: Joey Cable, Jayden DeFoe, Chris Stuttgen, Mason Miller, Austin Niehaus, Henry Heeg, Ethan Heeg, Theo Hiebl, Austin Foster and Kayden Schill; second row: Tyler Budtke, Carter Foster, Bryce Lapointe, Jett Schoenherr, Garrett Zuelke, Ryan Christopherson, Austin O’Neil, Brooks Vanderhoof, Declan Fisher, Ashton Bushman and Gavin Meyer: third row: Assistant coaches Tiny Michalski and Robyn Jarocki-Hughes; athletes Calvin Rasmussen, Cody Randow, Henry Zirbel, Tyler Lange, Daniel McMeeken, Dylan Lange, Benny Trejo, Aaron Knetter, Hardol Arcos; assistant coaches Derek Joswiak and Joe Drexler and head coach Nate Heeg; back row: Zander Zawislan, Coltan Breit, Xander Curtice, Derek Wiese, Connor Kreft, Brandon Knetter, Cooper Bosmans, John Buck, Cree DeFoe and Kaden Foster.
PHOTO BY CASSIDY LEMAY
STRATFORD VARSITY GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD - Introducing the 2025 Tigers varsity girls track and field squad. Team members pictured, from left to right, are: Hayden Fecker, Carley Ehrike, Hailey Fecker, Savana Kops, Breleigh Skaya, Ava Dehlinger, Ali Bohman, Wynn Schoenherr, Megan Marten, Alexis Pribnow, Ella Dennee and Dawnyel Martin; second row: Assistant coaches Tiny Michalski and Robyn Jarocki-Hughes; athletes Madelyn Berdan, Avery Skaya, Brianna Sherden, Eliza Hauke, Breleigh Shanks, Kaylie McHugh, Haley Woodford, Lillian Kaiser, Lily Dabbert, Madelyn Stein, Jayelynn Shanks, assistant coaches Derek Joswiak and Joe Drexler and head coach Nate Heeg; back row: Morgan Schmidt, Hailey Wiesman, Samantha Frick, Alexis Wiesman, Emily Zuelke, Sylvia McMeeken, Emily Runde, Kassedey Downey, Hayden Polzin and Samantha Mielke. PHOTO BY CASSIDY LEMAY Tigers track
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leader on the team. She wants to do whatever it takes to put the team in position to win. We want to get her the opportunities she wants and needs to succeed at her goals.”
The following Stratford freshmen girls are top newcomers who will contribute to the varsity team’s success this season: Samantha Frick, 200-meter dash and 400meter run; Lillian Kaiser, 100 and 200meter dashes and 400-meter run; Megan Marten, 800-meter run and pole vault and Wynn Schoenherr, 100 and 200-meter dashes.
