Warrior girls seek first title since 1987
Boys', girls' state track previews
Twenty-three years ago, Brainerd's Trend Fields won the Class 2A 100-meter high hurdles state championship.
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That was the last time a Warrior girl has had a gold medal placed around her neck on the podium at the state meet.
Warrior girls' head coach Dan Clabo believes the drought could end this weekend as Brainerd sends a top-flight contingent of athletes to state.
State track and field qualifiers for the Brainerd Warrior girls' team include Kelsi Ring (left), Allison Kosobud, Madison Smith, Sydnie Mauch, Sophie Campbell, Anna Gessell, Megan Holmes.
Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
"We're due for a state champion," Clabo said. "These girls have been working hard. They're going to lay it all out on the line. It would be pretty sweet to have someone come out as a state champion.
"We're hoping for the best. It will be exciting for them. They're focused, their practices have been very good. One of our goals is to get one of them up there as state champion."
In the boys' meet, the Warriors have qualified six individuals whose goal is reaching the finals and earning all-state distinction. Brainerd boys' coach Rod Reuer said the goal for his individuals is to place in the top nine.
"Our kids really aren't of the caliber where we might say they could win a state championship," Reuer said. "The level we're at right now, we're looking to see if we can place.
State track and field qualifiers for the Brainerd Warrior boys' team include Nate Gervenak (left), Joe Nelson, Dan Lauer, Jimmy Dean, Jordan Hayes and Jake Goodew.
Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
"Realistically speaking, and the kids know that going in, track and swimming, probably more than any other sports, you know what's out there."
Ring, Smith in running
Senior Kelsi Ring is tied for the No. 4 seed in the 100 hurdles prelims, teammate Madison Smith is sixth. Both will be pushing Richfield freshman phenom Jessica January, the top seed at 14.44. Ring placed sixth last year, Smith was eighth.
"January is the real deal," Clabo said. "She's fast. Maddie's been bringing her time down consistently. She's doing the same thing she did last year. I think she's in the hunt. Kelsi's definitely in the hunt as well.
"Kelsi and Madison dropped nice time last week. With more rest they should drop more time."
Ring is tied for the third seed in the triple jump with a leap of 36-1.5. Alex Beckman of Eastview is No. 1 at 38-0.5.
"Kelsi's capable of jumping farther," Clabo said. "She's inches from second place. (Beckman) is out there. Sometimes it's one they popped and they'll never do it again. Obviously, they did it at the right time, or least to make it to state."
In the 300 hurdles, Smith is seeded seventh. January is the top seed at 44.22. Smith placed 12th last year.
"I think Madison's in the same boat as last year," Clabo said. "When she was coming into the straight-away, if she had not hit a hurdle, she was way ahead of everybody. I think she will give January the race of her life."
The 4x800 relay of Sophie Campbell, Anna Gessell, Allison Kosebud and Megan Holmes is seeded fifth. No. 1 Hopkins is at 9:21.25.
Sophomore Sydnie Mauch is the last seed in the shot put at 34-11.5.
Boys' 4x100 seeded 7th
The 4x100 relay of Jordan Hayes, Joe Nelson, Dan Lauer, and Nate Gervenak is seeded seventh. Jacob Goodew is the alternate.
"If they run what they have the last couple of meets they ought to be right in the thick of things, as far as the finals," Reuer said. "At that meet you're bound to see some mishaps, and some extraordinary performances. You might come in seventh or eighth, or top three or four if things go your way. It's a crapshoot."
The 4x200 relay of Goodew, Nelson, Hayes and Lauer is seeded 11th. Gervenak is the alternate. Lauer is the only member returning from last year's third-place relay.
"We've struggled with exchanges, but ran clean enough at sections to win, but obviously you need to be better at the state meet," Reuer said. "There are some incredibly fast times in the 4x100 and 4x400. In the 4x200 there's more running room and hand-offs are not as crucial, but yet they are. Any slowdowns can take you out of the race."
Jimmy Dean is seeded 17th in the 3200, which he will run Friday.
"He has his work cut out for him, he's probably 15 seconds behind the leader," Reuer said. "He will have to go down there, and run the best 3200 of his life, and see what a nice time drop will get you. Obviously, the goal is to medal. To say he's going to go down there and win it is far-fetched. Obviously, he has a shot at having a medal."
Dean is seeded 15th in the 1600, which he will run Saturday, at 4:31.23.
"Jimmy has run 4:27, which makes him five seconds out of the ninth spot," Reuer said. "Obviously, the goal is to see if you can crack the top nine and at least get a medal. That would be a great way to finish his career."
In the open 200, Lauer is seeded 20th out of 29 runners.
"There are some unbelievably fast guys ahead of him, over a second faster than he is," Reuer said. "They're incredibly fast. He's 22:49, the leader's 21:24. For him let's run Friday and get to Saturday. If you run in the state finals you've got a medal your around neck."
Class 2A girls
4x800 relay: 5-Brainerd (Sophie Campbell, Anna Gessell, Allison Kosebud, Megan Holmes, Abbrielle Selisker (alternate) 9:27.27
100 hurdles: 4-Kelsi Ring (Brd) 14.72, 6-Madison Smith (Brd) 14.91
400 dash: 16-Emily Van Heel (Little Falls) 59.68
300 hurdles: 7-Smith 45.29
200 dash: 20-VanHeel 26.26
Pole vault: 4-Rachelle LeBlanc (LF) 10-7
Shot put: 17-Sydnie Mauch (Brd) 34-11.5
Triple jump: 2-Van Heel 36-5.5.; 3-Ring 36-1.5
Class 2A boys
4x200 relay: 11-Jacob Goodew, Joe Nelson, Jordan Hayes, Dan Lauer (Nate Gervenak alternate) 1:30.78
1600 run: 15-Jimmy Dean (Brd) 4:31.23
4x100 relay: 7-Brainerd (Hayes, Nelson, Lauer, Gervenak (Goodew alternate) 43.21
300 hurdles: 14-Luke Pennington (Little Falls) 40.29
200 dash: 20-Lauer 22.49
3200 run: 16-Dean 9:41.51
Long jump: 6-Elliott Kohler (LF) 21-4
Class 1A boys
(seed, name, school, section time)
110 hurdles: 21-Shane White, Pillager 16.28
300 hurdles: 11-Amos Schmidt (Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale) 40.68
100 dash: 5-Jake Nelson, Pierz 11.28, 17-Jack Parker, Pequot Lakes 11.69
200 dash: 8t-Nelson, Pierz, 22.89
400 dash: 4-Wesley DeLong, Pillager, 40.04, 15-John Oman, Pierz 51.10, 16-Mark Hoge, Crosby-Ironton, 51.32
800 run: 5-DeLong, Pillager, 2:00.03
1600 run: 17-Anthony White, Aitkin, 4:43.51
4x100 relay: 8-Pequot Lakes 44.63
Discus: 6-Jason Johnson, Staples-Motley, 151-5
Long jump: 10-Brian Huber, Staples-Motley 20-7.5, 16-Bryan Zenke, Aitkin, 20-3
Triple jump: 14-Brandon Larson, Staples-Motley, 41-7
High jump: 7t-Huber, Staples-Motley, 6-2
Pole vault: 7t-Tony Davison, Pillager, 13-0
Class 1A girls
(seed, name, school, section time)
100 hurdles: 19-Jaelin Beachy, Staples-Motley, 16.59
300 hurdles: 14-Beachy, Staples-Motley, 47.71
100 dash: 13-Ashley Lisson, Staples-Motley, 12.98
200 dash: 12-Lisson, Staples-Motley, 26.76
4x100 relay: 9-Staples-Motley, 51.33
Shot put: 13-Vanessa Hudrlik, Crosby-Ironton, 35-11.25
Discus: 12-Caitlin Peterson, Staples-Motley, 106-4
High jump: 16t-Carissa Herron, Aitkin, 5-0