B-H-V's Nelson wins state title

BLAINE -- The cheers kept getting bigger and Amy Nelson's times kept getting smaller.

The Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale senior won her first-ever Class A state title Saturday with a time of 15.60 in the 100 hurdles in front of a jam-packed National Sports Center.

She ran the race in 15.96 in the preliminaries Friday and 16.11 at the section meet.

"I like running here because the cheers pump you up," said Nelson who has been at the state meet since her freshman year. "And I don't think it was as windy today."

The sprints were raced against the wind, which had decreased since Friday but was still a factor.

Nelson was also second in the 300 hurdles (46.39) and was a member of the second-place 4x100 team. Other team members were Ashley Rach, Amy Jackson and Courtney Stach.

When Nelson received the baton in the relay, her team was in fourth place. She passed two opponents in the 4x100 but couldn't catch 300 hurdles winner Ellen Graef.

"I'm happy with the day," Nelson said. "I thought I'd catch (Graef) but I didn't. I was fourth in the relay and I was thinking I just got to pass them."

Forbort second in 800

Crosby-Ironton's Andy Forbort used the experience of last year's state meet to move up four places in the 800 run. The senior ran a 1:57.91 to finish second this year, behind only Jordan Barnes of Plainview (1:56.77).

"Last year 2:01 was sixth and this year 1:59 was sixth," said Forbort, who has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee twice in the last three years. "I knew I had to step it up. This was my last race and there were a lot of fans and I went after it."

Forbort said he switched to distance spikes for the finals and said he was a lot more comfortable. He had almost the identical time in the preliminaries (1:59.7).

"At about the 300-meter mark I said I better make my move," Forbort said. "From 300 to 400 meters I went from seventh to fourth. At 300 I saw everybody start to bunch up and I didn't want to get caught up in it.

"You've got to leave it all out on the track. It was my senior year and my last race."

Anderson gets

what she wanted

After three unsuccessful years of trying to earn a medal in the state meet, C-I's Krista Anderson finally achieved one of her goals -- twice.

After placing fourth in the 3,200 run Friday, Anderson earned her second medal of the weekend with a sixth-place finish in the 1,600 run Saturday. The top six in each event earn medals.

"It's only a second better than my best ever but I'm happy," said Anderson, who ran the race in 5:16.86, just over 16 seconds slower than winner Julie Gifford of Tracy-Milroy. "I wanted to come down and get the hardware. I've been going for it all these years.

"I got it done in the last lap. That's what I needed to do to get my best time."

Anderson's previous best time was seventh in the 1,600.

Asfeld battles

heat successfully

Wadena-Deer Creek's Adam Asfeld likes to be cool.

The sophomore enjoys running in colder conditions but still finished sixth in the 1,600 run Saturday in plus-90's temperatures in a time of 4:30.98.

"I was pretty happy with my time with the wind and the heat," said Asfeld, competing at state for the first time. "I'm a cooler runner. The sun drains me so bad.

"I learned that it doesn't matter what people are seeded, anyone can run a great race. A lot of people stepped up who were seeded behind me."

Class A area boys results

Team scores -- 1-Plainview 50, 4-Staples-Motley 37, 26-Crosby-Ironton 12, 28-Pequot Lakes 10, 41-Pierz 6, 55-Wadena-Deer Creek 4

4x800 relay -- 1-Staples-Motley (Kurt Detloff, Ryan Klingaman, Jeff Brever, Justin Tholl) 7:58.06; 8-Crosby-Ironton (Trent Anderson, Sam Anderson, Joe Radinovich, Andy Forbort) 8:24.87

Triple jump -- 1-Andrew Aakre (Stephen-Argyle) 45-5.25, 17-Evan Frisk (S-M) 39-11.25

1,600 run -- 1-Brett Edlund (Morris) 4:18.83, 6-Adam Asfeld (Wadena-Deer Creek) 4:30.98, 15-Justin Tholl (S-M) 4:46.66

800 run -- 1-Jordan Barnes (Plainview) 1:56.77, 2-Forbort (C-I), 7-Detloff (S-M) 1:58.92

4x400 relay -- 1-Staples-Motley (Tony Johnson, Detloff, Frisk, Tholl) 3:24.78

Class A area girls results

Team scores -- 1-Holdingford 50, 7-Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale 32, 33-Crosby-Ironton 10, 59-Wadena-Deer Creek 3, 69-Staples-Motley 2

4x800 relay -- 1-Roseau 9:44.29, 8-Staples-Motley (Amanda Hoffert, Brittany Brenny, Britta Binek, Steph Jares) 10:01.55

100 high hurdles -- 1-Amy Nelson (B-H/V) 15.60

1,600 run -- 1-Julie Gifford (Tracy-Milroy) 5:00.52, 6-Krista Anderson (C-I) 5:16.86

4x100 relay -- 1-Brooklyn Center 50.14, 2-Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale (Ashley Rach, Amy Jackson, Courtney Stach, Nelson) 50.74

400 dash -- 1-Annie Hillier (Blake) 57.02, 8-Avery Buresh (W-DC) 1:01.15

300 low hurdles -- 1-Ellen Graef (SW Star Concept) 44.60, 2-Nelson (B-H/V) 46.39

Shot put -- 1-Amy Netland (Bagley/Fosston) 42-6.5, 16-Teresa Parker (Pequot Lakes) 32-8.25