LA CROSSE - Black Hawk junior Katie Place admitted the Warriors did everything to keep the baton dry in the middle of a heavy rain at the WIAA Division 3 state track meet on Saturday.
A pesky rain that made umbrellas as popular as a Wisconsin brat Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium, didn't deter the Black Hawk 400-meter relay team from taking fourth place at state.
"It was definitely in our minds to not let it fall today," Black Hawk senior Savannah Ernzen said. "I think with the rain it was tough to run and turn in a top time."
The Warriors' 400 relay team of Place, Rachel Rygh, Ernzen and Hailey Meier finished with a time of 52.35 seconds. Meier finished seventh in the 400 (1:02.74), which was less than a second from medaling. Place added an 11th place finish in the triple jump (32 feet, 1 1/2 inches.
After a sixth place finish at state last year, Black Hawk wanted to improve.
"We wanted to come back and hopefully do better," Meier said. "When we found out we got fourth, we were really excited."
Pecatonica senior Elise Sigg closed out a historic prep track career with a fourth place finish in the 3,200 run with a time of 11:22.31, which broke Natalie Retrum's previous school record of 11:33.
Sigg, a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee recruit, said she thought she ran a fast time in winning a sectional title in the 3,200 in 11:56.
"I haven't been pushed," Sigg said of many races this year and when she was at state she set a new school record. I was aiming for that."
Sigg, who had been a sprinter until last year, found a niche as a long distance runner as she now owns the school records in the 1,600 and 3,200. She used her speed to surge to a fourth place finish on Saturday.
"I was in seventh at the 100-meters," she said. "I wanted to get a medal so I just went for it."
Albany senior Devan Brugger who finished ninth in the 100 high hurdle preliminaries on Friday to just qualify for the finals saved her best race for last. Brugger battled through the rain to finish sixth in the 100 hurdles with a time of (:16.56).
"At first I was upset with my time because I ran faster at the sectional," Brugger said. "Then I was relieved because I got a medal."
Brugger, who has battled strained and pulled hamstring and quads this year, was honored to win a medal that eluded her last year at state when she took seventh.
"We had a lot of ups and downs this year," Brugger said. "My main goal was to come up here and medal. It wasn't a walk in the park. I can't complain."
Darlington's 800 relay team of Lisa Kreidler, Kayla Lange, Kelsi Blosch and Hannah Huffman took sixth place with a time of 1:50.94.
The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team of Amy Jorgenson, Ciara Wiegel, Olivia Wedig and Hana Miehe finished 10th with a time of 10:07.14. Albany's 3,200 relay team of Jessica Mauerman, Rosy Bauman, Ciara Kubesh and Nicolette Blumer took 13th with a time of 10:23.73.
Miehe added an 11th place finish in the 3,200 (12:03.26) and Monticello junior Kelsey Bernet was 14th (12:25.44). Darlington junior Kara Krahenbuhl finished 15th in the pole vault after clearing 8-6.
A pesky rain that made umbrellas as popular as a Wisconsin brat Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium, didn't deter the Black Hawk 400-meter relay team from taking fourth place at state.
"It was definitely in our minds to not let it fall today," Black Hawk senior Savannah Ernzen said. "I think with the rain it was tough to run and turn in a top time."
The Warriors' 400 relay team of Place, Rachel Rygh, Ernzen and Hailey Meier finished with a time of 52.35 seconds. Meier finished seventh in the 400 (1:02.74), which was less than a second from medaling. Place added an 11th place finish in the triple jump (32 feet, 1 1/2 inches.
After a sixth place finish at state last year, Black Hawk wanted to improve.
"We wanted to come back and hopefully do better," Meier said. "When we found out we got fourth, we were really excited."
Pecatonica senior Elise Sigg closed out a historic prep track career with a fourth place finish in the 3,200 run with a time of 11:22.31, which broke Natalie Retrum's previous school record of 11:33.
Sigg, a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee recruit, said she thought she ran a fast time in winning a sectional title in the 3,200 in 11:56.
"I haven't been pushed," Sigg said of many races this year and when she was at state she set a new school record. I was aiming for that."
Sigg, who had been a sprinter until last year, found a niche as a long distance runner as she now owns the school records in the 1,600 and 3,200. She used her speed to surge to a fourth place finish on Saturday.
"I was in seventh at the 100-meters," she said. "I wanted to get a medal so I just went for it."
Albany senior Devan Brugger who finished ninth in the 100 high hurdle preliminaries on Friday to just qualify for the finals saved her best race for last. Brugger battled through the rain to finish sixth in the 100 hurdles with a time of (:16.56).
"At first I was upset with my time because I ran faster at the sectional," Brugger said. "Then I was relieved because I got a medal."
Brugger, who has battled strained and pulled hamstring and quads this year, was honored to win a medal that eluded her last year at state when she took seventh.
"We had a lot of ups and downs this year," Brugger said. "My main goal was to come up here and medal. It wasn't a walk in the park. I can't complain."
Darlington's 800 relay team of Lisa Kreidler, Kayla Lange, Kelsi Blosch and Hannah Huffman took sixth place with a time of 1:50.94.
The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team of Amy Jorgenson, Ciara Wiegel, Olivia Wedig and Hana Miehe finished 10th with a time of 10:07.14. Albany's 3,200 relay team of Jessica Mauerman, Rosy Bauman, Ciara Kubesh and Nicolette Blumer took 13th with a time of 10:23.73.
Miehe added an 11th place finish in the 3,200 (12:03.26) and Monticello junior Kelsey Bernet was 14th (12:25.44). Darlington junior Kara Krahenbuhl finished 15th in the pole vault after clearing 8-6.
