MONROE - The Monroe boys track team had to wait one more day, but the Cheesemakers turned in a dominating performance winning the WIAA Division 2 McFarland regional Wednesday.
Monroe outdistanced Sugar River for the regional team title 169-142 one day after the regional meet was postponed due to lightning and rain. The Cheesemakers will send 10 individuals in 15 events and four relay teams to the Division 2 Viroqua sectional Friday. The top four finishers in each event advance to the sectional.
"It definitely wasn't our goal we were going after," Monroe boys track coach Curt Miller said of winning the regional. "It's nice to have it happen because of where we are as a program."
Monroe senior Ethan Moehn, a University of Arkansas recruit, won the 800-meter run (1 minute, 58.782 seconds), which was just ahead of senior teammate Jake Hirsbrunner (1:58.784). The Cheesemakers stacked the long-distance events with Moehn, Hirsbrunner and senior Noah Tostrud. The Cheesemakers had three of the top four sectional qualifiers in both the 800 and 1,600. Moehn won the 3,200 (9:52.20) and took third in the 1,600 (4:43.36).
The Cheesemakers qualified every relay for the sectional. However, the Cheesemakers will look to win a fourth straight 3,200 relay state title without Moehn, who has elected to run the 800, 1,600 and 3,200.
"We had a meeting with the kids and we looked at who has a shot at contributing at state," Miller said. "Our kids want to go after a strong team finish at state. Ethan gave up a chance to be a four-time state champion in the 3,200 relay so we could have a strong finish as a team."
Monroe senior Noah Tostrud won the 1,600 (4:43.10) and took second in the 3,200 (9:56.59).
Hirsbrunner won the high jump (6 feet) and took fourth in the 1,600 (4:43.46). Monroe junior Cody Faust finished fourth in the 800 with a lifetime best time of 2:01.68. The other area sectional qualifier in the 800 was Brodhead-Juda sophomore Dylan Johnson (2:00.97). Faust teamed with Tostrud, senior Trevor Blum and sophomore Derek Christiansen to win the 3,200 relay (8:25.55) and he anchored the 1,600 relay team to a to a fourth-place finish.
"He's a guy who doesn't get a lot of attention," Miller said of Faust. "There are a lot of teams who would love to have him as their No. 1 runner."
In the 1,600 relay, Faust teamed with Alex Koller, Christiansen and Cody Wolf to take fourth (3:36). The Cheesemakers also had some dominating sprinting performances with two of the top three in the 100. Monroe senior Forrest Klug-Hanson finished second (11.346) and junior Seth Calaway was third (11.38). Monroe senior Dakota Phillips finished as the regional champion in the 200 (22.87) and both the 400 and 800 relay teams qualified for the sectional. Hanson teamed with Phillips, Blain Harpstrite and Calaway to win the 400 relay (44.69) just ahead of second-place Sugar River (45.64). Brodhead-Juda took third (46.55). In the 800 relay, Harpstrite teamed with senior Blake Bast, Hanson and Phillips to finish first (1:32.76), which was ahead of second-place Sugar River (1:34.10).
"Our sprint crew really came through today," Miller said. "We have a lot of nice depth there. At this point in the season it's time for the guys to step up and contribute at the state meet."
Monroe senior Grant Keith took third in the pole vault (12-0) and Bast was fourth (11-6). Monroe sophomore Mitch Keith took fifth (11-6), but just missed advancing because he had more misses. Monroe senior Blake Duffy took fourth in the 300 hurdles (44.15).
"It's great to see a couple of seniors get rewarded for their hard work," Miller said of Grant Keith and Bast. "Grant has earned what he has got in the pole vault. He will have a chance to qualify for state."
Sugar River senior Kelvin Johnson won two regional titles in the 110 high hurdles (16.05) and the 300 hurdles (41.73). Junior teammate Colton Boley also qualified for the sectional in both the 110 hurdles where he finished second (16.5) and the 300 hurdles where he took 42.75).
Sugar River senior Garrison Woods was a regional champion in the long jump (20-4 1/2) and the triple jump (43-0). Junior teammate Ryan Hayes took third in the 200 (23.40) and junior Tanner Hofer was third in the 400 (53.32).
For Brodhead-Juda, junior Logan Maurer won the shot put (50-0 1/4) and the discus (153-8). Sugar River sophomore Landon Zimmerman took second in both the shot put (43-9 1/4) and the discus (145-5). Junior teammate Jackson McMahan took third in the shot put (43-6 1/4). Brodhead-Juda junior Gavin Baade took third in the discus (143-2), and Sugar River senior Joey Beil was fourth (124-1). Brodhead-Juda junior Mitchell Johnson took fourth in the 110 high hurdles (16.84).
In the girls' regional meet, Monroe took fourth (95) and qualified six individuals in seven events for the sectional, including three relays. McFarland used a home track advantage to win a regional team title 140-104.5 over Madison Edgewood.
"In regionals you are really not concerned about the points," Monroe girls track coach Doug Miller said. "The points are secondary to advancing."
Monroe freshman Jordan Hirsbrunner won a regional championship in the 300 hurdles (47.83). It was a season-best time for Hirsbrunner.
"She ran a great 300 hurdles," Doug Miller said. "That was probably our best single event of this meet."
Hirsbrunner also took first in the high jump (5-0). The other regional championships for the Cheesemakers were sophomore Abby Oudinot in the triple jump (32-7 1/2) and senior Tre Voegeli in the pole vault (10-0).
The Cheesemakers' 400 relay team of Lauren Werth, Mafer Larraga, Oudinot and Josie Eberle finished second in a photo finish with a time of 51.63, which was .01 seconds behind Beloit Turner.
"They just nipped us," Doug Miller said. "I like where we are sitting going into the sectional."
The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team of Isabel Bazley, Werth, Larraga and Hirsbrunner took second with a time of 1:50.08.
Monroe freshman Alicia Kuester finished second in the long jump (14-10) behind regional champion Carly Mohns of Brodhead (15-10). Senior teammate Savannah Koester took fourth in the high jump (4-10) and Werth was third in the 100 (13.28). Eberle and Hirsbrunner teamed with Bazley and Larraga to take third in the 1,600 relay (4:15.75).
Sugar River freshman Krista Diaz was a regional champion in the 100 hurdles (15.99) and took second in the 300 hurdles (47.90). Freshman teammate Noelle Maire took third in the 3,200 (11:48.91), freshman Grace Schulting took second in the triple jump (31-7) and third in the long jump (14-8). Sugar River junior Ashley Clark was third in the pole vault (9-0). The Raiders added a second-place finish in the 3,200 relay (10:05.39) and a third-place finish in the 800 relay (1:50.83).
Brodhead-Juda senior Meg Duffield finished third in the 400 (1:04.19) and sophomore teammate Taylor Bluemel took fourth in the 1,600 (5:26.20). The Cardinals received fourth-place finishes from junior Paige Hoesly in the triple jump (31-0 1/2), sophomore Ann Beyer in the shot put (31-3) and senior Alicia Condon in the discus (116-3).
Monroe outdistanced Sugar River for the regional team title 169-142 one day after the regional meet was postponed due to lightning and rain. The Cheesemakers will send 10 individuals in 15 events and four relay teams to the Division 2 Viroqua sectional Friday. The top four finishers in each event advance to the sectional.
"It definitely wasn't our goal we were going after," Monroe boys track coach Curt Miller said of winning the regional. "It's nice to have it happen because of where we are as a program."
Monroe senior Ethan Moehn, a University of Arkansas recruit, won the 800-meter run (1 minute, 58.782 seconds), which was just ahead of senior teammate Jake Hirsbrunner (1:58.784). The Cheesemakers stacked the long-distance events with Moehn, Hirsbrunner and senior Noah Tostrud. The Cheesemakers had three of the top four sectional qualifiers in both the 800 and 1,600. Moehn won the 3,200 (9:52.20) and took third in the 1,600 (4:43.36).
The Cheesemakers qualified every relay for the sectional. However, the Cheesemakers will look to win a fourth straight 3,200 relay state title without Moehn, who has elected to run the 800, 1,600 and 3,200.
"We had a meeting with the kids and we looked at who has a shot at contributing at state," Miller said. "Our kids want to go after a strong team finish at state. Ethan gave up a chance to be a four-time state champion in the 3,200 relay so we could have a strong finish as a team."
Monroe senior Noah Tostrud won the 1,600 (4:43.10) and took second in the 3,200 (9:56.59).
Hirsbrunner won the high jump (6 feet) and took fourth in the 1,600 (4:43.46). Monroe junior Cody Faust finished fourth in the 800 with a lifetime best time of 2:01.68. The other area sectional qualifier in the 800 was Brodhead-Juda sophomore Dylan Johnson (2:00.97). Faust teamed with Tostrud, senior Trevor Blum and sophomore Derek Christiansen to win the 3,200 relay (8:25.55) and he anchored the 1,600 relay team to a to a fourth-place finish.
"He's a guy who doesn't get a lot of attention," Miller said of Faust. "There are a lot of teams who would love to have him as their No. 1 runner."
In the 1,600 relay, Faust teamed with Alex Koller, Christiansen and Cody Wolf to take fourth (3:36). The Cheesemakers also had some dominating sprinting performances with two of the top three in the 100. Monroe senior Forrest Klug-Hanson finished second (11.346) and junior Seth Calaway was third (11.38). Monroe senior Dakota Phillips finished as the regional champion in the 200 (22.87) and both the 400 and 800 relay teams qualified for the sectional. Hanson teamed with Phillips, Blain Harpstrite and Calaway to win the 400 relay (44.69) just ahead of second-place Sugar River (45.64). Brodhead-Juda took third (46.55). In the 800 relay, Harpstrite teamed with senior Blake Bast, Hanson and Phillips to finish first (1:32.76), which was ahead of second-place Sugar River (1:34.10).
"Our sprint crew really came through today," Miller said. "We have a lot of nice depth there. At this point in the season it's time for the guys to step up and contribute at the state meet."
Monroe senior Grant Keith took third in the pole vault (12-0) and Bast was fourth (11-6). Monroe sophomore Mitch Keith took fifth (11-6), but just missed advancing because he had more misses. Monroe senior Blake Duffy took fourth in the 300 hurdles (44.15).
"It's great to see a couple of seniors get rewarded for their hard work," Miller said of Grant Keith and Bast. "Grant has earned what he has got in the pole vault. He will have a chance to qualify for state."
Sugar River senior Kelvin Johnson won two regional titles in the 110 high hurdles (16.05) and the 300 hurdles (41.73). Junior teammate Colton Boley also qualified for the sectional in both the 110 hurdles where he finished second (16.5) and the 300 hurdles where he took 42.75).
Sugar River senior Garrison Woods was a regional champion in the long jump (20-4 1/2) and the triple jump (43-0). Junior teammate Ryan Hayes took third in the 200 (23.40) and junior Tanner Hofer was third in the 400 (53.32).
For Brodhead-Juda, junior Logan Maurer won the shot put (50-0 1/4) and the discus (153-8). Sugar River sophomore Landon Zimmerman took second in both the shot put (43-9 1/4) and the discus (145-5). Junior teammate Jackson McMahan took third in the shot put (43-6 1/4). Brodhead-Juda junior Gavin Baade took third in the discus (143-2), and Sugar River senior Joey Beil was fourth (124-1). Brodhead-Juda junior Mitchell Johnson took fourth in the 110 high hurdles (16.84).
In the girls' regional meet, Monroe took fourth (95) and qualified six individuals in seven events for the sectional, including three relays. McFarland used a home track advantage to win a regional team title 140-104.5 over Madison Edgewood.
"In regionals you are really not concerned about the points," Monroe girls track coach Doug Miller said. "The points are secondary to advancing."
Monroe freshman Jordan Hirsbrunner won a regional championship in the 300 hurdles (47.83). It was a season-best time for Hirsbrunner.
"She ran a great 300 hurdles," Doug Miller said. "That was probably our best single event of this meet."
Hirsbrunner also took first in the high jump (5-0). The other regional championships for the Cheesemakers were sophomore Abby Oudinot in the triple jump (32-7 1/2) and senior Tre Voegeli in the pole vault (10-0).
The Cheesemakers' 400 relay team of Lauren Werth, Mafer Larraga, Oudinot and Josie Eberle finished second in a photo finish with a time of 51.63, which was .01 seconds behind Beloit Turner.
"They just nipped us," Doug Miller said. "I like where we are sitting going into the sectional."
The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team of Isabel Bazley, Werth, Larraga and Hirsbrunner took second with a time of 1:50.08.
Monroe freshman Alicia Kuester finished second in the long jump (14-10) behind regional champion Carly Mohns of Brodhead (15-10). Senior teammate Savannah Koester took fourth in the high jump (4-10) and Werth was third in the 100 (13.28). Eberle and Hirsbrunner teamed with Bazley and Larraga to take third in the 1,600 relay (4:15.75).
Sugar River freshman Krista Diaz was a regional champion in the 100 hurdles (15.99) and took second in the 300 hurdles (47.90). Freshman teammate Noelle Maire took third in the 3,200 (11:48.91), freshman Grace Schulting took second in the triple jump (31-7) and third in the long jump (14-8). Sugar River junior Ashley Clark was third in the pole vault (9-0). The Raiders added a second-place finish in the 3,200 relay (10:05.39) and a third-place finish in the 800 relay (1:50.83).
Brodhead-Juda senior Meg Duffield finished third in the 400 (1:04.19) and sophomore teammate Taylor Bluemel took fourth in the 1,600 (5:26.20). The Cardinals received fourth-place finishes from junior Paige Hoesly in the triple jump (31-0 1/2), sophomore Ann Beyer in the shot put (31-3) and senior Alicia Condon in the discus (116-3).
