LA CROSSE - Steve Christiansen couldn't think of a better graduation gift then to win the WIAA Division 2 state championship in the 3,200-meter relay Friday, May 31 at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
It's the third straight state championship for the Cheesemakers. Christiansen, a Monroe senior, now has some hardware he can bring home for Sunday's graduation.
"We kind of have a little dynasty in the 3,200 relay," Christiansen said. "To go out on top feels great."
Christiansen teamed with junior Jake Hirsbrunner, senior Alex Barenklau and junior Ethan Moehn to win the 3,200 relay with a time of 7 minutes, 52.75 seconds, which was about two seconds off their state record time last year.
"Goal No. 1 was to win the race," Moehn said. "Anything on top of that would have been icing on the cake. It's not a huge deal not to get the record. It's very exciting. I'm not sure how many teams that have won three in a row."
Christiansen ran a strong first leg and the Cheesemakers were in fifth place. Hirsbrunner made his move and helped the Cheesemakers surge to the lead on his second lap. Barenklau and Moehn weren't challenged and ran alone as the Cheesemakers won the race by about eight seconds over Dodgeville-Mineral Point.
"The main goal every year is to win the 4x800," Barenklau said. "That (three-peat) will definitely be the most memorable thing I have done. We ran what we needed to."
Hirsbrunner remained confident even though the Cheesemakers trailed early on.
"Steve ran pretty good," Hirsbrunner said. "Most of the teams ran their best guy first. There was a lot going through my head with it being the state meet and with the crowd. I didn't want to go out too fast. I made my move on the second lap, which is what I wanted to do. I didn't run as fast as I wanted to."
Monroe boys track coach Curt Miller was thrilled the Cheesemakers could win a third straight title.
"This is a team and a program award," Miller said. "It's a credit to (long distance coaches) Dave Hirsbrunner and Howie Jubeck. For them to be powerful every year (in the 3,200 relay) is impressive."
Sugar River junior Garrison Woods finished third in the triple jump with a jump of 44 feet, 11 1/2 inches. Woods, who was the state runner-up last year, saved his best jump for state. He will get a chance to earn another medal today in the long jump.
"Garrison is a really competitive kid," Sugar River coach Dan Schettler said. "He was just 6 inches off his PR. I thought he had a good day jumping."
Sugar River junior Kelvin Johnson took second in the preliminaries of the 300 hurdles (40.03) to qualify for the finals.
"I think we approached it with the idea that he could make it to the finals," Schettler said. "Anything can happen from there. He still can run cleaner than he did today."
Monroe sophomore Seth Calaway finished 11th in the preliminaries of the 100 and missed qualifying for the finals by 0.01 seconds. Calaway wasn't the only Cheesemaker runner to come up short. Barenklau finished 11th in the preliminaries of the 400 (51.70) and missed qualifying for the finals by 0.59 seconds.
"Seth really focused on putting his best race out there," Miller said. "He was right in the mix with the state's best for making the finals even though he wasn't supposed to."
The Cheesemakers' 1,600 relay team of Christiansen, Hirsbrunner, Barenklau and Payton Hoesly took 12th in the preliminaries (3:29.28) and were about one second away from Lodi for the 10th and final qualifying spot in the finals.
"We all ran our race," Christiansen said of the 1,600 relay in which the Cheesemakers finished second last year. "There were some really good teams there. It didn't pan out for us."
Shorewood and River Valley have the lead for the state team championship with 15 points just ahead of Dodgeville-Mineral Point (12).
Monroe is in a four-way tie for fourth place (10) along with Edgerton, Marinette and Ashton. The Cheesemakers have five events competing in the finals today. Moehn is the No. 2 seed in the 800 and Hirsbrunner is the No. 3 seed. Moehn is the 10th seed in the 1,600 (4:29.97) and junior Noah Tostrud is the 12th seed (4:30.70) Hirsbrunner is also tied as the No. 2 seed in the high jump (6-4).
"There are five or six teams competing for the top spot," Miller said. "We are one of them. We can do it as well as anyone can if we perform."
In the girls Division 2 state meet, Sugar River senior Madeline Brunner finished fourth in the 800 with a personal record time of 2:16.17.
"Sometimes you look at kids and just want them to make it to state," Schettler said of Brunner. "Madeline has worked really hard. I'm happy she got there and medaled."
The Raiders' 800 relay team of Emily Diaz, Emily DeNure, Brunner and Alexis Hanson took sixth in the preliminaries (1:48.99) to qualify for the finals.
Hanson took 11th in the preliminaries of the 200 (27.39) and missed qualifying for the finals by 0.7 seconds.
"We felt confident we could get them to the finals," Schettler said of the 800 relay. "We certainly think they are capable of that (medaling). They had a couple of shaky handoffs. We have to fine-tune the handoffs."
It's the third straight state championship for the Cheesemakers. Christiansen, a Monroe senior, now has some hardware he can bring home for Sunday's graduation.
"We kind of have a little dynasty in the 3,200 relay," Christiansen said. "To go out on top feels great."
Christiansen teamed with junior Jake Hirsbrunner, senior Alex Barenklau and junior Ethan Moehn to win the 3,200 relay with a time of 7 minutes, 52.75 seconds, which was about two seconds off their state record time last year.
"Goal No. 1 was to win the race," Moehn said. "Anything on top of that would have been icing on the cake. It's not a huge deal not to get the record. It's very exciting. I'm not sure how many teams that have won three in a row."
Christiansen ran a strong first leg and the Cheesemakers were in fifth place. Hirsbrunner made his move and helped the Cheesemakers surge to the lead on his second lap. Barenklau and Moehn weren't challenged and ran alone as the Cheesemakers won the race by about eight seconds over Dodgeville-Mineral Point.
"The main goal every year is to win the 4x800," Barenklau said. "That (three-peat) will definitely be the most memorable thing I have done. We ran what we needed to."
Hirsbrunner remained confident even though the Cheesemakers trailed early on.
"Steve ran pretty good," Hirsbrunner said. "Most of the teams ran their best guy first. There was a lot going through my head with it being the state meet and with the crowd. I didn't want to go out too fast. I made my move on the second lap, which is what I wanted to do. I didn't run as fast as I wanted to."
Monroe boys track coach Curt Miller was thrilled the Cheesemakers could win a third straight title.
"This is a team and a program award," Miller said. "It's a credit to (long distance coaches) Dave Hirsbrunner and Howie Jubeck. For them to be powerful every year (in the 3,200 relay) is impressive."
Sugar River junior Garrison Woods finished third in the triple jump with a jump of 44 feet, 11 1/2 inches. Woods, who was the state runner-up last year, saved his best jump for state. He will get a chance to earn another medal today in the long jump.
"Garrison is a really competitive kid," Sugar River coach Dan Schettler said. "He was just 6 inches off his PR. I thought he had a good day jumping."
Sugar River junior Kelvin Johnson took second in the preliminaries of the 300 hurdles (40.03) to qualify for the finals.
"I think we approached it with the idea that he could make it to the finals," Schettler said. "Anything can happen from there. He still can run cleaner than he did today."
Monroe sophomore Seth Calaway finished 11th in the preliminaries of the 100 and missed qualifying for the finals by 0.01 seconds. Calaway wasn't the only Cheesemaker runner to come up short. Barenklau finished 11th in the preliminaries of the 400 (51.70) and missed qualifying for the finals by 0.59 seconds.
"Seth really focused on putting his best race out there," Miller said. "He was right in the mix with the state's best for making the finals even though he wasn't supposed to."
The Cheesemakers' 1,600 relay team of Christiansen, Hirsbrunner, Barenklau and Payton Hoesly took 12th in the preliminaries (3:29.28) and were about one second away from Lodi for the 10th and final qualifying spot in the finals.
"We all ran our race," Christiansen said of the 1,600 relay in which the Cheesemakers finished second last year. "There were some really good teams there. It didn't pan out for us."
Shorewood and River Valley have the lead for the state team championship with 15 points just ahead of Dodgeville-Mineral Point (12).
Monroe is in a four-way tie for fourth place (10) along with Edgerton, Marinette and Ashton. The Cheesemakers have five events competing in the finals today. Moehn is the No. 2 seed in the 800 and Hirsbrunner is the No. 3 seed. Moehn is the 10th seed in the 1,600 (4:29.97) and junior Noah Tostrud is the 12th seed (4:30.70) Hirsbrunner is also tied as the No. 2 seed in the high jump (6-4).
"There are five or six teams competing for the top spot," Miller said. "We are one of them. We can do it as well as anyone can if we perform."
In the girls Division 2 state meet, Sugar River senior Madeline Brunner finished fourth in the 800 with a personal record time of 2:16.17.
"Sometimes you look at kids and just want them to make it to state," Schettler said of Brunner. "Madeline has worked really hard. I'm happy she got there and medaled."
The Raiders' 800 relay team of Emily Diaz, Emily DeNure, Brunner and Alexis Hanson took sixth in the preliminaries (1:48.99) to qualify for the finals.
Hanson took 11th in the preliminaries of the 200 (27.39) and missed qualifying for the finals by 0.7 seconds.
"We felt confident we could get them to the finals," Schettler said of the 800 relay. "We certainly think they are capable of that (medaling). They had a couple of shaky handoffs. We have to fine-tune the handoffs."
