LA CROSSE - Brodhead-Juda junior Brekan Day can now rest after battling some nerves and then sailing to a state championship in the high jump at the WIAA Division 2 state meet on Saturday at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Day won the high jump after clearing 6 feet, 6 inches. He entered the state meet as the top seed and a season-best jump of 6-7 1/4.
"It's breath-taking," Day said. "It makes me go back to my childhood. I have always dreamed of winning the high jump. It makes my dream come true."
Day missed his first jump at 6-0. He gathered himself and made the adjustments needed to excel.
"I was really nervous my first couple of jumps," Day said. "My mental state really wasn't there. After that jump it really started clicking."
"I knew it would take a high height," Day said. "I prepared myself mentally and physically."
Another aspect that made Day's first state meet is senior teammate Jeff Moss finishing fifth in the high jump (6-2). The one-two punch gave the Brodhead-Juda boys track team a 15th-place finish at state with 15 points out of more than 65 teams. Monroe finished 21st. Xavier edged Rice Lake for the state team title 44-37.
"It's an amazing feeling," Day said. "I'm really proud he came up here too. I'm really proud of how much he has improved."
Moss was excited to earn a medal after entering the state meet seeded ninth in the high jump.
"I never thought I would be here," Moss said. "It was an overall good experience and I'm glad I'm here. There is no other person I would want to be here with than Brekan. I will always remember this. It's a big accomplishment."
In the girls Division 2 state meet, Brodhead-Juda junior Madee Harding finished second in the 400-meter dash in a school-record time of 56.97 seconds. Harding also added a fifth-place finish in the 200 (26.22). She broke the previous school record by Shannon Klein. Harding like Klein transferred from Orfordville Parkview to Brodhead as a freshman.
"We always say those Parkview transfers and the 400," Harding said after finishing as the state-runner-up and breaking Klein's school record.
The warm weather near 90 degrees didn't phase Harding: In fact, she thrived in the heat. Arcadia senior Abbey Zastow, the favorite to win the gold medal in the 400, pulled up late in the race and looked to battle an injury. She walked to the finish line in tears and was helped off the track.
"I always like to be pushed when there is a challenge," Harding said. "I want to push myself when there are doubts or a challenge. I keep moving up every year."
It marks Harding's third medal in the 400. As a freshman, she finished fifth in the 400 and she took fourth last year.
Sugar River senior Krista Diaz took second in the 100 hurdles (15.74).
Diaz's teammate, Sugar River senior Noelle Maire, picked up her second medal over the weekend taking third in the 3,200 (11:23.46). Maire also placed sixth in the 1,600 on Friday.
Brodhead-Juda senior Reuben Larson finished eighth in the 300 hurdles (40.23) and was 0.18 seconds away from a medal for the Cardinals.
Coleman edged Rosholt 43-39 for the Division 3 boys state team championship. Darlington finished 19th (13). The Redbirds entered the state meet with the most events at state in Division 3 (10).
Darlington junior Grady Rielly finished fourth in the 300 hurdles (40.38) and fifth in the 110 high hurdles (16.01).
Rielly said it was great to medal in both the 110 and 300 hurdles.
"I made it to state in the 110 hurdles last year, but I didn't make the finals," he said. "My goal was to make the finals and make it on the podium."
Senior teammate Conner Hackett took eighth in the 3,200 (10:13.16) and junior Paul King was 17th (11:34.34).
Darlington junior Tanner Evenstad placed 11th in the 800 (2:05.50) and sophomore teammate Tucker Lange was 14th (2:07.01).
Darlington's 800 relay team of sophomore Blake Whalen, junior Kameron Blosch, junior Curtis Blosch and senior Jared Meister took eighth (1:33.28).
In the girls Division 3 state meet, Pecatonica-Argyle Josie Pennsiton finished sixth in the 400 (59.32) and ninth in the 200 (27.70). It marks Penniston's third medal in the 400 in her career. Penniston, who will compete for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse track team next year, enjoyed running in her final state meet.
"I'm not as nervous because this is going to be my home track," Penniston said. "I absolutely love everything about La Crosse."
Penniston said she was proud to medal in the 400 considering the competition and the warmer weather.
Darlington junior Kennedy Rankin placed 10th in the discus (110-11). Junior teammate Hunter Weber took 13th in the pole vault (9-0).
Albany's 3,200 relay team of freshman Kirstin O'Bel, sophomore Megan Anderson, junior Emma Guenther and senior Ciara Kaderly finished ninth (10:10.17). The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team of junior Emma Crist, junior Erin Wolf, sophomore Ilse Mendez and senior Paige Schilling took 134th (10:21.96).
The Redbirds' 800 relay team of senior Sadie Fitzsimons, sophomore Kaylee Meyers, freshman Lizzie Schwartz and sophomore Kathleen Mathias finished ninth (1:50.13).
Day won the high jump after clearing 6 feet, 6 inches. He entered the state meet as the top seed and a season-best jump of 6-7 1/4.
"It's breath-taking," Day said. "It makes me go back to my childhood. I have always dreamed of winning the high jump. It makes my dream come true."
Day missed his first jump at 6-0. He gathered himself and made the adjustments needed to excel.
"I was really nervous my first couple of jumps," Day said. "My mental state really wasn't there. After that jump it really started clicking."
"I knew it would take a high height," Day said. "I prepared myself mentally and physically."
Another aspect that made Day's first state meet is senior teammate Jeff Moss finishing fifth in the high jump (6-2). The one-two punch gave the Brodhead-Juda boys track team a 15th-place finish at state with 15 points out of more than 65 teams. Monroe finished 21st. Xavier edged Rice Lake for the state team title 44-37.
"It's an amazing feeling," Day said. "I'm really proud he came up here too. I'm really proud of how much he has improved."
Moss was excited to earn a medal after entering the state meet seeded ninth in the high jump.
"I never thought I would be here," Moss said. "It was an overall good experience and I'm glad I'm here. There is no other person I would want to be here with than Brekan. I will always remember this. It's a big accomplishment."
In the girls Division 2 state meet, Brodhead-Juda junior Madee Harding finished second in the 400-meter dash in a school-record time of 56.97 seconds. Harding also added a fifth-place finish in the 200 (26.22). She broke the previous school record by Shannon Klein. Harding like Klein transferred from Orfordville Parkview to Brodhead as a freshman.
"We always say those Parkview transfers and the 400," Harding said after finishing as the state-runner-up and breaking Klein's school record.
The warm weather near 90 degrees didn't phase Harding: In fact, she thrived in the heat. Arcadia senior Abbey Zastow, the favorite to win the gold medal in the 400, pulled up late in the race and looked to battle an injury. She walked to the finish line in tears and was helped off the track.
"I always like to be pushed when there is a challenge," Harding said. "I want to push myself when there are doubts or a challenge. I keep moving up every year."
It marks Harding's third medal in the 400. As a freshman, she finished fifth in the 400 and she took fourth last year.
Sugar River senior Krista Diaz took second in the 100 hurdles (15.74).
Diaz's teammate, Sugar River senior Noelle Maire, picked up her second medal over the weekend taking third in the 3,200 (11:23.46). Maire also placed sixth in the 1,600 on Friday.
Brodhead-Juda senior Reuben Larson finished eighth in the 300 hurdles (40.23) and was 0.18 seconds away from a medal for the Cardinals.
Coleman edged Rosholt 43-39 for the Division 3 boys state team championship. Darlington finished 19th (13). The Redbirds entered the state meet with the most events at state in Division 3 (10).
Darlington junior Grady Rielly finished fourth in the 300 hurdles (40.38) and fifth in the 110 high hurdles (16.01).
Rielly said it was great to medal in both the 110 and 300 hurdles.
"I made it to state in the 110 hurdles last year, but I didn't make the finals," he said. "My goal was to make the finals and make it on the podium."
Senior teammate Conner Hackett took eighth in the 3,200 (10:13.16) and junior Paul King was 17th (11:34.34).
Darlington junior Tanner Evenstad placed 11th in the 800 (2:05.50) and sophomore teammate Tucker Lange was 14th (2:07.01).
Darlington's 800 relay team of sophomore Blake Whalen, junior Kameron Blosch, junior Curtis Blosch and senior Jared Meister took eighth (1:33.28).
In the girls Division 3 state meet, Pecatonica-Argyle Josie Pennsiton finished sixth in the 400 (59.32) and ninth in the 200 (27.70). It marks Penniston's third medal in the 400 in her career. Penniston, who will compete for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse track team next year, enjoyed running in her final state meet.
"I'm not as nervous because this is going to be my home track," Penniston said. "I absolutely love everything about La Crosse."
Penniston said she was proud to medal in the 400 considering the competition and the warmer weather.
Darlington junior Kennedy Rankin placed 10th in the discus (110-11). Junior teammate Hunter Weber took 13th in the pole vault (9-0).
Albany's 3,200 relay team of freshman Kirstin O'Bel, sophomore Megan Anderson, junior Emma Guenther and senior Ciara Kaderly finished ninth (10:10.17). The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team of junior Emma Crist, junior Erin Wolf, sophomore Ilse Mendez and senior Paige Schilling took 134th (10:21.96).
The Redbirds' 800 relay team of senior Sadie Fitzsimons, sophomore Kaylee Meyers, freshman Lizzie Schwartz and sophomore Kathleen Mathias finished ninth (1:50.13).
