LA CROSSE - When Monroe junior Jordan Hirsbrunner won a state championship in the 300-meter hurdles Saturday at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Veterans Memorial Stadium, it was a historic ending to a golden season.
Hirsbrunner won the state title by running the 300 hurdles in a lifetime best time of 43.94 seconds to beat two-time state champion Mikaela Grant of Jefferson by about 1 second. Hirsbrunner's time is the ninth fastest in the history of Wisconsin track and field and was just 0.31 seconds away from the state record Grant set in 2015. Hirsbrunner broke her previous school record in the event and won a gold medal.
"Everything turned out how I always dreamed about it," Hirsbrunner said. "I knew it would come down to Mikaela Grant and I. It came down to one final race. It went exactly how I wanted it to. Anything can happen at the state meet and it just worked out for me. It was a very emotional moment. I don't think I will ever forget this weekend."
Monroe girls track coach Matt Davis wasn't surprised by Hirsbrunner's state title because of all the work she put into improving in the hurdles during the offseason.
"She (Hirsbrunner) certainly has worked hard all year to achieve her goal," Davis said. "Jordan did a phenomenal job and delivered big. Her time in the 300 hurdles is one of 15 best times in the history of Wisconsin. Feeling the pressure of two-time state champion Mikaela Grant and beating her by one second, that is like by a mile in the 300 hurdles."
Brodhead-Juda had all five events it had at the state tournament medal to take seventh place as a team with 25 points, just ahead of eighth-place Monroe (23).
That eighth-place team finish is the second-best state meet finish in the history of the Monroe girls track program.
"The thing I'm the most happy with is everyone of our girls and running events came home with a medal," Davis said. "That is special. There are many years that has not happened.
"I have to give Brodhead-Juda credit. They had a great state meet. It's nice to see a neighboring town do well."
Jefferson, led by senior Grant who won two individual state titles in the 100 hurdles (14.93) and long jump (18 feet-51⁄2 inches), captured the state team championship, racking up 44 points to edge state runner-up Wisconsin Lutheran (42) and Lakeside Lutheran (37).
Five of the seven events the Cheesemakers had at state medaled.
The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team of senior Isabel Bazley, senior Abby Oudinot, freshman Cammi Ganshert and Hirsbrunner finished fourth with a time of 1:45.73.
"It wasn't their fastest time," Davis said. "They went out and competed well. We were at the max of our potential."
Hirsbrunner said winning a medal in all three relays shows how deep the Monroe track team was this season.
"Running at the state meet is a lot of fun," she said. "I think what made it even better was I got to experience it with my best friends on the team."
Monroe junior Josie Eberle teamed with Bazley, Oudinot and Ganshert to take sixth in the 400 relay (50.38).
"That was one of their fastest times of the year," Davis said. "They ran what they had to do to get on the podium."
There was a 1 hour, 45 minute lightning delay before the 1,600 relay. The Cheesemakers' 1,600 relay team of Bazley, sophomore Mya Waterman, Ganshert and Hirsbrunner finished sixth with a time of 4:02.94.
"There is never anything good about a weather delay," Davis said. "The girls started warming up and getting ready mentally and then the delay came. They still got on the podium."
Eberle cleared 9-6 to take 10th in the pole vault and Oudinot finished 11th in the triple jump (34-10 1/2).
"Josie had her best pole vault of the year at state and Abby was within 1/2 inch of her best jump," Davis said.
Hirsbrunner won the state title by running the 300 hurdles in a lifetime best time of 43.94 seconds to beat two-time state champion Mikaela Grant of Jefferson by about 1 second. Hirsbrunner's time is the ninth fastest in the history of Wisconsin track and field and was just 0.31 seconds away from the state record Grant set in 2015. Hirsbrunner broke her previous school record in the event and won a gold medal.
"Everything turned out how I always dreamed about it," Hirsbrunner said. "I knew it would come down to Mikaela Grant and I. It came down to one final race. It went exactly how I wanted it to. Anything can happen at the state meet and it just worked out for me. It was a very emotional moment. I don't think I will ever forget this weekend."
Monroe girls track coach Matt Davis wasn't surprised by Hirsbrunner's state title because of all the work she put into improving in the hurdles during the offseason.
"She (Hirsbrunner) certainly has worked hard all year to achieve her goal," Davis said. "Jordan did a phenomenal job and delivered big. Her time in the 300 hurdles is one of 15 best times in the history of Wisconsin. Feeling the pressure of two-time state champion Mikaela Grant and beating her by one second, that is like by a mile in the 300 hurdles."
Brodhead-Juda had all five events it had at the state tournament medal to take seventh place as a team with 25 points, just ahead of eighth-place Monroe (23).
That eighth-place team finish is the second-best state meet finish in the history of the Monroe girls track program.
"The thing I'm the most happy with is everyone of our girls and running events came home with a medal," Davis said. "That is special. There are many years that has not happened.
"I have to give Brodhead-Juda credit. They had a great state meet. It's nice to see a neighboring town do well."
Jefferson, led by senior Grant who won two individual state titles in the 100 hurdles (14.93) and long jump (18 feet-51⁄2 inches), captured the state team championship, racking up 44 points to edge state runner-up Wisconsin Lutheran (42) and Lakeside Lutheran (37).
Five of the seven events the Cheesemakers had at state medaled.
The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team of senior Isabel Bazley, senior Abby Oudinot, freshman Cammi Ganshert and Hirsbrunner finished fourth with a time of 1:45.73.
"It wasn't their fastest time," Davis said. "They went out and competed well. We were at the max of our potential."
Hirsbrunner said winning a medal in all three relays shows how deep the Monroe track team was this season.
"Running at the state meet is a lot of fun," she said. "I think what made it even better was I got to experience it with my best friends on the team."
Monroe junior Josie Eberle teamed with Bazley, Oudinot and Ganshert to take sixth in the 400 relay (50.38).
"That was one of their fastest times of the year," Davis said. "They ran what they had to do to get on the podium."
There was a 1 hour, 45 minute lightning delay before the 1,600 relay. The Cheesemakers' 1,600 relay team of Bazley, sophomore Mya Waterman, Ganshert and Hirsbrunner finished sixth with a time of 4:02.94.
"There is never anything good about a weather delay," Davis said. "The girls started warming up and getting ready mentally and then the delay came. They still got on the podium."
Eberle cleared 9-6 to take 10th in the pole vault and Oudinot finished 11th in the triple jump (34-10 1/2).
"Josie had her best pole vault of the year at state and Abby was within 1/2 inch of her best jump," Davis said.
