LA CROSSE - Albany senior Ciara Kaderly's first time running in an individual event at the WIAA Division 3 state track meet turned out better than she predicted.
Kaderly finished third in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5 minutes, 10.18 seconds. It was just about 3.5 seconds away from Ozaukee junior Elise Large who won the state championship with a time of 5:07.85 at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Veterans Memorial Stadium.
"It's a great way to end my career," Kaderly said. "All I wanted to do was make the podium. This is my first time running an individual event other than a relay at state. It's the best day of my life. This is probably the highlight of my career."
Kaderly, who transferred to Albany High School from Monroe two years ago, will run the anchor leg for the Comets in the 3,200 relay today.
"I'm hoping to make more highlights tomorrow," she said.
Darlington junior Reghan Komprood took 15th in the 1,600 (5:43.04).
Two other area athletes medaled at state on Friday. Sugar River senior Noelle Maire took sixth in the 1,600 run in Division 2 with a time of 5:13.51. Maire's time was about seven seconds away from Viroqua sophomore Jillian Weston, who won the state title (5:06.08). Maire will look to win another medal today as the second seed in the 3,200.
Albany sophomore Libby Beck took sixth to medal in the shot put (36 feet, 11 inches).
In Division 2, Brodhead-Juda junior Cora Purdue finished 11th in the 800 (2:22.08). In the events that were preliminaries on Friday, the top 10 advance to today's finals.
Brodhead-Juda junior Madee Harding made the finals in the 400 after taking third in the preliminaries (57.93). Harding will also run for a medal in the 200 after finishing sixth in the prelims (25.98).
Sugar River junior Krista Diaz finished seventh in the preliminaries of the 100 hurdles (15.81) to move on to the finals. Diaz took 12th in the prelims of the 300 hurdles (48.93) and didn't make the finals.
In Division 3, Pecatonica-Argyle senior Josie Penniston finished fifth in the preliminaries of the 400 (59.43) and eighth in the 200 (26.81). Darlington's 800 relay team of senior Sadie Fitzsimons, sophomore Kaylee Meyers, freshman Lizzie Schwartz and sophomore Kathleen Mathias placed seventh in the prelims (1:49.88) to qualify for the finals.
The Darlington boys 3,200-meter relay team of junior Tanner Evenstad, sophomore Tucker Lange, junior Paul King and senior Conner Hackett took seventh (8:20.21) and missed medaling by about four seconds. Hackett finished ninth in the 3,200 (10:13.16) and King was 17th (11:34.34).
Albany sophomore Evan Blumer finished ninth in the discus (138-7).
Darlington junior Grady Rielly took fifth in the preliminaries of the 300 hurdles (41.42) and sixth in the prelims of the 110 high hurdles (16.05) to qualify for the finals in both races. Rielly will run for medals in both the 110 and 300 hurdles today.
The Redbirds' 800 relay team of junior Kameron Blosch, junior Curtis Blosch, senior Jared Meister and senior Trevor Johnson took sixth with a time of 1:32.94 to qualify for the finals. The Redbirds' 400 relay team was disqualified and will not run in today's finals.
Monticello senior Max Hoffmaster closed out his prep career with a 15th-place finish in the prelims of the 100 (11.91) and 16th in the prelims of the 200 (24.14).
In the boys Division 2 state meet, Brodhead-Juda senior Joe Stout placed 14th in the discus (130-7).
Senior teammate Reuben Larson placed seventh in the preliminaries of the 300 hurdles (40.06) to qualify for the finals. Sugar River junior Dalton Fahey finished ninth in the prelims of the 400 (51.13) to qualify for today's finals.
Kaderly finished third in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5 minutes, 10.18 seconds. It was just about 3.5 seconds away from Ozaukee junior Elise Large who won the state championship with a time of 5:07.85 at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Veterans Memorial Stadium.
"It's a great way to end my career," Kaderly said. "All I wanted to do was make the podium. This is my first time running an individual event other than a relay at state. It's the best day of my life. This is probably the highlight of my career."
Kaderly, who transferred to Albany High School from Monroe two years ago, will run the anchor leg for the Comets in the 3,200 relay today.
"I'm hoping to make more highlights tomorrow," she said.
Darlington junior Reghan Komprood took 15th in the 1,600 (5:43.04).
Two other area athletes medaled at state on Friday. Sugar River senior Noelle Maire took sixth in the 1,600 run in Division 2 with a time of 5:13.51. Maire's time was about seven seconds away from Viroqua sophomore Jillian Weston, who won the state title (5:06.08). Maire will look to win another medal today as the second seed in the 3,200.
Albany sophomore Libby Beck took sixth to medal in the shot put (36 feet, 11 inches).
In Division 2, Brodhead-Juda junior Cora Purdue finished 11th in the 800 (2:22.08). In the events that were preliminaries on Friday, the top 10 advance to today's finals.
Brodhead-Juda junior Madee Harding made the finals in the 400 after taking third in the preliminaries (57.93). Harding will also run for a medal in the 200 after finishing sixth in the prelims (25.98).
Sugar River junior Krista Diaz finished seventh in the preliminaries of the 100 hurdles (15.81) to move on to the finals. Diaz took 12th in the prelims of the 300 hurdles (48.93) and didn't make the finals.
In Division 3, Pecatonica-Argyle senior Josie Penniston finished fifth in the preliminaries of the 400 (59.43) and eighth in the 200 (26.81). Darlington's 800 relay team of senior Sadie Fitzsimons, sophomore Kaylee Meyers, freshman Lizzie Schwartz and sophomore Kathleen Mathias placed seventh in the prelims (1:49.88) to qualify for the finals.
The Darlington boys 3,200-meter relay team of junior Tanner Evenstad, sophomore Tucker Lange, junior Paul King and senior Conner Hackett took seventh (8:20.21) and missed medaling by about four seconds. Hackett finished ninth in the 3,200 (10:13.16) and King was 17th (11:34.34).
Albany sophomore Evan Blumer finished ninth in the discus (138-7).
Darlington junior Grady Rielly took fifth in the preliminaries of the 300 hurdles (41.42) and sixth in the prelims of the 110 high hurdles (16.05) to qualify for the finals in both races. Rielly will run for medals in both the 110 and 300 hurdles today.
The Redbirds' 800 relay team of junior Kameron Blosch, junior Curtis Blosch, senior Jared Meister and senior Trevor Johnson took sixth with a time of 1:32.94 to qualify for the finals. The Redbirds' 400 relay team was disqualified and will not run in today's finals.
Monticello senior Max Hoffmaster closed out his prep career with a 15th-place finish in the prelims of the 100 (11.91) and 16th in the prelims of the 200 (24.14).
In the boys Division 2 state meet, Brodhead-Juda senior Joe Stout placed 14th in the discus (130-7).
Senior teammate Reuben Larson placed seventh in the preliminaries of the 300 hurdles (40.06) to qualify for the finals. Sugar River junior Dalton Fahey finished ninth in the prelims of the 400 (51.13) to qualify for today's finals.
