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Underdog Mentality: Monroe wins Rock Valley Conference Meet
monroe rvc track meet champs
FAR LEFT: Kaden Kuester scored 38 points, winning the 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles and triple jump. LEFT: Tre Dammen scored 18 points, winning the 3,200-meter run. RIGHT: Aleigh Zettle was the girls individual MVP, scoring 34 points in four events. FAR RIGHT: Aniyah Jackson-Bey finished fourth in the triple jump, an area that girls head coach Eric Jubeck said was crucial in the team win. - photo by Lance Smith

WHITEWATER — Entering the 11-team Rock Valley Conference Meet on May 10, Monroe knew it would have to exceed expectations in order to win the traveling trophy. Brodhead-Juda girls were favored by 27 points on heat sheets and Whitewater boys had more talent in running events. 

But the Cheesemakers beat the odds, winning both the boys and girls divisions. The Lady Cheesemakers beat second-place Brodhead-Juda 129-125, and Monroe boys beat second-place Whitewater 146-128.5.

“We were huge underdogs,” Monroe girls coach Eric Jubeck said. “Brodhead-Juda is a great team with elite-level athletes. We knew we needed a true team effort, as that is our strength. Winning this meet while depending on the team to all overachieve was a special moment, one the girls and coaches will never forget.”

Aleigh Zettle scored 34 points, earning the meet’s MVP individual athlete. She took second in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dash and won the pole vault.

Monroe boys also relied on a total team effort and employed a bold strategy to earn the RVC title.

“The coaching staff got creative to identify areas where we could make up points,” Monroe boys coach Scott Mosher said. “It was very unusual, but we didn’t run anyone in the 100-meter dash, just one in the 200-meter dash, and one in the 400-meter dash. So besides relays, we only entered two kids in sprint events. The kids were great about this and understood the team goals.”

In addition to strategy, the boys simply outperformed their competition. Kaden Kuester scored  38 points alone, followed by Tre Dammen with 18 points. Many athletes stepped up, placing better than their seeds and setting PRs.

Although Brodhead-Juda girls fell just short of the title, individual Cardinals found success. Addison Yates scored 28 points alone and broke her own school record in the high jump with a new PR of 5-05.  

Yates was also a member of the winning 4x100 relay that broke a school record set in 1995. Teammates Brenley Jones, Elliana Shank and Stella Arn completed the relay in 50.74, eclipsing the old record of 51.08.

Arn — who won the 100- and 200-meter dash — was named the Track MVP, and Onni Williams — who won the shot put and discus — was named the Field MVP. 


CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS

● Tre Dammen, Monroe, 3,200-meter run, 9:54.76

● Kaden Kuester, Monroe, 110-meter hurdles, 15.67

● Kaden Kuester, Monroe, 300-meter hurdles, 41.17

● Gavin Pinnow, Brodhead-Juda, high jump, 6-02

● Kaden Kuester, Monroe, triple jump, 41-10.5

● Stella Arn, Brodhead-Juda, 100-meter dash, 12.42

● Stella Arn, Brodhead-Juda, 200-meter dash, 25.81

● Kalena Riemer, Brodhead-Juda, 400-meter dash, 59.64

● Kalena Riemer, Brodhead-Juda, 800-meter dash, 2:19.37

● Addison Yates, Brodhead-Juda, 100-meter hurdles, 16.16

● Stella Arn, Addison Yates, Brenley Jones, Elliana Shank; Brodhead-Juda, 4x100 relay, 50.74

● Onni Williams, Brodhead-Juda, shot put, 38-00

● Onni Williams, Brodhead-Juda, discus, 113-03

● Addison Yates, Brodhead-Juda, high jump, 5-05

● Aleigh Zettle, Monroe, pole vault, 10-00