LA CROSSE - Monroe senior Ethan Moehn and the Cheesemakers started the WIAA Division 2 state track meet out with a bang, sweeping the top two spots in the 1,600-meter run.
Moehn ran to a state championship in the 1,600 Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse with a a state record time of 4 minutes, 9.56 seconds, which broke a 33-year-old record of John Easker of Wittenberg-Birnamwood. Easker's previous record was 4:11.93, set in 1981.
Moehn added a second state title in the 800 (1:52.16).
"My goal was to win the race," Moehn said of the 1,600. "It was just icing on the cake to get the record that it so old it has been cemented in history. I'm really jacked up about how the race went."
Monroe senior Jake Hirsbrunner, a University of Wisconsin-Madison recruit, finished second in the 1,600 (4:13.82) and third in the 800 (1:53.72).
Senior Noah Tostrud gave the Cheesemakers three of the top five in the 1,600, taking fifth (4:15.97).
The Cheesemakers' dominance in the long distance races has them on track to win a Division 2 state championship. The Cheesemakers scored 22 team points just in the 1,600. Monroe is in first place after the first day of the state meet, racking up 38 points, which is well ahead of University School of Milwaukee (13) and Catholic Memorial (11).
"I have talked to Ethan about going 1-2 in the 1,600 the last couple of weeks after I ran the mile at Darlington," Hirsbrunner said.
Hirsbrunner went from third to second, reeling in Catholic Memorial junior Joe Novak the final 120 meters.
"I didn't want to let Ethan or myself down," Hirsbrunner said of the 1,600.
Moehn was excited to win the 800 title for the second time in three years. Hirsbrunner got boxed in and went from eighth to third in the 800.
"Obviously, I'm a big competitor," Moehn said of winning the state championship in the 800 again. "This year it was in the back of my mind every day."
The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team of Blain Harpstrite, Blake Bast, Forrest Klug-Hanson and Dakota Phillips finished eighth in the preliminaries (1:30.73) to qualify for today's finals. With four more events, the Cheesemakers are in a position to win a state team championship.
"We did what we needed to do today," Hirsbrunner said. "We are in contention. I could have got two more points in the 800. I'm going to come back tomorrow and try to get two more points in the high jump I wasn't supposed to get."
The Cheesemakers will run for a fourth straight state title in the 3,200 relay and Moehn will look to win a third state championship this year in the 3,200.
Brodhead-Juda senior Logan Maurer won a state title in the discus with a throw of 163 feet, 9 inches, which came on his final throw even though he had the title locked up.
"I came in not expecting this," Maurer said of the state title. "I figured I would have got on the podium if I threw well. I never imagined winning it. It's a great feeling. It's so surreal. I don't feel like it has totally hit me yet."
Maurer attributes his success in the discus to more dedication to developing his form in the event.
"It's mainly because of a change in attitude to the discus," Maurer said. "I cared a lot more about the discus than I did last year or the year before."
Sugar River senior Garrison Woods finished fourth in the triple jump with a jump of 44 feet, 8 3/4 inches.
Sugar River freshman Krista Diaz took fourth in the preliminaries of the 100 hurdles (15.65) to qualify for the finals.
The Monroe girls 400 relay team took 10th in the preliminaries to qualify for today's finals. The Cheesemakers' 400 relay team of Lauren Werth, Mafer Larraga, Abby Oudinot and Josie Eberle took 10th with a time of 51.08 seconds.
Brodhead-Juda senior Carly Mohns took seventh in the long jump (16-9 1/2) and just missed medaling behind Chilton senior Kayla Lisowe (16-9 3/4). Monroe freshman Jordan Hirsbrunner took 12th in the preliminaries of the 300 hurdles (47.96) and didn't make the finals.
Moehn ran to a state championship in the 1,600 Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse with a a state record time of 4 minutes, 9.56 seconds, which broke a 33-year-old record of John Easker of Wittenberg-Birnamwood. Easker's previous record was 4:11.93, set in 1981.
Moehn added a second state title in the 800 (1:52.16).
"My goal was to win the race," Moehn said of the 1,600. "It was just icing on the cake to get the record that it so old it has been cemented in history. I'm really jacked up about how the race went."
Monroe senior Jake Hirsbrunner, a University of Wisconsin-Madison recruit, finished second in the 1,600 (4:13.82) and third in the 800 (1:53.72).
Senior Noah Tostrud gave the Cheesemakers three of the top five in the 1,600, taking fifth (4:15.97).
The Cheesemakers' dominance in the long distance races has them on track to win a Division 2 state championship. The Cheesemakers scored 22 team points just in the 1,600. Monroe is in first place after the first day of the state meet, racking up 38 points, which is well ahead of University School of Milwaukee (13) and Catholic Memorial (11).
"I have talked to Ethan about going 1-2 in the 1,600 the last couple of weeks after I ran the mile at Darlington," Hirsbrunner said.
Hirsbrunner went from third to second, reeling in Catholic Memorial junior Joe Novak the final 120 meters.
"I didn't want to let Ethan or myself down," Hirsbrunner said of the 1,600.
Moehn was excited to win the 800 title for the second time in three years. Hirsbrunner got boxed in and went from eighth to third in the 800.
"Obviously, I'm a big competitor," Moehn said of winning the state championship in the 800 again. "This year it was in the back of my mind every day."
The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team of Blain Harpstrite, Blake Bast, Forrest Klug-Hanson and Dakota Phillips finished eighth in the preliminaries (1:30.73) to qualify for today's finals. With four more events, the Cheesemakers are in a position to win a state team championship.
"We did what we needed to do today," Hirsbrunner said. "We are in contention. I could have got two more points in the 800. I'm going to come back tomorrow and try to get two more points in the high jump I wasn't supposed to get."
The Cheesemakers will run for a fourth straight state title in the 3,200 relay and Moehn will look to win a third state championship this year in the 3,200.
Brodhead-Juda senior Logan Maurer won a state title in the discus with a throw of 163 feet, 9 inches, which came on his final throw even though he had the title locked up.
"I came in not expecting this," Maurer said of the state title. "I figured I would have got on the podium if I threw well. I never imagined winning it. It's a great feeling. It's so surreal. I don't feel like it has totally hit me yet."
Maurer attributes his success in the discus to more dedication to developing his form in the event.
"It's mainly because of a change in attitude to the discus," Maurer said. "I cared a lot more about the discus than I did last year or the year before."
Sugar River senior Garrison Woods finished fourth in the triple jump with a jump of 44 feet, 8 3/4 inches.
Sugar River freshman Krista Diaz took fourth in the preliminaries of the 100 hurdles (15.65) to qualify for the finals.
The Monroe girls 400 relay team took 10th in the preliminaries to qualify for today's finals. The Cheesemakers' 400 relay team of Lauren Werth, Mafer Larraga, Abby Oudinot and Josie Eberle took 10th with a time of 51.08 seconds.
Brodhead-Juda senior Carly Mohns took seventh in the long jump (16-9 1/2) and just missed medaling behind Chilton senior Kayla Lisowe (16-9 3/4). Monroe freshman Jordan Hirsbrunner took 12th in the preliminaries of the 300 hurdles (47.96) and didn't make the finals.
