MONROE - Sophomore Cassi Gersbach had a hand in winning three events to help lead the Monroe girls track team to the title in the Sauk Prairie Relays Friday in Monroe.
Monroe won the Sauk Prairie Relays with 78 points, which was just ahead of runner-up Middleton (68). The Monroe boys finished second (63), edged out by champion Sauk Prairie (69).
Gersbach and sophomore Bri Seagraves teamed with senior Mya Waterman to win the triple jump with a combined distance of 91 feet, 3 inches. Gersbach had the second-best jump of the competition with a jump of 33-2 ½.
Gersbach teamed with senior Sydney Mathiason, senior Rachel Meier and junior Cammi Ganshert to win the 1,600-meter relay with a time of 4 minutes, 20.56 seconds. In the hurdle shuttle relay, Gersbach teamed with Seagreaves and Lexi Diehl to win (55.86 seconds).
"I really like the hurdles as an individual event," Gersbach said. "I love doing them with my teammates. It makes it more exciting and pushes me more because other people are relying on me."
Gersbach, Seagraves and Abby Price finished second in the long jump (of 44-10 ½), just behind Burlington (45-11 ¾). Gersbach had a lifetime-best jump in the long jump (16-4), which was the best of the night.
"It feels really good because it's nice weather," Gersbach said. "Since it's nice weather it motivates me. I like doing it (long jump) as a team because other people are relying on me."
The Cheesemakers took either first or second in every field event except one.
"Our main objective was to get as many girls in events as possible - 29 in a varsity event," Monroe girls track coach Eric Jubeck said. "To win against good competition was a really nice achievement. Our field events really held their own."
Monroe's trio of pole vaulters in senior Payton Sigafus, sophomore Lily Frehner, and junior Kajen Medenwaldt took first (22-0). The Cheesemakers' 3,200 relay team of freshman Jaclyn Hayes, sophomore Jazmyn Mader, junior Elise Smith and Meier won the race with a time of 11:16.59.
The Cheesemakers' three in the shot put including sophomore Chloe Bunker, freshman Riley Hartwig and sophomore Grace Saunders finished second (91-8 ½). Bunker had the top throw in the competition (34-1 ½). The same trio placed second in the discus ()266-0). Bunker had the second-best throw in the event (103-7).
In the 400 relay, Monroe's Price, freshman Megan Benzschawel, freshman Imogen Christen and Ganshert took second (53.58), which was 0.10 seconds behind Middleton. The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team of Waterman, Benzschawel, Emma Sanders and Ganshert finished second (1:53.73).
The Cheesemakers had two of the top three in the high jump led by Mathiason who cleared a lifetime best 5-0 and Benzschawel who made a lifetime-best 4-10.
"I'm just really excited I made 5," Mathiason said. "We will see where I can go from here. I've just gotten faster and stronger. I've got better at the technique and it's allowed me to go a little higher. We both jumped very well today. I think we can keep scoring points at meets in the future."
Monroe boys take second
The Monroe boys track team won four relay races - 3,200 relay, 800 medley relay, distance medley and 1,600 relay.
Monroe senior Jason Koller teamed with sophomore Dylan Fahrney, junior Kyle Legler and senior Drake Ingold to win the 3,200 relay (8:21.82).
"Our distance program is pretty prestigious," Koller said. "It's good to have a meet here to demonstrate that for the crowd. It feels good to get air in the lungs and run free. It's been a long time since I have worked that hard. It feels really good to get back up to speed."
Ingold was just excited to have another track meet again.
"I think it's a good opportunity to get a good race in," he said. "We haven't had too many meets because of the snow."
Ingold said he's still been training and running outside despite the cold weather.
"I think running in the weather (cold and snow) makes you a tougher runner," he said.
He's not sure what is in store for the Cheesemakers down the road in the 3,200 relay where they have been a perennial state contender.
"I don't know for sure if we are planning to put our money on that (3,200 relay qualifying for state) this year," Ingold said. "We will see when we get to the end of the year. We are really strong in some individual events. For me, I want to focus on the 1,600 and 3,200. I have really been training for those distance events."
Monroe junior Jordan Montgomery teamed with seniors Brayden Zettle, Jonah Tostrud and Koller to win the 1,600 relay (3:30.71).
"We have a really strong group in the 4x4," Koller said. "I think we have two guys who can run under 50 (seconds). I think it's definitely something we can put together going into the postseason."
The Cheesemakers' distance medley relay team of Legler, Jake Meier, Fahrney and Ingold won with a time of 11:13.57. The Cheesemakers' trio of Zettle, senior Devon Gibson and freshman Trevor Rodebaugh won the long jump (58-6). Zettle had the best jump in the event at 21-4 ½.
The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team would have won the race by about five seconds over Sauk Prairie, but they were disqualified for a relay exchange outside the zone.
"Handoffs weren't good in the sprint races," Monroe boys track coach Scott Mosher said. "Mainly it's because they haven't had the time to practice them."
Monroe won the Sauk Prairie Relays with 78 points, which was just ahead of runner-up Middleton (68). The Monroe boys finished second (63), edged out by champion Sauk Prairie (69).
Gersbach and sophomore Bri Seagraves teamed with senior Mya Waterman to win the triple jump with a combined distance of 91 feet, 3 inches. Gersbach had the second-best jump of the competition with a jump of 33-2 ½.
Gersbach teamed with senior Sydney Mathiason, senior Rachel Meier and junior Cammi Ganshert to win the 1,600-meter relay with a time of 4 minutes, 20.56 seconds. In the hurdle shuttle relay, Gersbach teamed with Seagreaves and Lexi Diehl to win (55.86 seconds).
"I really like the hurdles as an individual event," Gersbach said. "I love doing them with my teammates. It makes it more exciting and pushes me more because other people are relying on me."
Gersbach, Seagraves and Abby Price finished second in the long jump (of 44-10 ½), just behind Burlington (45-11 ¾). Gersbach had a lifetime-best jump in the long jump (16-4), which was the best of the night.
"It feels really good because it's nice weather," Gersbach said. "Since it's nice weather it motivates me. I like doing it (long jump) as a team because other people are relying on me."
The Cheesemakers took either first or second in every field event except one.
"Our main objective was to get as many girls in events as possible - 29 in a varsity event," Monroe girls track coach Eric Jubeck said. "To win against good competition was a really nice achievement. Our field events really held their own."
Monroe's trio of pole vaulters in senior Payton Sigafus, sophomore Lily Frehner, and junior Kajen Medenwaldt took first (22-0). The Cheesemakers' 3,200 relay team of freshman Jaclyn Hayes, sophomore Jazmyn Mader, junior Elise Smith and Meier won the race with a time of 11:16.59.
The Cheesemakers' three in the shot put including sophomore Chloe Bunker, freshman Riley Hartwig and sophomore Grace Saunders finished second (91-8 ½). Bunker had the top throw in the competition (34-1 ½). The same trio placed second in the discus ()266-0). Bunker had the second-best throw in the event (103-7).
In the 400 relay, Monroe's Price, freshman Megan Benzschawel, freshman Imogen Christen and Ganshert took second (53.58), which was 0.10 seconds behind Middleton. The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team of Waterman, Benzschawel, Emma Sanders and Ganshert finished second (1:53.73).
The Cheesemakers had two of the top three in the high jump led by Mathiason who cleared a lifetime best 5-0 and Benzschawel who made a lifetime-best 4-10.
"I'm just really excited I made 5," Mathiason said. "We will see where I can go from here. I've just gotten faster and stronger. I've got better at the technique and it's allowed me to go a little higher. We both jumped very well today. I think we can keep scoring points at meets in the future."
Monroe boys take second
The Monroe boys track team won four relay races - 3,200 relay, 800 medley relay, distance medley and 1,600 relay.
Monroe senior Jason Koller teamed with sophomore Dylan Fahrney, junior Kyle Legler and senior Drake Ingold to win the 3,200 relay (8:21.82).
"Our distance program is pretty prestigious," Koller said. "It's good to have a meet here to demonstrate that for the crowd. It feels good to get air in the lungs and run free. It's been a long time since I have worked that hard. It feels really good to get back up to speed."
Ingold was just excited to have another track meet again.
"I think it's a good opportunity to get a good race in," he said. "We haven't had too many meets because of the snow."
Ingold said he's still been training and running outside despite the cold weather.
"I think running in the weather (cold and snow) makes you a tougher runner," he said.
He's not sure what is in store for the Cheesemakers down the road in the 3,200 relay where they have been a perennial state contender.
"I don't know for sure if we are planning to put our money on that (3,200 relay qualifying for state) this year," Ingold said. "We will see when we get to the end of the year. We are really strong in some individual events. For me, I want to focus on the 1,600 and 3,200. I have really been training for those distance events."
Monroe junior Jordan Montgomery teamed with seniors Brayden Zettle, Jonah Tostrud and Koller to win the 1,600 relay (3:30.71).
"We have a really strong group in the 4x4," Koller said. "I think we have two guys who can run under 50 (seconds). I think it's definitely something we can put together going into the postseason."
The Cheesemakers' distance medley relay team of Legler, Jake Meier, Fahrney and Ingold won with a time of 11:13.57. The Cheesemakers' trio of Zettle, senior Devon Gibson and freshman Trevor Rodebaugh won the long jump (58-6). Zettle had the best jump in the event at 21-4 ½.
The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team would have won the race by about five seconds over Sauk Prairie, but they were disqualified for a relay exchange outside the zone.
"Handoffs weren't good in the sprint races," Monroe boys track coach Scott Mosher said. "Mainly it's because they haven't had the time to practice them."
