BOSCOBEL - The Monroe boys track team will send three relay teams and two individuals to the state track meet in La Crosse.
Monroe sophomore Ethan Moehn won a WIAA Division 2 Boscobel sectional championship in the 800 with a time of 1 minute, 56.65 seconds. Sugar River senior Wesley Morgan took third (1:57.59) and also qualified for state. The top four in each event move on to the state track and field championships June 1-2 at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
"That will be one of the top times in the state no question," Monroe coach Curt Miller said of Moehn's 800 time. "He will definitely be one of the contenders and one of a handful of favorites to place high at the state meet."
Moehn also anchored the 3,200 relay team to a sectional title. Moehn teamed with Steve Christiansen, Matt Bush and Alex Barenklau to take first with a season-best time of 8:01.61, which was about two seconds ahead of runner-up Sugar River (8:03.55). The other state qualifiers for the Cheesemakers included the 800 and 1,600 relay teams, and sophomore Jake Hirsbrunner in the high jump.
"That was a dominating performance," Miller said of the 3,200 relay team. "We have the potential to run quite a bit faster. Ethan ran about five or six seconds slower than his open 800 because we had a lead."
Sugar River junior Ryan McCoy won sectional titles in the 1,600 and 3,200. McCoy ran a blistering time of 4:20.76 in the 1,600 and 9:38.19 in the 3,200. Senior teammate Jon Beckman won a championship in the 110 high hurdles (14.97) and sophomore Kelvin Johnson took third in the 300 hurdles (40.82).
Platteville edged La Crosse Aquinas 72.33-68 for the team title. Sugar River was third (63), Monroe was sixth (44) and Brodhead-Juda was 23rd (8).
The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team of Barenklau, Dakota Phillips, Forrest-Klug Hanson and Skyler Stingley took fourth but broke a school record in 1:31.03.
"We have been waiting for a group of sprinters to emerge as state caliber," Miller said. "We not only did that, but they broke a school record."
Barenklau teamed with Moehn, Stingley and Bush to take second in the 1,600 relay with a time of 3:23.94.
"There is no reason this group of four can't be one of the top teams there (in La Crosse) in the 4x400," Miller said.
Hirsbrunner cleared 6 feet, 4 inches in the high jump on his second jump to finish third.
"It was one of those pressure situations," Miller said. "He made it when it mattered most."
After qualifying for state in the long jump and triple jump as a freshman last year, Sugar River's Garrison Woods is returning in the triple jump after taking second (43-2 1/2).
In the girls meet, Brodhead-Juda senior Heather Clankie won a sectional championship in the discus (137-0) and teammate Alicia Condon took third (117-8). The Cheesemakers' 400 relay team of Mackenzie Hesgard, Lauren Werth, Tre Voegeli and Maria Eberle took third with a time of 51.30 seconds.
"It's in the top four in school history," Miller said of the 400 relay team's time.
Sugar River's 800 relay team of Victoria Ortgiesen, Emily DeNure, Madeline Brunner and Emily Diaz finished third in 1:47.41.
Eberle took fifth in the 100 (13.10) and just missed qualifying for state by one-hundredth of a second. Brodhead-Juda's Meg Duffield took fifth in the 400, missing a state spot by .09.
"She (Eberle) has definitely had the best year of her career," Miller said. "It's even more special for Maria because this is her fourth year at state. I'm proud of her and all the success she has had as a senior."
Monroe sophomore Ethan Moehn won a WIAA Division 2 Boscobel sectional championship in the 800 with a time of 1 minute, 56.65 seconds. Sugar River senior Wesley Morgan took third (1:57.59) and also qualified for state. The top four in each event move on to the state track and field championships June 1-2 at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
"That will be one of the top times in the state no question," Monroe coach Curt Miller said of Moehn's 800 time. "He will definitely be one of the contenders and one of a handful of favorites to place high at the state meet."
Moehn also anchored the 3,200 relay team to a sectional title. Moehn teamed with Steve Christiansen, Matt Bush and Alex Barenklau to take first with a season-best time of 8:01.61, which was about two seconds ahead of runner-up Sugar River (8:03.55). The other state qualifiers for the Cheesemakers included the 800 and 1,600 relay teams, and sophomore Jake Hirsbrunner in the high jump.
"That was a dominating performance," Miller said of the 3,200 relay team. "We have the potential to run quite a bit faster. Ethan ran about five or six seconds slower than his open 800 because we had a lead."
Sugar River junior Ryan McCoy won sectional titles in the 1,600 and 3,200. McCoy ran a blistering time of 4:20.76 in the 1,600 and 9:38.19 in the 3,200. Senior teammate Jon Beckman won a championship in the 110 high hurdles (14.97) and sophomore Kelvin Johnson took third in the 300 hurdles (40.82).
Platteville edged La Crosse Aquinas 72.33-68 for the team title. Sugar River was third (63), Monroe was sixth (44) and Brodhead-Juda was 23rd (8).
The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team of Barenklau, Dakota Phillips, Forrest-Klug Hanson and Skyler Stingley took fourth but broke a school record in 1:31.03.
"We have been waiting for a group of sprinters to emerge as state caliber," Miller said. "We not only did that, but they broke a school record."
Barenklau teamed with Moehn, Stingley and Bush to take second in the 1,600 relay with a time of 3:23.94.
"There is no reason this group of four can't be one of the top teams there (in La Crosse) in the 4x400," Miller said.
Hirsbrunner cleared 6 feet, 4 inches in the high jump on his second jump to finish third.
"It was one of those pressure situations," Miller said. "He made it when it mattered most."
After qualifying for state in the long jump and triple jump as a freshman last year, Sugar River's Garrison Woods is returning in the triple jump after taking second (43-2 1/2).
In the girls meet, Brodhead-Juda senior Heather Clankie won a sectional championship in the discus (137-0) and teammate Alicia Condon took third (117-8). The Cheesemakers' 400 relay team of Mackenzie Hesgard, Lauren Werth, Tre Voegeli and Maria Eberle took third with a time of 51.30 seconds.
"It's in the top four in school history," Miller said of the 400 relay team's time.
Sugar River's 800 relay team of Victoria Ortgiesen, Emily DeNure, Madeline Brunner and Emily Diaz finished third in 1:47.41.
Eberle took fifth in the 100 (13.10) and just missed qualifying for state by one-hundredth of a second. Brodhead-Juda's Meg Duffield took fifth in the 400, missing a state spot by .09.
"She (Eberle) has definitely had the best year of her career," Miller said. "It's even more special for Maria because this is her fourth year at state. I'm proud of her and all the success she has had as a senior."
