LAWRENCE, Kansas - Jake Hirsbrunner and the Monroe boys 3,200-meter relay team left no doubt that they will be a contender for a fourth straight state championship after winning the title at the Kansas Relays Saturday, April 19.
Hirsbrunner teamed with senior Noah Tostrud, junior Cody Faust and senior Ethan Moehn to win the 3,200 relay at the 87th annual Kansas Relays for the second straight year, with a time of 8 minutes, 2.94 seconds, about one second ahead of Blue Springs.
"Going in we knew it would take a little bit better effort than last year because there were some new and better teams," Hirsbrunner said. "Our goal going in was to win it. We didn't think that was too far fetched because we were the defending champions. The championship was on our mind. To do it again was absolutely awesome. I feel mentally we are much further along than last year."
For the first time in the 87-year history of the Kansas Relays, the meet was not held at Memorial Stadium, which is also the home of the football team. Instead, the event moved to the brand-new Rock Chalk Park, a $39 million facility that is still partly under construction but will host the Jayhawks' track and field, softball and women's soccer teams.
The Cheesemakers had three top five finishes at the Kansas Relays, which featured 4,000 athletes from 11 states.
Monroe boys track coach Curt Miller was excited by the 3,200 relay team's performance. With the Cheesemakers featuring two Division I track recruits in Moehn (University of Arkansas) and Hirsbrunner (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Miller said the Cheesemakers will be a top contender for a state title again.
"I think we have a chance," he said. "There are not too many teams who have two kids like those two who can finish a race. It's a big accomplishment for them. It's a prestigious meet."
Miller said the Cheesemakers didn't know who the fourth runner would be for the relay team.
"Cody Faust was the highlight of the meet," Miller said. "He ran a PR by two seconds on a big stage."
The 8,000-seat Rock Chalk Park, while smaller than Memorial Stadium, felt bigger to Hirsbrunner as the park was packed.
"The atmosphere was awesome," Hirsbrunner said. "It was a very soft and spongy. It's not often we get to run one of the first meets on a new track."
The other top five finishes for the Cheesemakers came on Friday when Moehn finished third in the 3,200 and Hirsbrunner took fifth in the high jump (6 feet, 6 inches).
"For me to go there and jump, it humbles you a little bit to know there are better jumpers out there," he said.
The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team of Seth Calaway, Dakota Phillips, Blake Bast and Forrest Klug-Hanson took 21st (1:35.77).
Monroe freshman Jordan Hirsbrunner finished 22nd in the high jump out of 32 competitors after clearing 4-10.
"She is doing a great job as a freshman," Miller said of Jordan Hirsbrunner, whose jump was less than her season-best of 5-2. "To be a on a big stage like that as a freshman with a lot of elite competitors is not easy. We were excited she got a height and got some experience of being there."
Tostrud finished 37th in the 1,600 (4:44.37), which was about 1 hour, 30 minutes after the 3,200 relay. The double of running the 3,200 relay and 1,600 proved to be a challenge for Tostrud.
"You can do it at a smaller track meet when the competition isn't the same," Miller said. "It was a little too much for his legs. His legs didn't have it. At least he got the experience of running there."
Hirsbrunner teamed with senior Noah Tostrud, junior Cody Faust and senior Ethan Moehn to win the 3,200 relay at the 87th annual Kansas Relays for the second straight year, with a time of 8 minutes, 2.94 seconds, about one second ahead of Blue Springs.
"Going in we knew it would take a little bit better effort than last year because there were some new and better teams," Hirsbrunner said. "Our goal going in was to win it. We didn't think that was too far fetched because we were the defending champions. The championship was on our mind. To do it again was absolutely awesome. I feel mentally we are much further along than last year."
For the first time in the 87-year history of the Kansas Relays, the meet was not held at Memorial Stadium, which is also the home of the football team. Instead, the event moved to the brand-new Rock Chalk Park, a $39 million facility that is still partly under construction but will host the Jayhawks' track and field, softball and women's soccer teams.
The Cheesemakers had three top five finishes at the Kansas Relays, which featured 4,000 athletes from 11 states.
Monroe boys track coach Curt Miller was excited by the 3,200 relay team's performance. With the Cheesemakers featuring two Division I track recruits in Moehn (University of Arkansas) and Hirsbrunner (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Miller said the Cheesemakers will be a top contender for a state title again.
"I think we have a chance," he said. "There are not too many teams who have two kids like those two who can finish a race. It's a big accomplishment for them. It's a prestigious meet."
Miller said the Cheesemakers didn't know who the fourth runner would be for the relay team.
"Cody Faust was the highlight of the meet," Miller said. "He ran a PR by two seconds on a big stage."
The 8,000-seat Rock Chalk Park, while smaller than Memorial Stadium, felt bigger to Hirsbrunner as the park was packed.
"The atmosphere was awesome," Hirsbrunner said. "It was a very soft and spongy. It's not often we get to run one of the first meets on a new track."
The other top five finishes for the Cheesemakers came on Friday when Moehn finished third in the 3,200 and Hirsbrunner took fifth in the high jump (6 feet, 6 inches).
"For me to go there and jump, it humbles you a little bit to know there are better jumpers out there," he said.
The Cheesemakers' 800 relay team of Seth Calaway, Dakota Phillips, Blake Bast and Forrest Klug-Hanson took 21st (1:35.77).
Monroe freshman Jordan Hirsbrunner finished 22nd in the high jump out of 32 competitors after clearing 4-10.
"She is doing a great job as a freshman," Miller said of Jordan Hirsbrunner, whose jump was less than her season-best of 5-2. "To be a on a big stage like that as a freshman with a lot of elite competitors is not easy. We were excited she got a height and got some experience of being there."
Tostrud finished 37th in the 1,600 (4:44.37), which was about 1 hour, 30 minutes after the 3,200 relay. The double of running the 3,200 relay and 1,600 proved to be a challenge for Tostrud.
"You can do it at a smaller track meet when the competition isn't the same," Miller said. "It was a little too much for his legs. His legs didn't have it. At least he got the experience of running there."
