DARLINGTON - As a two-sport spring athlete, Black Hawk sophomore Jen Wellnitz is gearing up for the championship season in track.
Wellnitz, who also plays softball, won three individual events including the 100-meter dash (:12.80), 200 (:26.76) and the triple jump (32 feet, 7 1/2 inches) at the Redbird Invitational on Monday. She added a second place in the long jump (14-10 1/2).
"Even before the softball game was canceled, I was planning on going to the track meet," Wellnitz said. "The conference meet is coming up. It's important to me."
Wellnitz, who took fourth place at state in the 100 last year, said the 200 is tougher when she has to run preliminaries because the finals are at the end of the meet. Last year she pulled her quad and learned a valuable lesson.
"I have to stay loose," she said. "I really have to stretch well."
The Darlington girls track team tied Lancaster for the Redbird Invitational team title with 119 points. Belmont (100) took third ahead of fifth-place Black Hawk (65), seventh-place Pecatonica-Argyle (44) and ninth-place Albany (24) at the 12 team meet.
"We are not trying to kill people and maximize points," Darlington coach Todd Bastian said. "If we are fortunate enough to win the meet, that's great."
Darlington junior Christa Wamsley won the 800 (2 minutes, 33.57 seconds), which was about three seconds ahead of Pecatonica-Argyle's Emma Marion.
Pecatonica-Argyle senior Kendra Sigg took first in the 1,600 with a time of 5:35.78 and Darlington's Hannah Robiolio was second (5:48.26). In the 3,200, Darlington's Harley Douglas finished second (12:29) behind Dodgeville-Mineral Point's Hannah Owens (11:46.36).
Sigg said she may be a little stronger running the 800 right now since she has run the 800 a lot and ran on the 3,200 relay team.
"As long as my times keep getting better, it's still in my sights to get back to state (in the 1,600)," Sigg said. "I didn't make the rookie mistake by leading into the wind. Now is my time to hit the mile."
Albany sophomore Bailey Hlavachek finished first in the 400 (1:02.99) and third in the 3,200 (12:30.82). Black Hawk's Hillary Holland took third in the 300 hurdles (:49.84).
The Redbirds finished in the top two of every relay. The Redbirds' 800 relay team of Hannah Huffman, Claire Scott, Shai Rowe and Haleigh Sonsalla took first with a time of 1:53.36, which was about one second ahead of Lancaster. Pecatonica-Argyle finished third (1:55.90).
Huffman and Scott teamed with Tatum Evenstad and Amy Jorgenson to win the 1,600 relay with a time of 4:17.79. The Redbirds' 400 relay team of Huffman, Scott, Rebecca Mathias and Shannon McDaniel took second (:54.07).
In the 3,200 relay, Teresa Wamsley teamed with Johanna Meister, Claire Cullen and Cheyenne Wolfe to finish second (10:25.87).
Darlington's Abigail Merriam took second in the high jump (4-10) and Hailey McGowan finished second in the shot put (35-4 1/2) and third in the discus (109-6). Darlington's Brianna Reichling finished third in the shot put (31-8).
The relays for the Redbirds look strong with conference about a week away.
"We are still trying to sort it out for the end of the year," Bastian said. "Hopefully, we can put together as strong of relays as possible."
Wellnitz, who also plays softball, won three individual events including the 100-meter dash (:12.80), 200 (:26.76) and the triple jump (32 feet, 7 1/2 inches) at the Redbird Invitational on Monday. She added a second place in the long jump (14-10 1/2).
"Even before the softball game was canceled, I was planning on going to the track meet," Wellnitz said. "The conference meet is coming up. It's important to me."
Wellnitz, who took fourth place at state in the 100 last year, said the 200 is tougher when she has to run preliminaries because the finals are at the end of the meet. Last year she pulled her quad and learned a valuable lesson.
"I have to stay loose," she said. "I really have to stretch well."
The Darlington girls track team tied Lancaster for the Redbird Invitational team title with 119 points. Belmont (100) took third ahead of fifth-place Black Hawk (65), seventh-place Pecatonica-Argyle (44) and ninth-place Albany (24) at the 12 team meet.
"We are not trying to kill people and maximize points," Darlington coach Todd Bastian said. "If we are fortunate enough to win the meet, that's great."
Darlington junior Christa Wamsley won the 800 (2 minutes, 33.57 seconds), which was about three seconds ahead of Pecatonica-Argyle's Emma Marion.
Pecatonica-Argyle senior Kendra Sigg took first in the 1,600 with a time of 5:35.78 and Darlington's Hannah Robiolio was second (5:48.26). In the 3,200, Darlington's Harley Douglas finished second (12:29) behind Dodgeville-Mineral Point's Hannah Owens (11:46.36).
Sigg said she may be a little stronger running the 800 right now since she has run the 800 a lot and ran on the 3,200 relay team.
"As long as my times keep getting better, it's still in my sights to get back to state (in the 1,600)," Sigg said. "I didn't make the rookie mistake by leading into the wind. Now is my time to hit the mile."
Albany sophomore Bailey Hlavachek finished first in the 400 (1:02.99) and third in the 3,200 (12:30.82). Black Hawk's Hillary Holland took third in the 300 hurdles (:49.84).
The Redbirds finished in the top two of every relay. The Redbirds' 800 relay team of Hannah Huffman, Claire Scott, Shai Rowe and Haleigh Sonsalla took first with a time of 1:53.36, which was about one second ahead of Lancaster. Pecatonica-Argyle finished third (1:55.90).
Huffman and Scott teamed with Tatum Evenstad and Amy Jorgenson to win the 1,600 relay with a time of 4:17.79. The Redbirds' 400 relay team of Huffman, Scott, Rebecca Mathias and Shannon McDaniel took second (:54.07).
In the 3,200 relay, Teresa Wamsley teamed with Johanna Meister, Claire Cullen and Cheyenne Wolfe to finish second (10:25.87).
Darlington's Abigail Merriam took second in the high jump (4-10) and Hailey McGowan finished second in the shot put (35-4 1/2) and third in the discus (109-6). Darlington's Brianna Reichling finished third in the shot put (31-8).
The relays for the Redbirds look strong with conference about a week away.
"We are still trying to sort it out for the end of the year," Bastian said. "Hopefully, we can put together as strong of relays as possible."
