If you go...
What: WIAA track and field championships.
When: Friday-Saturday.
Where: UW-La Crosse.
Tickets: $8 for single session, $12 for day pass, $20 for two-day all-sessions pass.
MONROE - Black Hawk sophomore Jen Wellnitz has made history on her run back to the WIAA Division 3 state track and field championships.
Wellnitz qualified for state in four events - the 100-meter dash, the 200, the long jump and the triple jump.
"She's the first athlete from Black Hawk to qualify for state in four events in the history of the program," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said.
Wellnitz, who finished fourth in the 100 at state last year, has her sights set on adding more medals to her collection. She will begin that quest Friday at UW-La Crosse's Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Wellnitz is tied for the No. 5 seed in the 100 and is the No. 5 seed in the 200.
"It just feels like I'm going to another meet," Wellnitz said of feeling pressure free. "It's cool that I'm the only girl who has done it from Black Hawk. I want to medal in the 100 and 200. Third place is my goal since I got fourth last year. If I can do that (medal in the 100 and 200), I will be happy. I'm trying to get 34 feet in the triple jump and in the long jump I will have to get 17-0 to have a chance."
Darlington qualified all four of its relays. The Redbirds' 3,200 team of Tatum Evenstad, Hannah Robiolio, Amy Jorgenson and Christa Wamsley is a No. 3 seed (10:08.94) while their 1,600 unit of Jorgenson, Claire Scott, Hannah Huffman and Alison Wedig is seeded No. 8, but is roughly two seconds behind the No. 6 seed.
Darlington coach Todd Bastian said the Redbirds have a legitimate chance to medal in each relay.
"We will have to run well," Bastian said. "The 4x200 relay team isn't seeded. We had some problems with our relay exchanges at the sectional. If we shore them up, we could probably medal. To medal in each one of them would be great. That would mean all of our relay exchanges were good."
Albany sophomore Bailey Hlavachek is the No. 5 seed in the 1,600 (5:24.33) and Pecatonica-Argyle senior Kendra Sigg is the No. 8 seed (5:25.82). Hlavachek is also the No. 6 seed in the 800.
In the boys meet, Darlington sophomore Tyson Miehe is the top seed in the 3,200 (9:39.80) and the No. 2 seed in the 1,600 (4:31.84), that time less than one second behind Prairie School's Andres Tineo Paz (4:31.13). Black Hawk senior Chris Priebe is the No. 4 seed in the 1,600.
Miehe's time in the 3,200 is about 17 seconds ahead of Brookwood senior Lance Baldwin.
The Redbirds have three of the top six seeds in the 3,200. In addition to Tyson Miehe, senior Kent Miehe is the No. 5 seed and senior teammate Michael Sinclair is the No. 6 seed.
"He has a chance for sure," Bastian said of Tyson Miehe's chances of winning titles in the 3,200 and 1,600. "If he can pull off a state championship, that would be unbelievable. If he has a good race, he could win it. That would be awesome if we ended up with three on the award stand. It will take a hell of a race. Everyone will bring their A-game, too."
Three area runners could medal in the 800. Albany senior Reece Whitehead is the No. 3 seed (2:01.26) followed by fourth-seeded Wyatt Massey of Pecatonica-Argyle and fifth-seeded Quinn Cullen of Darlington.
The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team of Kent Miehe, Tyson Miehe, Destin Komprood and Cullen have the No. 1 qualifying time (8:23.5). Albany's 3,200 relay team of Juan Cid, Jose Ramirez, Gavin Ruef and Whitehead is the No. 5 seed (8:26.56).
"If everyone is clicking, we are in a good position to win it," Bastian said. "Someone will step up in the state and we know it."
Darlington sophomore Kyle Johnson is the No. 7 seed in the 300 hurdles (41.95) and will be vying to make the finals in the 110 high hurdles.
"He has been running well all season," Bastian said of Johnson. "He has been consistent for a sophomore. If he can make it out of the preliminaries, it will come down to one race."
Wellnitz qualified for state in four events - the 100-meter dash, the 200, the long jump and the triple jump.
"She's the first athlete from Black Hawk to qualify for state in four events in the history of the program," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said.
Wellnitz, who finished fourth in the 100 at state last year, has her sights set on adding more medals to her collection. She will begin that quest Friday at UW-La Crosse's Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Wellnitz is tied for the No. 5 seed in the 100 and is the No. 5 seed in the 200.
"It just feels like I'm going to another meet," Wellnitz said of feeling pressure free. "It's cool that I'm the only girl who has done it from Black Hawk. I want to medal in the 100 and 200. Third place is my goal since I got fourth last year. If I can do that (medal in the 100 and 200), I will be happy. I'm trying to get 34 feet in the triple jump and in the long jump I will have to get 17-0 to have a chance."
Darlington qualified all four of its relays. The Redbirds' 3,200 team of Tatum Evenstad, Hannah Robiolio, Amy Jorgenson and Christa Wamsley is a No. 3 seed (10:08.94) while their 1,600 unit of Jorgenson, Claire Scott, Hannah Huffman and Alison Wedig is seeded No. 8, but is roughly two seconds behind the No. 6 seed.
Darlington coach Todd Bastian said the Redbirds have a legitimate chance to medal in each relay.
"We will have to run well," Bastian said. "The 4x200 relay team isn't seeded. We had some problems with our relay exchanges at the sectional. If we shore them up, we could probably medal. To medal in each one of them would be great. That would mean all of our relay exchanges were good."
Albany sophomore Bailey Hlavachek is the No. 5 seed in the 1,600 (5:24.33) and Pecatonica-Argyle senior Kendra Sigg is the No. 8 seed (5:25.82). Hlavachek is also the No. 6 seed in the 800.
In the boys meet, Darlington sophomore Tyson Miehe is the top seed in the 3,200 (9:39.80) and the No. 2 seed in the 1,600 (4:31.84), that time less than one second behind Prairie School's Andres Tineo Paz (4:31.13). Black Hawk senior Chris Priebe is the No. 4 seed in the 1,600.
Miehe's time in the 3,200 is about 17 seconds ahead of Brookwood senior Lance Baldwin.
The Redbirds have three of the top six seeds in the 3,200. In addition to Tyson Miehe, senior Kent Miehe is the No. 5 seed and senior teammate Michael Sinclair is the No. 6 seed.
"He has a chance for sure," Bastian said of Tyson Miehe's chances of winning titles in the 3,200 and 1,600. "If he can pull off a state championship, that would be unbelievable. If he has a good race, he could win it. That would be awesome if we ended up with three on the award stand. It will take a hell of a race. Everyone will bring their A-game, too."
Three area runners could medal in the 800. Albany senior Reece Whitehead is the No. 3 seed (2:01.26) followed by fourth-seeded Wyatt Massey of Pecatonica-Argyle and fifth-seeded Quinn Cullen of Darlington.
The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team of Kent Miehe, Tyson Miehe, Destin Komprood and Cullen have the No. 1 qualifying time (8:23.5). Albany's 3,200 relay team of Juan Cid, Jose Ramirez, Gavin Ruef and Whitehead is the No. 5 seed (8:26.56).
"If everyone is clicking, we are in a good position to win it," Bastian said. "Someone will step up in the state and we know it."
Darlington sophomore Kyle Johnson is the No. 7 seed in the 300 hurdles (41.95) and will be vying to make the finals in the 110 high hurdles.
"He has been running well all season," Bastian said of Johnson. "He has been consistent for a sophomore. If he can make it out of the preliminaries, it will come down to one race."
