SOUTH WAYNE - Black Hawk senior Jen Wellnitz has a chance to make history if she can run to a repeat state championship in the 100-meter dash.
Wellnitz has qualified for the WIAA Division 3 state track meet for the fourth straight year and this is the third year she will compete in four events. She is looking to add to her six career state medals and is the favorite to repeat as the state champion in the 100.
"I have a feeling I can win it," Wellnitz said of trying to repeat as a state champion in the 100. "I can't go in thinking I have it won. I'm going to go in and run my hardest."
She won two medals at state as a sophomore and three last year. She won the school's first state title last year.
"This year I want to make it four," she said of medaling in each event she qualified for state including the 100, 200, long jump and triple jump. "I think I could win the 200. My times are really close."
Wellnitz, a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit, has the fastest time in the 100 (12.52), along with Hilbert's Maria Gruett, and the fourth fastest in the 200 (26.33). She is seeded sixth in the long jump (16-11 1/2) and 12th in the triple jump (34-4).
Wellnitz will have a challenge with so many events. She plans on working to get the top time in the preliminaries of the 100 so she can run in lane 4 for the finals.
"I don't like running in any other lane other than lane four," Wellnitz said. "I feel more comfortable going into the finals with the best time. I'm going to run my heart out to get that lane. I think a big part of success is feeling comfortable, and I feel comfortable running in lane four."
Darlington senior Tyson Miehe, a University of Wisconsin-Madison recruit, is still looking to win that elusive first state champion in track. Miehe, a three-time state champion in cross country, qualified for state in the 1,600, 3,200 and 3,200 relay. He is seeded fifth in the 1,600 and second in the 3,200. Last year, Miehe finished as the state runner-up in the 1,600 and took fifth in the 3,200.
"I was seeded No. 1 in both last year and look at how that worked out," Miehe said. "You don't put a lot in seed times. I just want to go up there and win every race I'm in. Hopefully, I can go out with a bang. Hopefully, I can get that first state title in track. ... If I go up there and it doesn't happen, that still doesn't take away from my high school career at Darlington."
There will be a tough field of competition. Nick Zander of McDonell Central is the defending state champion in the 1,600 and 800. He defeated Miehe in the 1,600 last year by less than three seconds. Eau Claire Emmanuel Lutheran senior Darin Lau is the defending state champion in the 3,200. Albany junior Brennan Bloedel is seeded seventh in the 3,200 (10:10.71).
"I'm going to go up there with these guys with the mentality that I'm running a cross country race, but it's just a little shorter," Miehe said.
Miehe will team with Jaden Komprood, Dane Siegenthaler and Thomas Schultz in the 3,200 relay. The Redbirds finished fourth in the 3,200 relay last year, but are the top seed this year (8:07.44 and Monticello is seeded fourth (8:14.83). Defending champion McDonell Central returns three-fourths of their 3,200 relay team.
"I think we have a good shot at it," Miehe said of the 3,200 relay. "It seems like the 4x800 relay teams at state every year run their best times and PR. With McDonell Central, I think it will take a sub 8:05 to win it."
Darlington junior Kyle Johnson is seeded sixth in the 110 high hurdles (15.44) and Black Hawk senior Jayden Rufenacht is seeded 10th in the 100 (11.47). Albany senior Logan Webb is seeded ninth in the discus (143-2).
"I think it's great for Logan to make it to state," Albany coach Tony Brewer said. "He has worked so hard."
The other top area medal contenders in Division 3 include the Darlington girls 3,200 relay, the Albany girls 3,200 relay. The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team is seeded third and the Comets are sixth. Darlington sophomore Carly Langkamp is seeded ninth in the 400 (1:00.85). Albany senior Bailey Hlavachek, a four-time state qualifier, is seeded 10th in the 800. As a sophomore, Hlavachek finished fifth in the 800 and she was sixth in the 1,600 as a freshman. She battled injuries last year.
"I think Bailey just wants to medal," Brewer said.
Wellnitz has qualified for the WIAA Division 3 state track meet for the fourth straight year and this is the third year she will compete in four events. She is looking to add to her six career state medals and is the favorite to repeat as the state champion in the 100.
"I have a feeling I can win it," Wellnitz said of trying to repeat as a state champion in the 100. "I can't go in thinking I have it won. I'm going to go in and run my hardest."
She won two medals at state as a sophomore and three last year. She won the school's first state title last year.
"This year I want to make it four," she said of medaling in each event she qualified for state including the 100, 200, long jump and triple jump. "I think I could win the 200. My times are really close."
Wellnitz, a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit, has the fastest time in the 100 (12.52), along with Hilbert's Maria Gruett, and the fourth fastest in the 200 (26.33). She is seeded sixth in the long jump (16-11 1/2) and 12th in the triple jump (34-4).
Wellnitz will have a challenge with so many events. She plans on working to get the top time in the preliminaries of the 100 so she can run in lane 4 for the finals.
"I don't like running in any other lane other than lane four," Wellnitz said. "I feel more comfortable going into the finals with the best time. I'm going to run my heart out to get that lane. I think a big part of success is feeling comfortable, and I feel comfortable running in lane four."
Darlington senior Tyson Miehe, a University of Wisconsin-Madison recruit, is still looking to win that elusive first state champion in track. Miehe, a three-time state champion in cross country, qualified for state in the 1,600, 3,200 and 3,200 relay. He is seeded fifth in the 1,600 and second in the 3,200. Last year, Miehe finished as the state runner-up in the 1,600 and took fifth in the 3,200.
"I was seeded No. 1 in both last year and look at how that worked out," Miehe said. "You don't put a lot in seed times. I just want to go up there and win every race I'm in. Hopefully, I can go out with a bang. Hopefully, I can get that first state title in track. ... If I go up there and it doesn't happen, that still doesn't take away from my high school career at Darlington."
There will be a tough field of competition. Nick Zander of McDonell Central is the defending state champion in the 1,600 and 800. He defeated Miehe in the 1,600 last year by less than three seconds. Eau Claire Emmanuel Lutheran senior Darin Lau is the defending state champion in the 3,200. Albany junior Brennan Bloedel is seeded seventh in the 3,200 (10:10.71).
"I'm going to go up there with these guys with the mentality that I'm running a cross country race, but it's just a little shorter," Miehe said.
Miehe will team with Jaden Komprood, Dane Siegenthaler and Thomas Schultz in the 3,200 relay. The Redbirds finished fourth in the 3,200 relay last year, but are the top seed this year (8:07.44 and Monticello is seeded fourth (8:14.83). Defending champion McDonell Central returns three-fourths of their 3,200 relay team.
"I think we have a good shot at it," Miehe said of the 3,200 relay. "It seems like the 4x800 relay teams at state every year run their best times and PR. With McDonell Central, I think it will take a sub 8:05 to win it."
Darlington junior Kyle Johnson is seeded sixth in the 110 high hurdles (15.44) and Black Hawk senior Jayden Rufenacht is seeded 10th in the 100 (11.47). Albany senior Logan Webb is seeded ninth in the discus (143-2).
"I think it's great for Logan to make it to state," Albany coach Tony Brewer said. "He has worked so hard."
The other top area medal contenders in Division 3 include the Darlington girls 3,200 relay, the Albany girls 3,200 relay. The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team is seeded third and the Comets are sixth. Darlington sophomore Carly Langkamp is seeded ninth in the 400 (1:00.85). Albany senior Bailey Hlavachek, a four-time state qualifier, is seeded 10th in the 800. As a sophomore, Hlavachek finished fifth in the 800 and she was sixth in the 1,600 as a freshman. She battled injuries last year.
"I think Bailey just wants to medal," Brewer said.
