The Class 1A state track and field meet is well represented with area athletes.
Pillager’s Quintin Laveau will compete in four state events Friday, June 18, at St. Michael-Albertville High School. The boys will be at 10 a.m. and the girls will start at 3:30 p.m. with no prelims this year.
Laveau qualified in the 200-meter dash and the long jump. He will also be a part of Pillager’s 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams that qualified for state.
“You saw some resiliency out of him at sections,” Pillager boys head coach Jim Bentson said. “He didn’t run his best race in the 100 and finished third. He was disappointed, but he came back. I think his resiliency and his ability to finish at the line will help him at state.”
Bryson Kriegl, Ethan Kocue and Bryce Hutchinson will join Laveau in the 4x100 while Kriegl, Zion Loucks and Hutchinson will be in the 4x200 with Laveau.
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“They are almost all new runners,” Bentson said. “Ethan Kocue and Bryce Hutchinson are each in their first year in track. We’ve got some old guys in Kriegl and Quintin, but they didn’t run in these relays two years ago. We got to focus on our handoffs.”
Staples-Motley’s Emmet Anderson and Kyanna Burton as well as Pequot Lakes’ Carly Chaney and Ethan Johnson will compete in the 3200 run at state, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, June 17, at St. Michael Albertville High School a day before the rest of the events.
Anderson ran a 9:44.32 in the 3200 run at Section 6-1A finals and is probably the favorite to win the state title Thursday.
Anderson will also compete in the 1600 run scheduled for Friday.
“I think he’s the favorite to win the (3200),” S-M head coach Bruce Fuhrman said. “And certainly should be in the top six for the 1600. He’ll try to win that one too, but strategically we’ve been practicing a little differently for him.”
Staples-Motley’s Remmington Converse qualified in the 100 dash and Tabetha Allen made it in the shot put as well for the Cardinals.
“I think Remmington has a good chance of placing in the top six,” Fuhrman said. “It’s his first year back after two years of not running track and he found out that he’s pretty fast. He beat some good kids to get there and has been winning most of his races all year.”
Pequot Lakes’ Cruz Megazzini qualified for the 400 dash as well as being a member of the Patriots 4x400 relay team that qualified.
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“(Megazzini) has been dealing with some issues in his legs,” Pequot Lakes boys coach Dave Guenther said. “I don’t really know what he’s going to be able to do in the open floor, but he’s sucked it up and took off with it and did what he had to do.
“The fact that he only has to concentrate on the 400 and 4x4 is going to be nice. He’s been very busy and active and to see him get some rest and concentrate on two things will be a good opportunity for him to have a good performance.”
Caleb Davism, Vincenzo Spositio, and Isaak Geroy will join Megaizzini in the 4x400 relay.
The Pequot Lakes boys 4x800 long distance relay team of Dawsin Ackerman, Geroy, Jesse Clausen and Johnson also will be running at state.
“They are a part of our cross-country program and they have been together a long time,” Guenther said. “They are just solid.”
For the girls, Pillager’s Jessa Kimman will run in the 100 hurdles. Pequot Lakes’ Calia Chaney gets to run in the 1600 run and Wadena-Deer Creek’s Amber Collins will compete in the 400 dash.
“Amber is an eighth grader so making a trip there is an exciting thing and a good experience for her,” W-DC head coach Marc Reynolds said.
Pequot Lakes girls 4x400 relay team of Veronica Broskovetz, Isabel Larson, Lydia Hubbard and Calia Chaney also qualified. Pequot Lakes’ 4x800 team of Broskovetz, Hubbard, Carly Chaney and Calia Chaney also made it.
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As well as being on the relay teams Hubbard made state in the high jump.
“We are looking to make the podium in all our events,” Pequot Lakes girls coach Jeff Brever said. “We are just looking to turn in good performances all around.”
Wadena-Deer Creek’s Mikayla Malone will compete in the long jump at state.
“This is her third trip to the state meet and she’s had experience at big meets and gets how things go down there,” Reynolds said. “She’s been jumping real consistent this spring and in most meets hitting 17 feet. If she continues to jump well, she’ll put herself in a good position to cap off her senior year.”
Crosby-Ironton sent two pole vaulters to state in Nick Nierenhausen and Hayley Jones. Pierz sent Ashley Kimman in the high jump.
Class 1A State Track and Field
When: Thursday, June 17 (3200 run only) and Friday, June 18
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Time: 3200 run 7 p.m., Boys 10 a.m., Girls 3:30 p.m.
Where: St. Michael Albertville High School
CONRAD ENGSTROM may be reached at 218-855-5861 or conrad.engstrom@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/the_rad34.
