MARSHFIELD GIRLS, STEVENS POINT BOYS EARN TITLES AT WISCONSIN VALLEY CONFERENCE TRACK MEET
Zaleski Sports
MERRILL – For the first time since 1973, the Marshfield girls track team is the champions of the Wisconsin Valley Conference.
Following a second-place finish last season, the Tigers cracked the top spot with two event victories and 163 points, to outdistance D.C. Everest (137) and Stevens Point (126) for the title.
Stevens Point won the boys title for the 10th-straight time and 19th time in the past 21 conference meets. The Panthers won six events and finished with 197 points, with D.C. Everest second with 135.5, Wausau West third with 125, and Marshfield fourth with 74.
The Marshfield girls had 11 top-three finishes in all to claim its first championship in 49 years.
"What an outstanding night for an amazing group of female athletes," Marshfield coach Ali Luedtke said. "This was a complete team effort with girls scoring in all 18 events on the track and in the field. Our depth was our strength. Our solid places pulled us through. These ladies are simply unbelieveable. They just never stop showing up.
"It still doesn't feel real - it's been a dream of our team's for years and to watch it come to fruition in a day and age of so many options and distractions truly speaks to the desire, focus, integrity and discipline of these athletes."
Sophie Nikolay won the pole vault with a vault of 10 feet, 6 inches, and Michaela Dick took first in the 300-meter hurdles in 48.42 seconds for the Marshfield girls.
The Marshfield boys lone win came from the 3,200-meter relay team of James Ketterer, Owen Hoerneman, Jesse Messman and Graham Lonsdale, who finished in 8:13.33.
Aubri Brown picked up a pair of second-place finishes for the Marshfield girls as she was the runner-up in both the discus (114-10) and shot put (35.10.5).
The 800 relay team of Olivia Page, Ayana Bousum, Ryann Kilty and Emma Ridgway (1:49.96), and the 400 relay team of McKenzie Holm, Alyssa Foemmel, Kaylie Charron and Nikolay (53.43) also placed second for the Tigers.
Bode Erickson was a double-winner for the Stevens Point boys as he was first in the 1600 (4:27.12) and 800 (1:58.02).
Also earning conference titles for the SPASH boys were Matthew Eiden in the 400 (49.95), Aloysius Franzen in the 3,200 (9:53.00), the 400 relay team of Quinton Martin, Damian Cejka, Cam Saeger and Nate Streveler (44.28), and the 1,600 relay team Cejka, Streveler, James Jacobs and Eiden (3:25.88).
Roisin Willis was also a double individual winner for SPASH, taking first in the girls 400 (53.72) and 200 (25.17).
Willis also teamed with Lilly Higgins, Anna Plautz and Jenna Jones to win the girls 1,600 relay in 4:07.27.
The Stevens Point girls also picked up wins from Lina Farkas in the high jump (5-2) and the 3,200 relay team of Brittany Beadles, Jones, Josie Reeve and Autumn Itzen in 10:18.64.