Boys’ track wins conference crown

by Rachael Paumen
After being rescheduled due to unfavorable weather, the Section 7A True Team track and field meet was held on Thursday, May 13 in Holdingford. Although the meet was rescheduled in hopes of finding a day with better weather, it was less than successful as Thursday was cold and wet. 
Unlike many other meets, all participants in each event earn points for their team. With all points totaled the girls ended the evening in third place and the boys finished in second. 
Stepping in to replace Nina Simonette after she injured her ankle, Sam Hollencamp high jumped for only the second time this season. Hollencamp worked her way to a respectable 13th-place finish.
“The fact that she is willing to jump into an event when we need someone is a good example for the team and it can be contagious,” Coach Ben Youngs said.
Seventh grader Mollie Graham continued to improve and make a name for herself. Running in both the 4x800m and the 3200m, Graham helped her team to a sixth-place finish before braving the elements in the 2-mile to finish in 10th place. 
“Mollie hasn’t done all of our varsity workouts, but is still willing to step up and help us out,” Youngs said.
Girls’ individual results: 4x800m: M. Graham, J. Wohlrabe, S. Hollencamp, D. McGregor (6th); 100m hurdles: M. Wolff (4th), A. Schonessen (17th); 100m: R. Latour (5th), C. Pribyl (6th); 4x200m: R. Latour, J. Puncochar, L. Wagner, C. Pribyl (3rd); 1600m: K. Wohlrabe (5th), H. Haegele (8th); 4x100m: R. Paumen, M. Carriveau, R. Knese, L. Wagner (7th); 400m: M. Wolff (5th), C. Pribyl (9th); 300m hurdles: M. Wolff (5th), A. Schonessen (16th); 800m: K. Wohlrabe (5th), J. Wohlrabe (9th); 200m: J. Puncochar (7th), R. Latour (8th); 3200m: H. Haegele (8th), M. Graham (10th); 4x400m: J. Wohlrabe, K. Wohlrabe, M. Stokman, J. Puncochar (8th); Long Jump: L. Wagner (8th), H. Haegele (13th); Triple Jump: M. Wolff (5th); High Jump: R. Knese (5th), S. Hollencamp (13th); Pole Vault: D. McGregor (5th), R. Latour (5th); Shot Put: A. Davis (8th), J. Upcraft (11th); Discus: A. Davis (6th), J. Upcraft (12th)
Girls’ team results: Esko, 594 pts; Holdingford, 429 pts; Maple Lake, 405.5 pts; Greenway-Nashwauk-Keewatin, 386 pts; Mille Lacs, 379.5 pts; Hinckley-Finlayson, 357 pts; Pierz, 339 pts; St. John’s Prep, 289 pts; Pillager, 243 pts; St. Cloud Christian, 134 pts. 
Finishing in second place, the Irish boys qualified for a paper meet that would pit them against other second-place boys’ teams. The winner of this meet would then advance to the True Team state meet. Maple Lake placed fourth at this meet, falling short of the state meet. 
Colby Mavencamp led the Irish, taking first in both the 100m hurdles as well as the 300m hurdles. Doing so, Mavencamp earned 44 team points. 
“Colby ran really well and won both of the hurdle races,” Youngs said. “It’s nice to have a couple first-place finishes.”
Greg Dorow also finished well in the long distance races, placing fourth in the 1600m and then third in the 3200m. 
“Greg works hard and we need that person that is willing to do those two longer races,” Youngs said.
Boys’ individual results: 4x800m: B. Winkelman, D. Becker, C. Salveson, W. Paumen (6th);    110m hurdles: C. Mavencamp (1st), M. Mooney (4th); 100m: P. Donohue (2nd), F. Coughlin (9th); 4x200m: J. Loftis, F. Coughlin, C. Salveson, D. Hanson (5th); 1600m: G. Dorow (4th), D. Becker (12th); 4x100m: J. Loftis, B. Hudek, Z. Schaunaman, F. Coughlin (4th); 400m: K. Salveson (4th), D. Hanson (7th); 300m hurdles: C. Mavencamp (1st), M. Mooney (7th); 800m: W. Paumen (10th), B. Winkelman (12th); 200m: K. Salveson (2nd), P. Donohue (3rd); 3200m: G. Dorow (3rd), B. Thiele (6th); 4x400m: D. Hanson, P. Donohue, Z. Schaunaman, K. Salveson (3rd); Long Jump: C. Salveson (11th), C. Mavencamp (13th); Triple Jump: N. Feikema (9th), C. Salveson (12th); High Jump: M. Mooney (1st), I. Hendrickson (4th); Pole Vault: J. Loftis (9th), M. Thomas (10th); Shot Put: Z. Schaunaman (12th), J. Stejskal (14th); Discus: J. Stejskal (10th), K. Salveson (11th)
Boys’ team results: Esko, 476.5 pts; Maple Lake, 394.5 pts; Pillager, 365.5 pts; Pierz, 364 pts; Holdingford, 325.5 pts; Greenway-Nashwauk-Keewatin, 305 pts; St. John’s Prep, 268 pts; Hinckley-Finlayson, 229.5 pts; St. Cloud Christian, 153.5 pts. 
After months of preparation and hard work, the Irish track and field teams traveled to Pierz on Tuesday, May 18, for the Central Minnesota Conference meet. 
Going into the meet, both the boys’ and girls’ teams knew that there would be a team to beat. For the boys, Pierz would be the team to stand in the way of a conference title, and for the girls it was a strong Eden Valley-Watkins-Kimball team.
The boys were able to beat Pierz by a slim eight-point margin to be named CMC Champs. The girls, however, finished just 17 points behind EV-W-K for second place.
“This is the second title for the boys in three years,” Coach Ben Youngs said. “The girls came up just short, but still competed well.”
At this meet, the top three individual finishers and the top relay team would be named All-Conference. Maple Lake had many All-Conference athletes participate in the meet.
Continually improving throughout the season, all while battling an ankle injury, Morgan Wolff had an impressive meet, taking first in the 100m hurdles and 300m hurdles. Wolff also competed in the long jump where she took third place and the triple jump where she placed second. 
“That’s the way you want to go out, on top,” Youngs said. “It shows that hard work and tenacity pay off.”
After finishing third and fifth in the 100m preliminaries and advancing to the finals, Rachel Latour and Courtney Pribyl both bettered their times to finish second and third, respectively. 
“We told them to ease up and relax and try to save up their energy,” Youngs said. “They were able to come back when it mattered and had good races.”
Girls’ individual & Team results in this week’s issue of the Messenger.
After finishing just behind Grant Bell from B-B-E for most of the season, Greg Dorow found an extra boost at just the right time to beat Bell and take first in the 1600m. 
“The mile was amazing, an amazing race! It was phenomenal to beat the kid from Pierz (who was seeded first) and the kid from B-B-E,” Youngs said. “Greg did just what we asked him. It is a heck of an accomplishment for a ninth grader.”
Also in the longer distances, Ben Thiele shaved nearly a minute off his time in the 3200m to finish in third, just behind Dorow.
“After scouting the conference we knew Ben would do best in the two mile,” Youngs said. “We took him out of all other races to save his energy and he used it to his advantage.”
In the long jump, Mike Mooney competed for one of the first times this season and jumped his way to third place. Mooney also participated in the high jump. With a jump of 6’ 5”, Mooney broke the school record and took first. 
“Mike tied the conference record and broke the school record by three inches, it speaks for itself.” Youngs added, “He has a chance to do well in the next couple of weeks.” 
Boys’ Individual & Team results in this week’s issue of the Messenger.

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