The Winneconne boys track and field team could be on the verge of championship gold June 5-6 at the WIAA state track and field championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium in La Crosse.
Winneconne finished as the Division 2 runners-up last season, scoring 42.5 points – only 1.5 points behind state champion Green Bay Notre Dame (44).
This season, the Wolves have a plethora of top athletes among several events who are expected to put up significant points. Winneconne has competitors in 11 events overall after its first-place finish at the Chilton Sectional on May 30.
“Honestly, I think we have a stronger team than last year,” senior runner Grant Wenzelow said. “I wouldn’t even say it’s [a lot of pressure]. I just think we got a good shot this year.”
Wenzelow won sectional titles in the 800-meter run (1 minute, 54.62 seconds) and the 1,600 (4:17.10) and he’s also a member of the team’s 1,600 relay that qualified. Wenzelow was fourth last year in the 800 (1:54.48) and eighth in the 1,600 (4:22.4).
Then there’s Brody Schaffer, who won the sectional title in the 100 (10.81 seconds) and is also a member of the state-bound 800 relay team. He also qualified in the long jump (22-2.75).
In the field events, senior Hudson Samolinski is a state qualifier in the shot put and discus after winning both sectional titles with throws of 57 feet, 12.5 inches and 177-4, respectively. Samolinski was second in the discus (176-2) and fifth in the shot (54-9.25) last season.
Colton Tisler, a junior, enters the state meet tied for the best leap in the high jump (6-7). He finished seventh last season (6-4).
Winneconne also should get significant points from senior Trey Zemke, who has the second-best seed height in the pole vault (14-9). He was second in the event last season (14-6).
Winneconne coach Kraig Western said the Wolves’ close win over Fox Valley Lutheran in the sectional will help as his athletes prepare for their final meet.
“I feel like we got a shot down there,” Western said about the state meet. “You know, last year we brought nine, we didn’t have the best Friday, came back had a strong Saturday, came back with runner-up. This year, we thought we had potential for maybe one or two more, but we feel good. There are other good teams around the state that are going to be there and you got to perform. I mean, down there, it’s inches and seconds. Points are precious down there.”
Schaffer, who’s heading to the University of Iowa as a football commit later this month, said he’s going to relish his final week as a high school athlete.
“It’s something that I just have to enjoy,” he said. “Enjoy the last week that I have with all these guys and my teammates and just know that when I go out there, I’m gonna be giving my all and give it 100%.
“So, I’m just excited to get down to La Crosse after a great week of practice and have a great time with my teammates.”
Here’s a list of other top athletes to watch this weekend in La Crosse.
BOYS ATHLETES TO WATCH
Broc Billington, Weyauwega-Fremont
The senior is the fifth seed in the D3 triple jump (43-11.75). He finished second last season at the state meet in the triple jump (43-10.75). Also a member of the Warhawks’ 400 relay team.
Cooper Effa, Little Chute
Has the top-seeded time in the D2 300 hurdles (38.62). Placed third in the 300 hurdles last season (38.78).
Wyatt Hess, Shiocton
Has the third-seeded time in the D3 110 hurdles (14.73) and fourth seed in the 300 hurdles (39.0). Was fourth in the 110 hurdles (14.88) last season and fifth in the 300 hurdles (39.66).
Jacob Kravetz, Manawa
The junior qualified in the D3 100 (11.08), 200 (22.23) and the long jump (21-5).
Paxton Kuehn, Shiocton
The senior has the fourth-best seed time in the D3 100 (10.95). Also qualified for state in the 200 (22.23) and the long jump (21-7). Won the D3 100 last season with a time of 10.99 seconds and was fourth in the 200 (22.07).
Hunter Meyers, Kaukauna
Meyers, a senior, has the third-best seed throw in the shot put (55-3).
Nolan Phillips, Freedom
Phillips, a senior, won a sectional title in the 110 hurdles (14.51) and also qualified for state as a member of the team’s 800 and 1,600 relay teams. Was fifth last season in the 110 hurdles (14.95).
Wyatt Rouamba, Xavier
The senior is the top seed in the D2 triple jump (46-1.75).
Alex VanHelvoirt, Wrightstown
The junior is tied with Winneconne’s Tisler for the top seed in the D2 field in the high jump after leaping 6-7 in the sectionals.
Kaleb Williams, Fox Valley Lutheran
Williams, a senior, qualified in D2 in both the 200 (22.01) and the 400 (49.3). He was ninth in the 200 (22.37) last year.
Grant Wolfrath, Fox Valley Lutheran
The senior qualified in both the D2 100 hurdles (14.88) and the 300 hurdles (39.79).
GIRLS ATHLETES TO WATCH
Penelope Ayala, Manawa
The freshman qualified in both the D3 400 (59.53) and the 800 (2:17.74).
Caroline Basehoar, Xavier
The senior has the top height in the D2 field in the pole vault (12-0) and is also a member of the Hawks’ 400 and 800 relay teams that qualified. Placed sixth in the pole vault (11-6) last season.
Eva Busch, Appleton North
Busch, a sophomore, won a pair of D1 titles at the West De Pere Sectional, finishing first in the 1,600 (4:57.91) and the 3,200 (10:47.8). She has the second-best heat time in the 3,200 and third best in the 1,600. She was fourth in the 1,600 (4:55.36) last season.
Ellie Davel, St. Mary Catholic
The sophomore has the top-seeded time in the D3 100 hurdles (14.84) and is also a member of the third-seeded 400 relay team (50.2) and the team’s fourth-seeded 800 relay team (1:45.2).
Celia Gentile, Neenah
Gentile, a junior, has the top seed in the triple jump (39-1) and is tied for the top seed in the long jump (19-2). She’s also the anchor on the team’s 400 relay team that is seeded second. Also runs anchor on Neenah’s 800 relay team.
Ava Helmbrecht, Appleton North
The senior is seeded third in the D1 800 run (2:15.09) and the anchor leg of the team’s 3,200 relay.
Ashley Parrish, Appleton North
Parrish, a junior, won a pair of titles at the sectional in the 100 (12.4) and the long jump (19-0). She’s also a member of the Lightning’s qualifying 400 and 1,600 relays. Her leap in the long jump is the third best entering the state meet.
Isabel Parrish, Appleton North
The junior qualified for state in both the 100 (14.72) and 300 hurdles (44.87). Placed third in the 100 hurdles (14.74) and fourth in the 300 hurdles (45.04) last season.
Emma Severson, Neenah
The talented sophomore captured D1 sectional titles in the shot put (48-9) and discus (153-9) and is also the top-seeded athlete in both events at state. Placed fourth in the D1 shot put (40-2) and discus (135-9) last season.
Ayden Smith, New London
Smith, a senior, won the D2 sectional title last week in the shot (42-3.75) and that throw is seeded third overall at the state meet. Also was second in discus (136-8) at the sectional and is seeded fourth overall at state.
Zuzanna Mosienska, Little Chute
The senior was second in both the 100 and 300 hurdles at the D2 Chilton Sectional last week with times of 14.40 and 45.78, respectively. She’s seeded second in the 100 hurdles and sixth in the 300 hurdles at the state meet.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Winneconne boys highlight state track and field top contenders
Reporting by Ricardo Arguello, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ricardo Arguello, Appleton Post-Crescent | USA TODAY Network
