LA CROSSE – It was a good news, bad news situation for Neenah’s Emma Severson on June 5 at the WIAA Division 1 track and field meet at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.
The good news? She captured the state title in the shot put with a throw of 47 feet, 11.5 inches.
The bad news? Severson was disappointed that she fell short of setting the state mark in the event, held by Seymour’s Jessica Maroszek (49-4.25).
And here’s some more bad news, albeit for the other state competitors: Severson is just a sophomore.
“I’m feeling relieved and very proud,” Severson said. “I know I’ve done a lot of work to get here. This might sound a little proud – but I was kind of disappointed because I wanted to get the state record. So I wanted to throw my best today and I don’t know if I did, but I’m proud of winning and disappointed with the win at the same time.”
Severson, the top seed in the event, reached the 47-11.5 mark on her second throw and held off Baraboo junior Lily Rogers, who finished third (44-0.75).
“I definitely like throwing last in the flight,” Severson said. “I like having that one up on everyone else and like hearing my name last. I knew what some of my comp were capable of and I felt like i was in a good spot. But I wanted to beat myself, and I don’t know if I did that, but I ended up with a state title.”
Severson’s job isn’t done. She’s also the top seed in the discus set for June 6.
“I think I was in a great headspace today,” she said. “And I feel like I’m ready for tomorrow.”
Neenah’s Gentile, North’s Parrish second and third in long jump
It was a stacked D1 girls long jump field, and a pair of Fox Valley Association athletes were among the top finishers.
Neenah’s Celia Gentile was second in the event with a jump of 18-10.5 with Ashley Parrish third, also at 18-10.5. Gentile was awarded second due to her jump being an earlier attempt than Parrish’s.
Arrowhead’s Payton Eicher won the event with a leap of 19-9.
Gentile, who won the long jump last season (19-6.5), was also the anchor for the Rockets’ 400 and 800 relay teams with both qualifying for the June 6 finals.
“My legs were definitely tired,” Gentile said. “But a lot of these other girls are in other events and I think we all had the same advantages and disadvantages. So maybe not jumping a 19 – I mean you’re not going to jump your best in every meet. I was shooting for 19 but I was happy with how I placed. It’s great to be here.”
Parrish took in the podium experience. The junior admitted to having thoughts of giving up the sport as a sophomore, but stuck with it and finished seventh in the event last season.
“My coaches wouldn’t let me do it,” she said of possibly quitting. “This year medaling and getting third was something I never imagined would happen. I was seeded third and came out third. My long jump was an inch-and-a-half off my PR (19-0), so I was happy I was that close. And I was happy that I was able to work on my mindset even when things weren’t going well. And that’s what helped me jump the way I did.”
Appleton North’s Busch witness to history
Appleton North’s Eva Busch set a personal-best time of 4:53.32 in finishing fifth in the Division 1 girls 1,600-meter run.
Busch was also witness to a new state record when the event winner, Lauren McCalla of Menomonie, set the mark with a time of 4:38.54.
“I was definitely going for the PR today, so I was just go out and kind of try to get out fast,” Busch said. “And then I was going to stay with them as long as I could. But I was so happy to get a PR finally. And I think it’s just so cool to be running with like someone who broke the 400 and got the new record. I think that’s so cool.”
Busch, a sophomore, added that she’s shooting to get under the 4:50 mark in the coming years.
“I’ll probably train harder and better and try to come back next year again and maybe break 4:50,” she said. “That’s my goal for the next two years. I think that would just be a really cool thing to do.”
McCalla’s state record broke Kaukauna’s Brooke Novak’s mark set in 2001 (4:43.2).
“Before this, I was getting myself ready and preparing myself and doing my best to just believe in my abilities because that’s the biggest thing,” McCalla said. “I had to believe what I could do, and putting yourself through pain is not something that everyone can do. And so I’ve been practicing that. I’ve been practicing getting comfortable with it, hitting sub 4:40 pace in my workouts and just really trying to satisfy this goal that I’ve been working towards.”
Kimberly’s Janssen leads area podium finishers
Kimberly senior Eli Janssen finished third in the D1 boys discus with a throw of 166-8. Janssen scratched on his first two throws, but nailed his third throw in the opening round to reach that mark.
Hortonville freshman Norah Eidahl placed fourth in the D1 girls high jump with a leap of 5-6 with Appleton North’s Ava Helmbrecht sixth in the D1 girls 800 (2:14.55).
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Early throw helps Neenah’s Severson secure gold in D1 state shot put
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
