LA CROSSE – The term generational talent gets thrown out a lot when it comes to athletes and their achievements.
You could certainly make a case for the Winneconne seniors on the boys track and field team, who put together an impressive showing for the thousands on hand at the WIAA state track and field championships June 6 at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.
The Wolves totaled 71.5 points in capturing their first state title. Their victory was dominating as they more than doubled the point total of second-place Monroe (34).
Winneconne finished second last season to Green Bay Notre Dame in the D2 team competition, and that helped fuel the team this season. The Wolves had 42.5 points with the Tritons winning by 1.5 points (44).
“We came down last year and felt we had a real shot last year,” Winneconne coach Kraig Western said. “We said this time we have to stay a little more focused and keep those goals where they’re at and get a good night’s sleep and come ready and stay dialed in. If you get a bump in the road, be resilient, fight back in the next event that you have. I thought our guys were outstanding today. Absolutely great.”
Several seniors played a huge part in that point total. Hudson Samolinski won the shot put with a throw of 61 feet, 2.75 inches after taking second in the discus June 5. Grant Wenzelow captured the 800-meter run with a time of 1:53.43. He also finished second in the 1,600 (4:14.41). He was also the anchor leg of the Wolves’ third-place 1,600 relay team (3:24.96).
“Last year we came runner up by 1.5 points,” Samolinski said. “We returned about 90% of our talent this year. I didn’t falter in my belief because I knew if we pulled everything off and do what we do, we’re going to win.”
Brody Schaffer finished second in the long jump (22-9.5). He also took third in the 100 (10.87) and was the anchor on the team’s 800 relay team that took fourth (1:28.38) that also had senior Bryce Jones.
Samolinski, Schaffer and Jones were key contributors to the football team’s state championship in the fall. So was Trey Zemke, who won the pole vault state title.
“It’s a great way to end my senior year, especially with these guys,” Schaffer said. “They’re great and I love them all. To have two state championships in my senior year is pretty special to me.”
Wenzelow said the senior class shared a lot of traits.
“We are the biggest class that’s come through in a long time,” he said. “And we’ve all been playing multiple sports together since as long as I can remember, probably first grade. We’ve been working on this for a long time. Since middle school track, we’ve been grinding.”
Schaffer said it was the “work ethic” of his teammates that made them special.
“Every day they’re coming in and doing their thing,” he said. “They all wanna be the best version of themselves and that’s what pushes us ahead and that’s what got us to this point.”
Neenah girls earn second consecutive silver
The Neenah girls track and field team finished with 42 points to finish second for the second consecutive season. Arrowhead won the D1 title with 70 points.
Neenah scored a majority of its points in the field events, led by sophomore Emma Severson. She won the discus with a throw of 156-6 after winning the shot put the day before.
Celia Gentile placed second in the triple jump (38-8.75) on June 6 and the long jump on June 5.
“They’re no doubt the backbone of our team,” Neenah coach Kelly Ellington said. “With their hard work and their talent, we definitely couldn’t compete at this level without them. We plan to keep everything rolling next year and continue to keep improving.”
Ellington pointed to the toughness of the Fox Valley Association and how the Rockets were prepared for the state meet by battling against tough conference foes.
Appleton North finished third in the state team standings with 38 points and Oshkosh West was fifth with 29 points.
“We definitely couldn’t do it without Appleton North elevating us, and they were right up to the end,” she added. “They were right on our tail and even mentioned how cool it would be to share it with us. So that was cool. Oshkosh West also was right up there.”
Ellington mentioned how important it was for there to be a great connection between the coaches and the athletes.
“I’m so grateful to this group of coaches and athletes,” she said. “They put positive and encouraging team culture ahead of everything else, and it shows the way they support each other and elevate each other, and we’re so extremely happy to repeat [as runners-up]. We couldn’t be more grateful.”
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Talented group of seniors spark Winneconne to boys track state title
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
