The Beard is Back

Minnetonka grad and 2014 Wanamaker Mile champion, Will "the Beard" Leer returns to the Medtronic TC 1 Mile on May 6.  He'll be joined by Canadian Olympian Nate Brannen, as well as already announced entrants, such as defending champ/course recordholder and Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis.

The Facial Stylings of Will Leer Through the Years

Additions to the women's field are US 3K 2014 indoor champion Gabe Grunewald and Sara Hall.  Full press release on the additions to the field are HERE.

Other Weekend Results and News Clips: Bolstad Twilight, Drake Alternative, St. Mary's Open, Janis Rider Invite; HS results, Meb and Brother Colm

Bolstad Twilight Meet results are HERE

Drake Alternative Meet results for men are HERE, women HERE

St. Mary's Open results for men are HERE, women HERE.

Janis Rider Invitational results are HERE.

Opening day results for NSIC multi event championships are HERE.

Preliminary team results from Get In Gear/USATF Minnesota 10K team championships are HERE.
Get In Gear photo album is HERE.

U-Mary's Jennifer Agnew accepts Female Student- Athlete of the Year Award

Minnesota Daily story on Gophers at Drake Relays is HERE.

Stillwater Gazette article on the Cambridge-Isanti Invitational is HERE.

Shakopee Valley News report on Shakopee results from the Hamline Elite Meet is HERE with link to photos HERE.

Sun Sailor stories on the Lake Conference Relays; Hopkins summary HERE, Minnetonka boys HERE, Minnetonka girls HERE, Wayzata HERE. Feature on Wayzata's Alayna Sonnesyn is HERE.

Meb on what he was thinking during and after his Boston win is HERE.

Patrick McHugh, Athletic Director and track coach at North Shore Country Day School in the suburbs of Chicago, on Brother Colm O'Connell is HERE.

Minnesota HS All Time List: 300 Intermediate Hurdles

Shaina Burns(left) and Rachel Schow(right) at the 2014 Hamline Elite Meet
Photo by Jim Ferstle

42.62	Liesa	Brateng	Roseau	1987
42.81	Gina	Perich	Esko	1995
43.09	Gina	Dare	Apple Valley	2004
43.33	Meleah	Biermaier	Thief River Falls	2012
43.39	Lisa	Ristau	Farimont	1988
43.47	Mikeala	Raddatz	Eastview	2003
43.47	Melissa	Steele	Eden Prairie	2001
43.56	Jenna	Severson	Spring Lake Park	2008
43.68	Rebekah	Kok	Anoka	2003
43.77	Anna	Ratzloff	Little Falls	1991
43.82	Kristi	Dean	Fridley	1991
43.82	Alison	Gamache	Mounds View	2005
43.83	Danielle	Larson	St. Peter	2011
43.85	Sarah	Menden	Eden Prairie	2000
43.89	Rachel	Schow	Rosemount	2013
43.98	Brooke	Bredenberg	Champlin Park	2001
44.05	Jessica	January	Richfield	2010
44.10	Alyssa	Parco	Farmington	2012
44.12	Brigitte	Stuewew	Norwood Y-America	1988
44.17	Cally	Strobel	Mayer Luthern	2010
44.18	Ekene	Obi	Cretin Derham Hall	2005
44.29	Katie	Drentlaw	Prior Lake	1997
44.29	Cassie	Ortberg	Zimmerman	2012
44.31	Erin	Huls	Rocori	2013
44.34	Mariah	Witt	Hopkins	2011
44.35	Chanel	Miller	Apple Valley	2010
44.37	Kendra	Mooberry	Benson	2009
44.37	Bree	Woelber	Pipestone Area	2009
44.40	Luanne	Sorrell	St. Francis	1991
44.42	Jenna	Gibson	Grand Rapids	2010
44.44	Taryn	Simmons	Bloomington Kennedy	2007
44.47	Madison	Smith	Brainerd	2010
44.48	Molly	Bauman	Coon Rapids	2002
44.59	Erin	Hauls	Rocori	2012
44.60	Ellen	Graef	SSC	2000
44.61	Andi	Noel	Stephen Argyle	1996
44.62	Holly	Hargroder	Stillwater	1991
44.62	Jill	Steinbach	Wayzata	2003
44.66	Katie	Bestul	Coon Rapids	1996
44.66	Ashley	Williams	Chaska	2001
44.69	Shaina	Burns	Lakeville South	2012
44.77	Emma	Russ	Simley	2011
44.78	Jennifer	Becker	Eden Valley Watkins	2005
44.79	Caitlin	Lynch	Eastview	2003
44.82	Trend	Fields	Brainerd	1988
44.82	Rena	Kneeland	New Prague	2009
44.83	Abby	Lien	St. Cloud Cathedral	2004
44.84	Megan	Rasmussen	Kasson Mantorville	2006
44.84	Kayla	Sawtell	Mounds View	2010
44.84	Katlyn	Sawtelle	Luverne	2009
44.86	Kaitlyn	Dunsmore	Minnetonka	2008
44.86	Gretchen	Otto	Rochester Lourdes	1985
44.89	Dianne	May	Eden Prairie	1986
44.91	Swen	Minnema	Mankato West	1991
44.92	Amy	Docherty	Roseville	1991
44.94	Mallori	Johnson	Moorhead	2013
44.94	Holly	Manthei	Burnsville	1993
44.94	Katie	Newgard	Pipestone Area	2004
44.95	Andrea	Shamp	Totino Grace	2004
44.97	Natalie	Windels	Eagan	2013
44.98	Caraline	Slattery	Lakeville South	2013
44.99	Niki	Saiko	Roseville	1991
44.99	Caitlin	Winey	Burnsville	2004
45.01	Alison	Foley	Hastings	2002
45.03	Taylor	Grandgenett	Blue Earth Area	2013
45.04	Greta	Bauer	Sauk Rapids	1999
45.04	Bethany	Murray	Mankato West	2009
45.05	Kelsey	King	Burnsville	2007
45.06	Janelle	White	Burnsville	1993
45.07	Elena	Swan	St. Paul Central	1994
45.09	Chere	Fuchs	Anoka	1996
45.09	Jessica	Keesling	White Bear Lake	2009
45.09	Carmen	Lundell	Breck	2008
45.10	Brook	Divine	Austin	1993
45.11	Carrie	Stuart	Blaine	1998
45.13	Kay	Fuller	Bertha Hewitt	1993
45.13	Bria	Jones	Spring Lake Park	2010
45.14	Brenda	Braunn	Moorhead	1985
45.14	Tara	Croteau	Mesabi East	1996
45.15	Amy	Hansen	Bloomington Jefferson	1986
45.15	Hallie	Wollner	Mound Westonka	2009
45.16	Kris	DeRuyck	Balaton	1996
45.16	Carrie	Edmunds	Lakeville South	2007
45.18	Meghan	Dybvig	Burnsville	2001
45.19	Katie	Shelander	Roseville Area	2006
45.20	Sammy	Laatsch	Lakeville South	2003
45.20	Heidi	Lundervold	Woodbury	1994
45.21	Jessica	Butler	Grand Rapids	2007
45.22	Tricia	Bates	Staples	1988
45.23	Camille	Norman	Mpls Washburn	2003
45.24	Tonya	Paulson	Waconia	1993
45.24	Kelly	Schoberg	Plainview	1992
45.24	Nikki	Schultz	Cedar Mountain	2005
45.25	Ciara	Christenson	USC/AC	2009
45.28	Amy	Dombrovski	Holdingford	1999
45.28	Lisa	Ingvalson	Blooming Prairie	2002
45.28	Katie	Lien	Blaine	2003
45.28	Becky	Peterson	Robbinsdale Armstrong	2000
45.30	Becca	Lee	Dover Eyota	2007
45.31	Chris	Carlson	Anoka	1987

Heather Kampf on Falling and Getting Up

Team USA Minnesota's Heather Kampf writes on her redesigned blog about falling and getting up HERE.

Gene Niemi's Drake Relays Photo Album

Lucy, the Beautiful Bulldog, mascot of the 105th Drake Relays.
Photo by Gene Niemi

NDSU anchor, Paige Stratioti, Duluth Denfeld grad/2011 State champ)
finishes the 3:47.73 winning 1600 Sprint Medley.
photo by Gene Niemi

Maggie Bolling(1463) and Te'Shon Adderly(1461) during the Gopher
fourth place DMR(11:28.78).
Photo by Gene Niemi

Gopher's Wally Ellenson preparing for a lower height in his third place
effort(7'2.5") in the high jump.
Photo by Gene Niemi

Ellenson over the bar.
Photo by Gene Niemi

Gopher's Blayne Dulian on his way to third in the seeded
1500 in a lifetime best of 3:46.51.
Photo by Gene Niemi

Gopher's Jacob Capek(484) hands off to Nate Roese on their way to seventh place(3:20.30).
Photo by Gene Niemi

Gopher's Katie Moraczewski(8) on her way to fifth in the steeple(10:28.72)
Photo by Gene Niemi

Annie Bersagel Wins Dusseldorf Marathon

Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon 2013 champion Annie Bersagel came from behind to win the Dusseldorf Marathon in a new PB of 2:28:59.  Report on the race is HERE.

Jim Schoffman Gets Woooohed

"Saturday at Penn was great especially after running in the rain on Friday. I was slated to run the 4 x 100 on Friday, but the team had to scratch. Too many injuries. That's the problem with Masters relays, not enough healthy bodies at times," says Jim Schoffman, who ran the Masters M60 100 and several relays at this year's carnival in Philadelphia.

"With the 40 and older 4 x 400 on Saturday we ended up with two guys in their 50's and two 60 year olds. I  received the Penn woooooooh on the backstretch while reeling in the guy in front from ten to fifteen meters back. So cool. Never imagined at 60 I would have this opportunity.  I did tie up 30 meters from the finish, and he passed me back . But I got the woooooh!"

Editor's Note: While the woooooh is not limited to the Penn Relays. though with a crowd of 40 to 50,000 people in the stands on the final day of Penn each year, it's certainly louder.  As the 4 by 400 is commonly the final event in high school meets, I have many fond memories of the race, in the dark, under the lights, back in the '60s.

At Penn you can get whooooohed by 40 to 50,000 people

The lights weren't as bright as today's, so often all you could see going down the backstretch were silhouettes of the flying bodies and gleaming batons flashing up and down as the runners battled for the lead.  And then there was the woooooh that followed every big move or lead change.  As Jim notes here at Penn the experience is not reserved for the young.  Everybody deserving of a woooooh gets wooooohed!

One of whom being former Temple track athlete, Bill Cosby

Mason Ferlic Interview

Mounds Park Academy grad running for the University of Michigan, Mason Ferlic was a member of the relay teams at Penn.  Michigan Saturday summary is HERE. Michigan SID feature on Ferlic is HERE.

Drake Saturday Results, Summaries

The Gophers Wally Ellenson finished third in the high jump with a clearance of 7'2.5"/2.2m.  Amanda Smock had the third longest jump in the triple jump competition, 13.31m/43'10.5".  Gopher's Blayne Dulian finished third in the seeded men's U/C 1500 in 3:46.51;  Cretin Derham Hall grad Kevin Docherty, who runs for Iowa was 12th in the same event in 3:58.79. MSU Mankato finished third in the men's 4 by 110 Shuttle Hurdle Relay in 58.15. Gopher women's team's Kelli Budd was third in the U/C steeple in 10:14.53; Katie Moraczrwski was fifth in 10:28.72; Kaila Urick was eighth in 10:32.70; Kate Bucknam was 16th in 10:56.95; and Taylor Mikkalson was 17th in 10:58.27. Hastings and NDSU grad Shawn Francis was fourth in the pole vault in an outdoor PR of 5.50m/18'1".

The Gopher women were fourth in the U/C Distance Medley Relay in 11:28.78. MSU Moorhead finished fourth in the College 4 by 400 Relay in 3:12.21.   MSU Mankato was sixth in the 4 by 100 College men's Relay in 41.30.  Reed took fourth in the U/C Hammer throw at 61.01m/200'2", as well as 11th in the U/C Shot put at 55'9.75", and 16th in the U/C discus with a toss of 50.56m/165'10".  The Gopher men were seventh in the University 1600 Sprint Medley Relay in 3:20.30.  The Gopher's Derek Storkel placed seventh in the men's U/C steeple in 9:06.04.  MSU Mankato's men's College 1600 Sprint Medley Relay  was 11th in 3:28.66. The Gophers Goaner Deng was 12th in the men's U/C 800 in 1:56.10. Hamline was 18th in the men's College 1600 Sprint Medley Relay in 3:32.21; Augusburg was 21st in 3:34.81. In the women's College 1600 Sprint medley Relay MSU Mankato was 14th in 4:05.59; Bethel was 16th in 4:07.07; Hamline was 22nd in 4:21.39, and Augsburg was 23rd in 4:29.59

North Dakota State SID story on the team's success at Drake is HERE..  Several  Minnesotans on the relay teams that set new school records and won the University 1600 Sprint Medley relay.

Gopher men's final day summary for Drake is HERE. Gopher men's Friday summary is HERE, Thursday summary is HERE. Gopher women's summary of Friday results at Drake, Grand View Viking Classic, and UC San Diego Triton Classic are HERE.Gopher women Saturday summaries from Drake and UC San Diego Triton Classic are HERE.

Hamline Saturday Drake summary is HERE, Friday summary is HERE. St. Thomas Friday women's summary for Drake is HERE, men's summary is HERE.

MSU Mankato Drake men's summaries are HERE and HERE; women's summaries HERE and HERE.

Top Ten Finishers at Get In Gear 10K

Julius Koskei and Lilian Mariita won the men's and women's races at the Get in Gear 10 Saturday morning.  Koskei ran 29:42 and Marita 33:26.  The race was also the USATF Minnesota 10K Championship with runner-up Team USA Minnesota's Jon Peterson taking the men's title in 29:42.  Fourth place women's finisher  Beth Herndon is USATF-MN women's champ in 35:34.  Top ten men and women finishers are HERE.

Penn Relays Masters

Minnesota Masters runner Jim Schoffman, who runs for Mass Velocity led off for the team that finished 11th in the 4 by 400 relay at Penn on Friday.Schoffman ran 65.23 for the first leg. The team's final time was 4:27.30 and was the third fastest over 60 team.  The 4 by 400 combined teams of Masters 50 years old and up. Full event results are HERE.

Schoffman was also seventh in the men's 60 and up 100 in 14.16. Full 100 results are HERE.

Susan Loyd, who also runs for Mass Velocity ran the anchor leg for her team in the Mixed 4 by 100 relay that placed 12th overall and was the first W50 team.  Full results of that race are HERE.  She also ran on the woman's Mass Velocity 4 by 400 team that finished seventh, running the anchor leg in 80.3.

Today, Schoffman will be running on the M40 4 by 400 because the Mass Velocity team will be one man short. "I'm the next fastest that will be around," says Schoffman, so he got the call to duty.  He writes about Friday's mixed 4 by 400, saying: "THE $ B $(( IS ALL THE M%0 and M60 in hone heat, 24 teams with a waterfall start.I'm leading off.  I'm told: 'grip the baton hard and run for your life.'"

Drake Relays Friday Results

Drake 1500.  

Team USA Minnesota's Heather Kampf followed her US Road Mile win with a third in 4:07.15 in the Drake Relays Women's 1500. Teammate Gabe Grunewald finished 11th in 4:17.66. Gopher pole vaulter Zach Siegmeier was fifth in the C/U pole vault clearing 5.30m/ 17'4.5",   800 meter runner Te'Shon Adderly 11th in 2:07.19, long jumper Trevor Yedoni 21st 6.96m/22'10".  MSU Mankato's Jerrell Hancock ninth in the prelims of the U/C 100 in 10.51. Concordia Moorhead javelin thrower Connor Johnson 22nd 52.58m/172'6".  Concordia Moorhead Shot putter Cherae Reeves 23rd 13.13m/43'1". 110 Meter hurdles men's prelims: MSU Mankao's Slater Powell 24th in 14.85 and Benjamin Ojika 26th in 14.94.  Gophers Ben Holcomb 25th in 14.88.

In the College women's DMR finals, UMD was fifth in 11:51.60.  St. Thomas 11th in 12:03.41. Winona State 13th in 12:33.39.  MSU Mankato 15th in 12:34.27. Hamline 16th in 12:50.12.

College men's 4 by 800 Hamline 12th in 7:52.05, Concordia Moorhead 14th in 8:14.76.

University 4 by 800 men: Gophers fifth in 7:30.13.

Men College 4 by 400 prelims: MSU Moorhead 6th in 3:11.51 qualified for finals.  St. Thomas 21st in 3:18.58. Bethel 22nd in 3:18.95.

Men University 4 by 400 prelims: Gophers 13th in 3:08.39.

Women College 4 by 400: Winona State 13th in 3:49.90. Bethel 24th in 3:55.10, St. Scholastica 25th in 3:55.18

Women College 4 by 100 prelims: MSU Mankato 12th in 48.01. St. Thomas 17th in 48.69. Bethel 21st in 49.16. Augsburg 31st in 50.63.

Men College 4 by 100: MSU Mankato 7th in 41.35 qualified for final. Hamline 20th in 42.72. St. Thomas DNF.

13 Meet Records are Broken at Hamline Elite Meet

As the sun slowly set in the West, leaving behind a warm, dry temperature and light winds from the Northwest meet records began to fall at the eighth Hamline Elite Meet at Klas Field Friday night like snowflakes in Northern Minnesota.  Thirteen meet records were set, primarily in the sprints, relays, and jumps due to some degree to the near ideal weather.  "You gotta love it," said one of the meet's standouts, Lakeville South's Shaina Burns after setting a meet record of 14.60 in the 100 meter hurdles.  "You don't get many days like this in Minnesota."

Shaina Burns(left in red and white) and Rachel Schow(right with flowing hair)
on the curve in the 300 hurdles. Photo by Jim Ferstle

Mia Barron sets a meet record
in the Triple Jump. Photo by
Jim Ferstle

In addition to the weather, the competition was also conducive to record setting performances as illustrated by the fact that the runner-up to Burns in the 100 hurdles , Michaela Preahchuk from Lakeville North, was a blink of an eye behind and also broke the former meet record in a time of 14.62. While Burns triumphed in the short hurdle race, she also broke the meet record in the 300 meter hurdles, running 44.29, which was only good for second behind Rosemount's Rachel Schow who ran  43.87 to grab the win and the event record

Burns was also part of the runner-up team in the 4 by 400 relay that--you guessed it--broke the meet record by running 4:00.90, but could not claim an event best because Minnetonka ran 4:56.30 to grab the record and the win.  But Burns wasn't finished there.  She also won the shot put, heaving the iron ball 44'6".  Minnetonka's Mia Barron, noting that while neither was a personal best, was still satisfied to have set two meet records in the jumps--triple(39'1.5") and long jump(19' 2.75").

Barron also ran the anchor leg on Minnetonka's runner-up 4 by 100 relay.  Not to be outdone, Eagan's Jacob Gourley didn't break any individual records, but he did come away with three emphatic victories.  He opened by winning the 100 in 10.66, and followed that with a come from behind win running the anchor leg of the 4 by 200 relay by catching and pulling away from the rest of the field down the homestretch to set Eagan's meet record in the event of 1:29.07.  Then he delivered a similar dominating performance in the open 200 beating the field by nearly half a second in 21.60.

Minnetonka's Mia Barron(all black) is interviewed after her double jump
record wins, while 800 record setter Bloomington Jefferson's Matthew Rosen
waits for his interview and T-shirt toss to the crowd.  Each event winner
was introduced to the crowd and given a T-shirt to throw up into the stands.
Rosen has the shirt in his right hand next to his hip.
Photo by Jim Ferstle

Gourley's success was almost copied by his sister, Maggie, who finished runner-up in the girl's 100(12.27 to Cretin Derham Hall's Brieasha Hunter's meet record 12.17) and 200(25.79 to winner Centennial's Jedah Caldwell's 25.22). Jacob said his performances were the result of an intense summer rehab and workout regimen to recover from a shin stress fracture that hampered his efforts in 2013.  A football player, as well as a track athlete, he says that track is his best sport and that the hard work over the summer has paid off.

Wayzata's Anthony Clarke(yellow singlet, blue shorts) has the lead at the
last baton exchange of the 4 by 200 relay with Eagan's Jacob Gourley(blue
singlet with black tights and white shoes in the middle of the picture).
Photo by Jim Ferstle

Rosemount's Payton Otterdahl was the meets only other multiple winner, taking both the shot(58'.75") and discus(167'9") titles.  Minnetonka dominated the women's relays winning the 4 by 400 and 4 by 800, and second in the 4 by 100.  Wayzata won the boy's 4 by 400 and 4 by 100 while staking second in the 4 by 200 and ninth in the 4 by 800.

The distance events were highly competitive and fast with event records falling in the 800 as defending Class AA champ, Bloomington Jefferson' Matthew Rosen, led from the gun and held off Eden Prairie's Cal Lawton to win in 1:52.75.  Lawton also broke the prior meet record, running 1:54.75.  Rosen, who was the captain of the Jefferson basketball team, said he was able to do some running during basketball season and still considers track his main sport.  He said his early season track results convinced him he was ready to run fast on Friday.

Defending Class AA 3200 champion Obsa Ali also played another sport, wrestling, during the winter, so he wasn't in top shape for the 1600 as Farmington's Justin Hyytinen ran him down with a 59.2 last lap to set a meet record of 4:14.05 to Ali's 4:14.66.  Ali said that he wasn't concerned because last year he hadn't been able to break 4:30 at this stage of the season.  Eli Krahn, who was entered in the 1600, scratched because of a cold he picked up last weekend.  He opted not to run the elite meet to give himself time to recover, he said, because the big races will be in June, not April.

Ali leads the field on lap 2 of the 1600. Hyytinen is in the black and red
and you can see his head and shoulders over Ali's left shoulder.
Photo by Jim Ferstle

He and Ali had been talking about working together in the Elite Meet to run a fast time, but neither were in form for that sort of performance yet.  Ali's coach Marty Huberty said one of Ali's goals is to break Steve Holman's Richfield school record, which would require a 4:07 mile or better.

Wayzata's Anna French broke open a battle of the "three juniors," herself, defending Class AA 1600 champion Jenna Truedson, and St Michael Albertville's Rachel King.  French broke away from the field on the third lap and had a comfortable lead going into the last 200, but Truedson's signature last lap kick brought her to French's shoulder down the homestretch, where French had enough left to hold her off.

Anna French(3), Rachel King(1), and Jenna Truedson
(behind King) at the front of the pack in  the 1600
Photo by Jim Ferstle

The boy's 3200 lacked the front running of Stillwater grad Eric Colvin, as first defending Class A 3200 and XC champ, Keegan Hurley of Perham, then Connor Olson of Wayzata took the pace at the front of the pack, but they passed the mile in 4:38, ten seconds slower than Colvin led them through in last year's classic MSHSL Class AA race.  With two laps to go Hurley again moved into the lead and put in a big surge down the backstretch of the last lap in an attempt to 'break" Chaska's Joey Duerr, who was the only runner going with him.  With a 59.8 last lap, Duerr took the lead in the final 50 meters of the race to win his second straight Elite Meet 3200 title in 9:06.54 to Hurley's 9:07.66.

The runners are a blur at the start of the boy's 3200. Photo by Jim Ferstle

The girl's 3200 was a three person battle led most of the way by Chanhassan's Emily Castinias. Castinias broke away in the second mile and opened up a two second gap on the Hasz twins, Megan and Bethany. She held that lead until two laps to go when Megan caught, then passed her and began her drive for the finish.  Castinias was able to hold on for second and Megan won in 10:32.63, Emily ran 10:35.33, and Bethany 10:40.59.

Emily Castinias is beginning to be reeled in by Megan
Hasz with a little over three laps to go in the 3200.
Photo by Jim Ferstle

In the girl's 800 it came down to a battle between Eden Prairie's Olivia Dengel and Shakopee's Tess Misgen.  Misgen led through the first lap, but the pair exchanged the lead during the final lap with Misgen regaining the lead down the homestretch and holding onto it to the finish in 2:14.57 to 2:14.60 for Dengel.

Tess Misgen(left) and Olivia Dengel battle to the end of the 800.
Photo by Jim Ferstle

"I've been taking second for a long time now," said Misgen of her battles with Shakopee grad Maria Hauger last year.  "I though maybe today was going to be my day."  Another tight race was in the girl's 400 where defending Class AA MSHSL 400 champ Megan Linder of Cretin Derham Hall led coming off the final turn and just held on for the win in 56.83 to 56.85 to fast closing Elizabth Endy of Minnetonka.  "I could feel her coming," said Linder of her stretch run.  "I just concentrated on getting to the finish, getting the win."

That single-minded conviction also helped girl's Elite Meet high jump champion Taylor Wiebke of Kasson-Mantorville who needed a jump off to defeat Katie Lindquist of Mahtomedi.  Wiebke cleared 5' 5" in the jump off, a height she had cleared before this year as her PR is 5'8".  "I just tried to keep it simple," Wiebke said.  "I told myself: 'I've made this height before.  I can do it again.'" The competition was just as tight in the boy's high jump where the contest between Nevis' Jordan Feder and Caledonia's West Spier came down to fewer misses as both cleared 6'6".

Jordan Feder bends over the bar. Photo by Jim Ferstle

Feder's mother watched anxiously as the competition came down to the final jumps.  She noted that Nevis doesn't have a track where the athletes can practice.  Nor are there synthetic surfaced floors where he can 

practice jumping.  "He said: 'This surface is really nice.'" she said of his assessment of the Hamline jumping area.  She watched as he did exercises to mimic his back bend to curl over the bar in his Fosbury Flop between jumps to stretch his muscles and get ready for his next attempt. While he may not have the facilities, he demonstrated at Hamline that he has the talent to go higher.

Next to the high jump pit was the pole vault area where a three man competition unfolded.  By clearing 15' Worthington's Will Dudley won the title over Tyler Tappe of Pequot Lakes(14'6") and Wayzata's Ben Yost(14').

Will Dudley flys over the bar. Photo by Jim Ferstle

Other individual Elite Meet records were set by Wayzata's Mike Smith who won the 400 in 48.18(he also ran the anchor on Wayzata's winning 4 by 400 relay).  St. Croix Lutheran's Jon Tollefson(38.73) finished second to Hasting's Clayton Johnson(38.66) in the 300 hurdles, and set the Elite meet record of 14.22 to win the 110 Meter hurdles.

Jon Tollefson(wearing black socks in the red and black) leads Clayton Johnson
(yellow and blue in the middle of the photo) in the 300 hurdles curve.
Photo by Jim Ferstle

Friday HS Meet Results

St Thomas Boy's Invitational results are HERE.

Hamline Elite Meet results are HERE.

Lance Elliott Wins Drake Masters 800

Lance Elliott won the Drake Relays 800 Friday in 2:03.50.  Full results are HERE. With the Hamline Elite meet going on at the same time tonight, the results posting for today's action, which also includes Masters runner Jim Schoffman running in the Penn Relays won't be up until later.

Drake Relays Friday

Lot's of relay prelims and finals today with a few individual events.  Lance Elliott runs the Masters 800 finals.  MSU Mankato's Benjamin Ojika and Slater Powell run in the 110 hurdles prelims.  Their teammate Jerrell Hancock is running the C/U 100 prelims, and the Gopher's Zach Siegmeier vaults in the C/U pole vault finals.

In the College  4 by 100 men's prelims are St. Thomas, Hamline, and MSU Mankato.  The women's teams are from St. Thomas, MSU Mankato, Augsburg, and Bethel. In the University men's 4 by 100 prelims are the Gophers. In the College 4 by 200 men's prelims are Augsburg, Bethel, and MSU Mankato. Women's teams are from Concordia St. Paul, St. Thomas, Augusburg, Bethel, and MSU Mankato.

In the Distance Medley College women's finals are Hamline, Winona State, MSU Mankato, UMD, and St. Thomas. In the 4 by 800 College final are Hamline, Concordia Moorhead, and St. Thomas.  Bethel is running in the men's College DMR final.

Team USA's Gabe Grunewald and Heather Kampf will compete in the Invitational 1500.

Full heat sheets are HERE.

Lusignan Wins Drake Relays 10K and Other Results. Heat Sheets for Hamline Elite and St. Thomas Invite

Trent Lusignan

Shakopee and South Dakota grad Trent Lusignan won the Drake Relays 10K in 29:55.69.  He was the only runner under 30 minutes.  Gophers Bradley Johnson finished second in the unseeded 800 U/C in 1:52.13 and teammate Jeffrey Cottrell was fourth in 1:53.24. The women's and men's 4 by 1600 relay each finished fourth, the men in 16:33.03, the women 19:24.68. In the decathlon Gopher men Luca Wieland was 13th with 6120 points and Nick Bachinski 14th with 5786.

In the women's 10K Augsburg's Lauren Rice was 8th in 35:46.43. The Gophers Jamie Piepenberg was 13th in 36:18.14 and teammate Melissa Cabak was 21st in 37:12.59.  St. Scholastica's Chelsea Johnson finished in 37:14.62.  In the women's 5K, UMD's Samatha Rivard finished fifth in 16:29.53.  U of M's Liz Berkholtz placed 6th in 16:33.72, her teammates Rachel Drake was 15th in 16:51.85 and  Haley Johnson 22nd in 17:13.90.  Ashley Decker did not finish and Laura Docherty was entered but didn't run.

Full Drake Relays results are HERE.

Minnesota Daily article on Drake Relays is HERE.

Heat sheets for Hamline Elite HERE and St.Thomas Invite HERE. Live video of the Hamline meet is HERE.

Drake Relays; Mall Vault; Hamline Twilight

The competition on the track has already started with the second day of the decathlon and heptathlon.  The University of Minnesota's Nick Bachinski and Luca Wieland are entered.  Wieland is 16th after day one on Wednesday with 4332 points, Bachinski is 17th with 4239.

Tonight Gophers Jeffrey Cottrell and Bradley Johnson will run in the unseeded University/College(UC) 800 at 4:05 PM. The University of Minnesota 4 by 1600 women's relay team will run at 4:40 PM.  At 7:30 Gopher women Jamie Piepenburg and Melissa Cabak will join St. Scholastica's Chelsea Johnson and Augsburg's Lauren Rice in the 10K.

At 8:40 Gopher women Liz Berkholtz, Laura Docherty, Rachel Drake, Ashlie Decker, and Haley Johnson will join UMD's Samatha Rivard in the 5K.  St. Olaf's Grant Wintheiser and the U of M's Aaron Bartnik will run the men's 5K at 9:05, the last event on today's program.

Fisheye view of the Mall Vault

Yesterday, Drake had a Mall Vault that featured the current indoor world recorholder Renaud Lavillenie and Hastings and NDSU grad Shawn Francis.  A packed crowd watched the vaulters demonstrating their athleticism in a different environment than they usually perform.  Photos and story are HERE.


Hamline Twilight results are HERE.
Gopher women's summary is HERE.
Hamline summary is HERE.
St. Thomas summary is HERE.
Concordia St. Paul summary is HERE.

Minnesota HS All Time List: Boy's 200

Jake Gourley(6), Shaheed Hickman(5) and Odell Howard(4) dualing in the 100
at the 2013 MSHSL Meet, also battle each other in the 200. Photo by Gene Niemi

2013 BESTS

21.48        Travion Clark                 12     Winona

21.62        Shaheed Hickman            11  Hopkins

21.84        Odell Howard                  11     Fridley 

21.85        Akeem Sirleaf                10     North Saint Paul  

21.85        Tyler Beehler                  11     Foley 

21.89        Karl Olsen                      11     Bloomington Jefferson 

21.91        Kendall Strandlund          12     Christ’s Household of Faith

21.95        Emmanuel Egbujor          12     Champlin Park  

21.97        Elvis Barclay                 12     Roseville Area  

21.98        Nate Roese                   12     East Ridge

 [10]

22.11        Rich Carr                       12     Forest Lake Area  

22.11        Grant Jackson                11     Rosemount 

22.12        Tyler Olson                    12     Buffalo     

22.15        James Kruse                  12     Irondale      

22.20        Brandon Bell                   12     Bloomington Kennedy  

22.22        Michael Smith                 11     Wayzata   

22.22        Patrick Mendin                12     Blaine  

22.23        Jake Gourley                 11     Eagan 

22.26        Jack Thony                    12     Murray County Central 

22.28        Jake Wieneke                12     Maple Grove  

[20]

22.33        Jeffrey Borchardt           12     Wayzata 

22.37        Joe Sando                     12     Champlin Park 

22.39        C.J. Damey                   10     Prairie Seeds Academy  

22.40        Michael Whitney             12     Breckenridge 

22.41        Chris Cunningham          11     Willmar  

22.42        Deion Harris                   11     Hibbing  

22.43        Dan Sauro                     12     South Saint Paul  

22.2          Brian Huber                    12     Staples-Motley 

22.46        Ryan Licau                    11     Chanhassen                                                                                  

22.48        Jonathan Webb              10     Minnehaha Academy 

[30]

22.49        Preston Webb                12     Rosemount  

22.51        Andrew Anyaogu             11     Lakeville North 

22.53        James Paske                 12     Hopkins 

22.55        Robbie Grimsley             10     Hutchinson 

22.59        Daireus Mock                 10     Columbia Heights  

22.60        Michael Thomas              12     Blooming Prairie  

22.62        Keandre Singleton           12     Minnetonka                                         

22.63        Nick Beattie                   12     Blue Earth Area  

22.64        Antoine Scott                 12     Park Center 

22.65        Mitch Sella                     12     Virginia  

[40]

22.67        Jacob Ojile                     12     Spring Lake Park / Saint Anthony 

22.69        Nick Ebert                     12     Chaska 

22.70        Calvin Buesgens            11     Chaska  

22.70        Michael Rivera               12     Windom Area  

22.70        Jakobi Jackson              10     Saint Paul Central                 

22.70        Paul Akintade                 12     Saint Paul Highland Park

22.71        Deandre Singleton           12     Minnetonka                                         

22.73        Denis Bardashevskiy      11     Elk River     

22.78        Wyatt Scheu                  11     Prior Lake 

22.82        Sam Johnson                 11     Monticello 

[50]

22.82        Zach Hoaglund               12     Faribault  

22.82        Riley Mudek               12             Esko 

22.84        Christopher Larson          11     Andover          

22.85        Keyshawn Lee                12     Woodbury  

22.85        August Ollrich                 11     East Ridge 

22.87        Demario Peterkin              9    Rush City 

22.87        Tanner Grubb                 11     Farmington  

22.88        Tanner Palmborg             10     Princeton 

22.88        Charles Fatunbi              11     Coon Rapids 

22.89        Adam Elliott                   10     Hutchinson  

[60]

22.89        Naris Uzzell                    11     Saint Louis Park  

22.90        Ryan Kuester                 12     Glencoe-Silver Lake  

22.90        Connor Behm                 11     Duluth Denfeld 

22.90        Logan Davis                  11     Brainerd  

22.91        John Osifuye                 12     Woodbury 

22.91        Andrew Wright                12     Forest Lake Area  

22.92        Bo Biever                      12     Luverne 

22.93        Eric Birth                       12     Winona  

22.93        Victor James                  10     Irondale 

22.93        Ola Mustapha                 12     Mounds View  

[70]

22.94        Montrell Moore                11     Eastview  

22.7          Tyler Tappe                    11     Pequot Lakes  

22.95        Jared Schmit                  12     Totino-Grace  

22.95        Jahkye Mcclarron           11     Eastview  

22.95        Tyler Blanchard              10     Bloomington Jefferson

22.96        Datrice Mulsumo             10     Champlin Park 

22.96        Jd Foldesi                      12     Duluth Denfeld 

22.96        Jacob Pederson              11     Yellow Medicine East  

22.97        Juwan Rummels             12     Robbinsdale Armstrong

22.97        Greg Ober                      12     Glencoe-Silver Lake                                                                       

2013 STATE MEET CLASS AA

Wind: -1.3 m/s

1 Akeem Sirleaf, 10, North              21.97 

2 Travion Clark, 12, Winona             22.10 

3 Odell Howard, 11, Fridley             22.15 

4 Karl Olsen, 11, Bloomington Jefferson 22.17 

5 Emmaneul Egbujor, 12, Champlin Park   22.35

6 Elvis Barclay, 12, Roseville Area     22.36

7 Grant Jackson, 11, Rosemount          22.37 

8 Nathan Roese, 12, East Ridge          22.56 

   Shaheed Hickman, 11, Hopkins            DQ 

2013 STATE MEET CLASS A

Wind: +0.7 m/s

1 Tyler Beehler, 11, Foley                     21.85 

2 Kendall Strandlund, 12, Christ's Hhold Faith 22.36 

3 Jack Thony, 12, Murray County Central        22.44 

4 Michael Whitney, 12, Brecknridge/Camp-Tint   22.71 

5 Brian Huber, 12, Staples-Motley              22.73 

6 Michael Thomas, 12, Blooming Prairie         22.84 

7 Nick Beattie, 12, Blue Earth Area            22.87 

8 Michael Rivera, 12, Windom Area              22.91 

9 Moise Damey, 11, Prairie Seeds Academy       22.93

200 METER ALL TIME BESTS

20.92        Jon Boyd, Mankato East  2004

20.96        Ibrahim Kabia, Champlin Park  2004

21.22        Jerry Burch, Cretin-Derham Hall 1998

21.0          Mark Lutz, Rochester Mayo  1969 (21.1y)

21.24        Devin Crawford-Tufts, Edina  2010

21.27        Robb Merritt, Hopkins  2001

21.30        Tim Whitney, Saint Paul Arlington 1998

21.42        B.J. Otto, Hill-Murray  2007

21.43        Jerrell Hancock, Anoka  2007

21.48        Travon Clark, Winona  2013

[10]

21.49        Jay Thomas, Tartan  2004

21.54        Cameron Boy, Jordan  2009

21.56        Richard Wilhite, Robbinsdale Cooper  2009

21.57        Jason Bruce, Burnsville  1984

21.57        Emmanuel Matadi, Saint Paul Johnson  2009

21.59        Antwon Simmons, Minneapolis North  2003

21.62        Shaheed Hickman, Hopkins  2013

21.64        Lee Dhein, Saint Cloud Tech  2009

21.65        Bob Ewings, Forest Lake  1993

21.66        Lamonta Bronaugh, Burnsville 1999

[20]

21.66        Trent Holewa, Maple Grove  2010

21.70        Jeff Tarnowski, Wayzata  1995

21.72        Joe Hemberger, Park  1988

21.72        Melvin Carter, Saint Paul Central  1997

21.5          Billy Nadeau, Hibbing  1927 (21.6y)

21.5          Randy Melbourne, Minneapolis Washburn  1993

21.74        Sean King, Saint Paul Cretin-Derham Hall  2007

21.75        Tim VanVoorhis, Apple Valley  1993

21.75        Jeremy Heckman, Centennial  1997

21.76        Josh Wilske, Lakeville  1997

[30]

21.76        Jacob Capek, Rochester John Marshall  2009

21.77        Adam Freed, Duluth Marshall  1996

21.77        Rolando Peco, Duluth Central  2000

21.77        Shayne Shaw, Eastview  2003

21.77        Brock Keaton, Hopkins  2007

21.77        ChiChi Ojika, Irondale  2009

21.79        Demetre Martin, Minneapolis Henry  1987

21.79        Richard Lewis, Saint Paul Highland Park 1998

21.79        Joshua Jackson, Farmington  2009

21.80        Matt Schroeder, Totino-Grace  2010

[40]

21.82        Jeff Byrd, Minneapolis Central  1979

21.82        Nick Herold, North Saint Paul  2006

21.83        Jason Erickson, Alexandria  2001

21.6          Paul Bearman, Saint Louis Park  1967 (21.7y)

21.6          Mike Keenan, Glencoe  1976 (21.7y)

21.6          Paul Otto, Edina East  1977 (21.7y)

21.6          Ryan Lamppa, Benson  1977 (21.7y)

21.6          Bob Sobieck, Alexander Ramsey  1981

21.6          Tracy Martin, Brooklyn Center  1983

21.6          Jason Crocker, Minnehaha Academy  1985

[50]

21.6          Todd Haferman, Prior Lake  1988

21.84        Pat Schottel, Roseville Area 1999

21.6          Brandon Smith, New London-Spicer  2000

21.6          Jerald Burton, Osseo  2003

21.6          Cory Johnson, Moorhead  2004

21.84        Andrew Lewis, Saint Paul Central/Open  2010

21.84        Elvis Barclay, Roseville Area  2012

21.84        Odell Howard, Fridley  2013

21.85        Lorenzo Martin, Minneapolis Roosevelt  1984

21.85        Rhashidi VanLeer, Woodbury  1995

[60]

21.86        Stan McClure, Hopkins  1986

21.88        Andre Billups, Saint Paul Central  1979

21.85        Calvin Clark, Saint Paul Humboldt  2011

21.85        Akeem Sirleaf, North Saint Paul  2013

21.85        Tyler Beehler, Foley  2013

21.88        David Shadduck, Spring Lake Park/Saint Anthony  2012

21.89        Rich Kleber, Northfield  1983

21.89        Victor Oseko, Hopkins  2010

21.89        Keelon Brookins, Tartan  2012

21.89        Karl Olsen, Bloomington Jefferson  2013

[70]

21.90        Scott Beadle, Moorhead  1992

21.90        Greg VanLeer, Woodbury  1993

21.90        Tom Gerding, Waconia  1997

21.90        Jamar Stromberg, Minneapolis Henry  2000

21.91        John Shevlin, Eastview  2002

21.91        Tyler Key, Apple Valley  2007

21.91        Kendall Strandlund, Christ’s Household of Faith  2013

21.92        Matt Skulborstad, Rosemount  1995

21.92        Austin Eliason, Rosemount  2009

21.93        Jordan Wilkie, Eagan  2001

[80]

21.93        Joe Rancourt, Faribault  2007

21.7          Elwin Burditte, Minnetonka  1976 (21.8y)

21.7          Steve Makie, Eden Prairie  1977 (21.8y)

21.7          Bob Galle, Rosemount  1983

21.7          Garrett Veal, Buffalo  1991

21.94        Justin Suss, Lakeville   2005

21.7          Joe Clark, Rochester Century   2005

21.7          Clarence Suttle, Saint Paul Johnson  2007

21.94        Cole Boughner, Anoka  2012

21.95        Matt Taylor, Duluth East 1998

[90]

21.95        Matthew Shannon, Minneapolis Washburn  2000

21.95        Wade Lescault, Minneapolis Roosevelt  2003

21.95        Jeff Brunette, Mounds View  2007

21.95        Chris Anderson, Duluth Central  2007

21.95        Emmanuel Egbujor, Champlin Park  2013

21.95        Shaheed Hickman, Hopkins  2013

21.96        Venus Griffin, North Saint Paul  2002

21.97        Neuby Ras, Alexandria 1998

21.97        George Dudley, Hopkins  2007

21.98        Dave Guinn, Bloom Jefferson  1978 (22.11y)

[100]

21.98        Frank Falzone, Stillwater  2009

21.98        Nichola Pfeifle, Southwest Minnesota Christian  2009

21.98        Nate Roese, East Ridge  2013

220 yds on straight:  20.7  Mark Lutz, Roch Mayo 1970

JUNIOR BESTS

21.0          Mark Lutz, Rochester Mayo  1969 (21.1y)

21.24        Devin Crawford-Tufts, Edina  2010

21.30        Tim Whitney, Saint Paul Arlington  1998

21.49        Jay Thomas, Tartan  2004

21.52        Jon Boyd, Mankato East  2005

21.56        Richard Wilhite, Robbinsdale Cooper  2009

21.62        Shaheed Hickman, Hopkins  2013

21.63        Jerry Burch, Cretin-DH  1997

21.65        Ibrahim Kabia, Champlin Park 2003

21.66        Lamonta Bronaugh, Burnsville  1999

SOPHOMORE BESTS

20.92        Jon Boyd, Mankato East  2004

21.77        Rolando Peco, Duluth Central  2000

21.83        Jason Erickson, Alexandria  2001

21.84        Jerry Burch, Cretin-Derham Hall  1996

21.85        Akeem Sirleaf, North Saint Paul  2013

21.86        Joe Hemberger, Park  1987

22.00        Jonathan Thompson, Saint Louis Park  2002

21.8          Leo Bond, Faribault Schl for the Deaf  1971 (21.9y)

21.8          Jeff Byrd, Minneapolis Central  1978 (21.9y)

22.04        Andrew Lewis, Saint Paul Central  2009

FRESHMAN BESTS

21.60        Jon Boyd, Mankato East  2003

21.88        Calvin Clark, Henry Sibley  2008

21.99        Patrick Mendin, Blaine  2010

22.01        Akeem Sirleaf, North Saint Paul  2012

22.29        Jason Williams, Minneapolis Washburn  2010

22.40        Jason Miller, Mahnomen  1990

22.43        Chuck Harris, Minnetonka  1992

22.2          Jeff Byrd, Minneapolis Central  1977 (22.3y)

22.63        Adrian Perryman, Saint Paul Central  2000

22.64        Charlie Lenn, Pine Island  1996