Several Madison-area athletes are set to take part in the 2018 WIAA State Track & Field Meet in La Crosse this Friday and Saturday.
Some of the local highlights:
Boys Division 1: Senior L.O. Johnson of Waunakee returns to the 100 dash after capturing the crown last year. He enters competition with a qualifying time of 11.02, which ranks fourth among qualifiers.
Girls Division 1: Sun Prairie has 16 competitors participating in 14 event entries in the meet, including 11 individual events and three relays to lead the division in total entries.
Junior Destiny Huven of Nicolet won the 100 hurdles a year ago and is back defending her title with the second-best qualifying time of 14.75. She will need to contend with senior Alexis Jackson of Oregon, who fell to third last season after winning the title in 2016. She enters the competition with the swiftest sectional time of 14.45. Jackson should also be considered a contender in the 300 hurdles after winning the event in 2016 and finishing sixth last season. She’ll need to dethrone sophomore Jadin O’Brien, who won the gold medal last season and Jaworski, who has turned in the best qualifying time from sectionals at 42.55. Jackson qualified with a time of 43.86, and O’Brien enters competition with a sectional time of 43.92.
Boys Division 2: Senior Ben Dunkleberger of Lake Mills is the two-time defending champion in the triple jump and the returning champion in the long jump. He enters competition with the top qualifying mark of 22-7 1/2 in the long jump and the second-best distance in the triple jump at 45-6 1/2. Senior Brekan Day of Brodhead/Juda is the returning champion in the high jump. He tops the field of qualifiers with a mark of 6-6 recorded at sectionals.
Girls Division 2: Jefferson leads all schools in the division with 15 total event entries, including 14 competitors participating in 12 individual events and three relays. Senior Emily Stendel of Jefferson eyes her second consecutive championship in the discus. Her qualifying throw of 137-3 at sectionals ranks third in the qualifying field of contenders.
Boys Division 3: Darlington possesses the most event entries with 10, including four relays, with 11 participants qualifying. Bangor and Cambridge have entries in nine events, including four and two relays, respectively. Cambridge is represented with eight competitors and Bangor has six participants in the meet.
Girls Division 3: Sophomore Hannah Constable of Johnson Creek won the State title in the 800 run as a freshman and looks to repeat the feat with the top qualifying time in the event this season with a time of 2:20.26.
You can find out more about the Boys State Meet and Girls State Meet here, as well as a full schedule of events, parking details, and more.
via WIAA press release