Falcons’ Sabourin takes 5th in discus
By Jason Arndt
Editor
The Wilmot Union High School boys 1,600-meter relay team did it again at the WIAA Division 1 state track and field meet Saturday in La Crosse.
A day after the Panther boys notched a school record in the preliminary round, the Wilmot foursome of Anthony Poco, Jordan Jesse, Zac Schrader and Matt Cieslak finished second in the event at 3 minutes, 18.39 seconds, just .29 seconds from first place Kettle Moraine.
As Cieslak reached the finish line, the moment brought an unbelievable experience, according to Poco.
“When Matt crossed the finish line, it was such an amazing feeling, that I will remember for the rest of my life,” Poco said. “Knowing that all of our hard work paid. The atmosphere at state cannot be described in words, having about 10,000 people watch you run is crazy.”
Last year, subtracting Jordan Jesse and adding Jayden Jesse, the 1,600-meter team finished sixth.
The improvement, Poco said, was in part because of a strong team effort on the track.
“We continued to push ourselves and I feel as if we all improved mentally and physically as runners,” Poco said.
Wilmot coach Norm Preo said the team effort took a season to mesh.
“The same boys ran on the 400, 800, and 4×400 together most of the season,” Preo said. “They developed an incredible amount of trust with one another.”
Junior season fueled Sabourin
Meanwhile, for Westosha Central, the team did not leave the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse empty-handed, courtesy of senior Amanda Sabourin’s fifth place discus throw of 128 feet, 10 inches.
Sabourin’s podium appearance comes a year after she finished 20th at the state meet.
According to Sabourin, last year’s performance was the driving force behind her fifth place finish.
“I was able to get a feel for the ring and the large audience. Because I didn’t do as well as I wanted to, I used it as motivation for this year,” Sabourin said. “Going into today, I felt more comfortable and making it to finals was definitely one of my goals.”
“After eight years of throwing, stepping on the podium was the most rewarding and special moment,” she added.
Martin leaves legacy
Panthers’ senior Maddie Martin, who qualified for the 400 meter dash finals with a school record 57.07 in Friday’s preliminary round, followed up to finish eighth on Saturday.
Through Martin’s four-year Panthers career, the sprinter shattered the record books, adding her name to five events.
“Leaving behind five school records is the greatest feeling in the world,” Martin said. “The records were also old, so it’s crazy to me that mine can be up there until I’m much older.”
Along with five school records, Martin qualified for state in three of her four years.
Of Martin’s five school records, three were on relay teams (400, 800, 1,600), which included current seniors Rachel Kostrova and Julia Shurtleff.
Kostrova, a part of all three teams, also made her first appearance in an individual event, the 400 dash, narrowly missed qualifying for the final round after she placed 11th in Friday’s preliminary round.
Shurtleff was a member of the 400 and 800 relay teams.
“Many people say that track is an individual sport, but honestly I need my teammates more than anything, especially Julia and Rachel,” Martin said. “Being so close with them was so important because it allowed us to be comfortable with pushing each other to our limits.”
“Maddie Martin leaves quite a legacy here, especially on our record Track & Field record board,” Preo said. “She holds Wilmot High School Track & Field records in several events, as does her sister, Haylee Martin.”
In other events, the boys 800 relay team of Poco, Jesse, Cieslak and Schrader notched a school-record in Friday’s preliminary round, advancing them to the final round, where they finished eighth.
Poco, however, said the second place finish, in addition to two other broken relay records is enough to consider the state appearance a success.
“This year’s state appearance was a success all in all,” Poco said. “All three of our relays being the 400 meter relay, 800 meter relay, and the 1600 meter relay, breaking all of our school records and placing top 10 in two of those events.”
While Poco and Jesse have another year, Martin leaves a note of advice to underclassmen, including a positive attitude, a rigorous work ethic and stay coachable.
“Something coach (Trey) Bell always told me and that is ‘Don’t be afraid to get great’,” she added. “Lastly, it is important to love your family and teammates.”
For the Falcon vaulters, senior Madi Hansen matched a personal record 11-0 to place 10th among 24 girls competitors, and junior Josh Engberg finished 18th at 13-0 for the boys.
Both vaulters qualified for state after winning in sectionals at Stoughton.
Falcons’ senior Hunter Huggins placed 17th in the discus throw, where he qualified with a third place finish at the Stoughton sectional.
Wilmot sophomore Cullen Ketterhagen, who placed second at the Stoughton sectional, did not advance to the final round of the 300-meter hurdles.
Finals
Boys 1600 relay – 1. Kettle Moraine 3:18.10, 2. Wilmot Union (Anthony Poco, Jordan Jesse, Zac Schrader, Matt Cieslak) 3:18.39, 3. Milw. Riverside/Golda Meir 3:19.49, 4. Appleton North 3:19.56, 5. Franklin 3:20.50, 6. La Crosse Logan 3:20.52.
Girls 400 dash – 1. Brooke Jaworski, Wausau West, 53.71; 2. Bianca Stubler, Hamilton, 54.58, 3. Kiersten Walker, Milwaukee King, 55.15; 4. Kayla Vogt, Arrowhead, 56.08; 5. Alyson Weum, Stoughton, 56.19; 6. Maddie Frey, Waukesha West, 56.33; 8. Maddie Martin, Wilmot, 57.55.
Boys 800 relay – 1. Muskego 1:27.04, 2. Brookfield East 1:27.61, 3. Stevens Point 1:28.04, 4. Wauwatosa East 1:28.50, 5. Madison La Follette 1:28.58, 6. Madison Memorial 1:28.71, 8. Wilmot (Zac Schrader, Matt Cieslak, Jordan Jesse, Anthony Poco) 1:28.85.
Girls pole vault – 1. Daily Albino, New Berlin West, 12-6; 2. Rachel Seraphine, 12-6; 3. Grace Kowalkowski, De Pere, 12-3; 4. Olivia Fabry, De Pere, 12-0; 5. Hailey Orlowski, Wisconsin Lutheran, 12-0; 6. Olivia Mabry, Bay Port, 11-6; 10. Madi Hansen, Westosha Central, 11-0.
Boys pole vault – 1. Lucas McCormick, Green Bay Preble, 15-3; 2. Jared Jones, Kettle Moraine, 15-3; 3. Cameron Jemison, Menomonee Falls 15-0; 4. Cannon Melstrand, West Bend West, 14-6; 4. Jack Johnson, Hartford, 14-6; 6. Brock Kavacic, Sheboygan South, 14-6; 18. Josh Engberg, 13-00.
Girls discus – 1. Josie Schaefer, Baraboo, 163-8; 2. Natalie Mohring, DC Everest, 134-2; 3. Erin Dunning, Ashwaubenon, 130-09; 4. Kelsey Judge, Baraboo, 130-03; 5. Amanda Sabourin, Westosha Central, 128-10; 6. Alyssa Rivest, Watertown, 128-9.
Boys discus – 1. Boyd Dietzen, Kimberly, 184-11; 2. Austin Glynn, Onalaska, 181-4; 3. Logan McCormick, Kimberly, 174-4; 4. Connor Wigand, Manitowoc Lincoln, 169-5; 5. Zach Mueller, DC Everest, 165-2; 6. Andrew Stone, Fond du Lac, 162-2; 17. Hunter Huggins, Westosha Central, 140-10.
Preliminaries
Boys 800 relay – 1. Muskego 127.87; 2. La Crosse Central 1:27.96, 3. Brookfield East 1:28.04, 4. Racine Case 1:28.08, 5. Wilmot (Zac Schrader, Matt Cieslak, Jordan Jesse, Anthony Poco) 1:28.22, 6. Madison Memorial 1:28.56, 7. Stevens Point 1:28.60, 8. Wauwatosa East 1:28.65, 9. Madison La Follette 1:28.65, 10. Menomonee Falls 1:28.97.
Girls 400 dash – 1. Brooke Jaworski, Wausau West, 54.27; 2. Bianca Stubler, Hamilton, 55.20; 3. Kiersten Walker, Milwaukee King, 55.91; 4. Kayla Vogt, Arrowhead, 56.21; 5. Maddie Frey, Waukesha West, 56.30; 6. Alyson Weum, Stoughton, 56.42; 7. Brooklyn Schyvinck, Reedsburg, 57.06; 8. Maddie Martin, Wilmot, 57.07; 9. Nicole Buchinger, Kaukauna, 57.42; 10. Emily Breider, Brookfield East, 57.60; 11. Rachel Kostrova, Wilmot, 58.54.
Boys 400 relay – 1. Muskego 42.00, 2. Nicolet 42.16, 3. Oak Creek 42.24, 4. Wauwatosa East 42.50, 5. DC Everest 42.57, 6. Green Bay Preble 42.59, 7. Waunakee 42.64, 8. Middleton 42.86, 9. Stoughton 42.91, 10. Arrowhead 42.91, 13. Wilmot (Zac Schrader, Robert Brent, Matt Cieslak, Anthony Poco) 43.00.
Boys 1600 relay – 1. Kettle Moraine 3:18.99, 2. Wilmot (Anthony Poco, Jordan Jesse, Zac Schrader, Matt Cieslak) 3:19.68, 3. Appleton North 3:20.41, 4. Franklin 3:21.84, 5. Milw. Riverside/Golda Meir 3:21.99, 6. La Crosse Logan 3:22.31, 7. Oconomowoc 3:22.46, 8. DC Everest 3:22.60, 9. Neenah 3:22.79, 10. New Berlin Eisenhower 3:22.79.
Boys 300 hurdles – 1. Drake Schneider, Eau Claire Memorial, 38.05; 2. Kyle Weiland, Baraboo, 38.74; 3. Charles Handrick, Wausau West, 38.93; 4. DJ Stewart, Kimberly, 38.94; 5. Corey Folds, Milw. Samuel Morse.Marshall, 39.03; 6. Drew McCormick, Pulaski, 39.06; 7. Dion Smith, La Crosse Logan, 39.07; 8. John Ford, Nicolet, 39.24; 9. Sean Moore, New Berlin Eisenhower, 39.34; 10. Kelvon Johnson, West Allis Central, 39.45; 23. Cullen Ketterhagen, Wilmot, 41.80.
Girls 1600 relay – 1. Arrowhead 3:54.29, 2. Hamilton 3:55.29, 3. Appleton North 3:56.82, 4. River Falls 3:56.94, 5. Wausau West 3:57.70, 6. Monona Grove 3:58.14, 7. Waukesha West 3:58.25, 8. Kaukauna 3:58.41, 9. Divine Savior Holy Angels 3:59.60, 10. Wauwatosa East 3:59.99; 15. Wilmot (Julia Shurtleff, Teresse Nunez, Rachel Kostrova, Maddie Martin) 4:02.34.