EAGAN — Seeking a repeat trip to the True Team state meet, the Stillwater girls track and field team will play the waiting game to find out its fate after placing second to Eagan in the Section 2AAA True Team meet on Tuesday, May 7 at Eagan High School.
The host Wildcats finished 20.5 points ahead of Stillwater (844.5-824) to secure the automatic trip to True Team state, which will be held at Stillwater Area High School on Friday, May 17. Hastings finished third with 697 points.
After the eight automatic qualifiers are determined this week, a paper meet will be conducted on Saturday, May 11 to determine the four wild card entries.
Stillwater has competed at True Team state 26 of the previous 36 years it has been held, including a year ago when the Ponies placed sixth. Coach Travis Birklid is hoping for another a return trip, regardless of how they get there.
“I think we did everything we really could,” Birklid said. “The people did what we expected them to do and everybody really left it all out there.
“I haven’t looked at the other sections, but based on our performances and how everyone put it out there I think we have a good chance for a wild card. It’s always tough, but I think we’ll be in the mix for sure.”
Stillwater and Eagan each collected six first-place finishes, but depth is always the difference maker with the true team format.
“Eagan just had a little more depth and that will get you the 20.5 points in that meet,” Birklid said.
Liberty Quast won the 100 (12.55) and 200 (25.47) meters for the Ponies and also placed second in the triple jump with a distance of 35-5 1/2. Karina Fischer was another top points scorer for Stillwater with a victory in the 400 (57.53) meters and running the anchor leg for the first-place 4x200 relay team and second-place 4x400 relay team.
Kayla Kajer, Katie Fischer and Ari Riser joined Karina in the 4x200 (1:47.09) while Ella Martens, Riser and Casey Johnston contributed in the 4x400 (4:03.51). Kajer added a second-place finish in the 100 hurdles (16.61) while Martens placed second in the 300 hurdles (48.37) and fifth in the 100 hurdles (16.79).
Greta Shockey also came through with a strong performance while pulling off the distance double. She placed second in the 1,600 (5:33.56) and finished fourth in the 3,200 (12:02.84).
“A lot of the (distance runners) PR’d and they were asked to take on a heavy load,” Birklid said. “Shockey pulled off the mile, two-mile and scored 40-some points for the team.”
Stillwater placed three among the top four in the long jump. Anya Williams (17-3 1/2) and Angela Taylor (16-11 1/4) placed first and second while Cayman Pagel (16-6) followed in fourth.
“That trio of seniors is so strong,” Birklid said.
Abigail Jungmann (9-6) and Nora Tweed (9-0) claimed the top two spots in the pole vault while Nora Ribolzi tied for fourth at 8-0.
“We knew we had a good crew going in but first and second and tied for fourth with a seventh-grader in there, hat’s off to them and (assistant coach) Andy Olson there,” Birklid said.
Sylvia Boyum led the Ponies in both throws, including a runner-up finish in the shot put (35-4 3/4).
And whether the Ponies will earn a spot in the True Team state field, the coach feels the team is in a good position to other big meets coming up.
“I think we’re really well prepared for the rest of the season,” Birklid said. “I filled the bus and we brought a lot of alternates and knew a lot were not going to run, but it was a great team environment and the girls had a lot of fun. We were disappointed (to finish second), but know there’s a lot of great meets coming ahead and we’re feeling pretty good about the wild card.”
Team standings
1. Eagan 844.5; 2. Stillwater 824; 3. Hastings 697; 4. White Bear Lake 649.5; 5. Woodbury 579; 6. East Ridge 470; 7. Park 339; 8. Tartan 292.
Individual results
100 — 1. Liberty Quast (St) 12.55; 4. Cayman Pagel (St) 13.09; 6. Angela Taylor (St) 13.27.
200 — 1. Liberty Quast (St) 25.47; 10. Anya Williams (St) 28.02; 12. Katie Fischer (St) 28.34.
400 — 1. Karina Fischer (St) 57.53; 5. Ari Riser (St) 1:01.03; 16. Madison Komarek (St) 1:05.03.
800 — 1. Ava Ligtenberg (Eag) 2:20.90; 8. Casey Johnston (St) 2:36.72; 13. Jenna Kurth (St) 2:40.10; 18. Zola Tuccitto (St) 2:51.65.
1,600 — 1. Sarah Vaske (Wo) 5:22.07; 2. Greta Shockey (St) 5:33.56; 7. Casey Johnston (St) 5:44.70; 13. Meredith Christensen (St) 6:14.21.
3,200 — 1. Lilah Bartels (Eag) 11:16.70; 4. Greta Shockey (St) 12:02.84; 14. Jaclyn Jurek (St) 13:24.57; 15. Ruby Peterson (St) 13:31.46.
100 hurdles — 1. Carlee Kordosky (Has) 15.44; 2. Kayla Kajer (St) 16.61; 5. Ella Martens (St) 16.79; 11. Addison Brekke (St) 18.09.
300 hurdles — 1. Carlee Kordosky (Has) 46.42; 2. Ella Martens (St) 48.37; 11. Scarlet Huelsmann (St) 51.65; 13. Addison Brekke (St) 52.90.
4x100 relay — 1. Woodbury, 49.24; 2. Stillwater (Angela Taylor, Liberty Quast, Cayman Pagel and Anya Williams) 49.47.
4x200 relay — 1. Stillwater (Kayla Kajer, Katie Fischer, Ari Riser and Karina Fischer) 1:47.09.
4x400 relay — 1. Hastings, 4:00.38; 2. Stillwater (Ella Martens, Ari Riser, Casey Johnston and Karina Fischer) 4:03.51.
4x800 relay — 1. Eagan, 9:46.95; 5. Stillwater (Jenna Kurth, Ruby Peterson, Lauren Willhaus and Zola Tuccitto) 10:55.39.
Long jump — 1. Anya Williams (St) 17-3 1/2; 2. Angela Taylor (St) 16-11 1/4; 4. Cayman Pagel (St) 16-6.
Triple jump — 1. Geneva Rasmussen (Eag) 36-5; 2. Liberty Quast (St) 35-5 1/2; 11. Karina Fischer (St) 31-11 3/4; 14. Katie Fischer (St) 31-5 1/2.
Shot put — 1. Aadra Peterson (Eag) 36-6 1/2; 2. Sylvia Boyum (St) 35-4 3/4; 11. Karley Galowitz (St) 30-9; 19. Segolene Yemmene (St) 26-3 1/4.
Discus — 1. Lauren Whitfield (Has) 119-7; 9. Sylvia Boyum (St) 96-7; 11. Isabel Isaacson (St) 93-10; 16. Adriana Francis (St) 81-8.
High jump — 1. Geneva Rasmussen (Eag) 5-2; T2. Kayla Kajer (St) 5-0 and Anya Williams (St) 5-0; T17. Olivia Madison (St) 4-4.
Pole vault — 1. Abigail Jungmann (St) 9-6; 2. Nora Tweed (St) 9-0; T4. Nora Ribolzi (St) 8-0.
Ponies 2nd at Wayzata
At Wayzata, competing in a field that included some of the top programs in the state, Stillwater placed second in the Wayzata Relays on Friday, May 3 at Wayzata High School.
Minnetonka took top honors with 176 points while Stillwater (156.5) and Wayzata (142) followed in second and third.
“There were some powerhouse squads there,” Ponies coach Travis Birklid said. “We haven’t competed for like two weeks because (Bethel Invitational) got canceled and here we are with the championship meets coming up and it’s our final tuneup and they showed up. It was beautiful weather and great competition so it was really exciting.”
Stillwater produced six first-place finishes, including a 1-2-3 showing from Angela Taylor (17-10), Cayman Pagel (17-6 1/2) and Anya Williams (17-4) in the long jump. Williams also cleared 5-2 to win the high jump.
Sylvia Boyum added a victory in the shot put with a toss of 36-2 1/2.
Liberty Quast won the 100 (12.33) and 200 (26.12) meters and added a second-place finish in the triple jump (34-8), just ahead of fourth-place teammate Karina Fischer (33-6 1/2).
Fischer (57.44) and Ari Riser (59.88) placed first and second in the 400 meters while Kayla Kajer placed third in the 100 hurdles (16.04).
Team standings
1. Minnetonka 176; 2. Stillwater 156.5; 3. Wayzata 142; 4. Roseville 98.5; 5. Woodbury 69; 6. Brainerd 60.5; 7. Mounds View 45; 8. Annandale 20.5.
Individual results
100 — 1. Liberty Quast (St) 12.33; 7. Angela Taylor (St) 13.00; 14. Katie Fischer (St) 13.37; 17. Toriahnna Nielsen (St) 13.50.
200 — 1. Liberty Quast (St) 26.12; 16. Katie Fischer (St) 28.17; 18. Hattie Schotzko (St) 29.20.
400 — 1. Karina Fischer (St) 57.44; 2. Ari Riser (St) 59.88; 12. Madison Komarek (St) 1:05.21
800 — 1. Lila Golomb (Way) 2:16.04; 17. Lauren Willhaus (St) 2:44.27; 18. Ruby Peterson (St) 2:45.65; 19. Zola Tuccitto (St) 2:53.80.
1,600 — 1. Evie Malec (Min) 4:59.72; 15. Casey Johnston (St) 5:45.38; 26. Addison Bergstad (St) 6:31.15; 27. Amanda Arkell (St) 6:32.22.
3,200 — 1. Madelyn Gullickson (Way) 11:07.53; 5. Greta Shockey (St) 11:50.19; 13. Jaclyn Jurek (St) 13:33.48; 14. Meredith Christensen (St) 14:21.50.
100 hurdles — 1. Claire Kohler (Min) 14.45; 3. Kayla Kajer (St) 16.04; 6. Ella Martens (St) 17.39; 8. Addison Brekke (St) 17.59; 13. Mana’olana Kavapalu (St) 18.21.
300 hurdles — 1. Claire Kohler (Min) 44.93; 4. Ella Martens (St) 47.88; 8. Addison Brekke (St) 50.84; 10. Scarlet Huelsmann (St) 51.74.
4x100 relay — 1. Minnetonka, 48.92; 2. Stillwater (Angela Taylor, Liberty Quast, Cayman Pagel and Anya Williams) 49.39.
4x200 relay — 1. Minnetonka, 1:43.91; 4. Stillwater (Kayla Kajer, Ari Riser, Katie Fischer and Karina Fischer) 1:51.27.
4x400 relay — 1. Wayzata, 4:01.38.
4x800 relay — 1. Minnetonka, 9:23.60; 3. Stillwater (Lauren Willhaus, Jenna Kurth, Ruby Peterson and Zola Tuccitto) 10:40.74.
800 sprint medley relay — 1. Brainerd, 1:55.13; 6. Stillwater (Ella Osborn, Toriahnna Nielsen, Scarlet Huelsmann and Alexandra Dougherty) 2:02.30.
1,600 sprint medley relay — 1. Minnetonka, 4:05.04; 4. Stillwater (Camille Francis, Maddison Rupp, Eden Letourneau and Jenna Kurth) 4:39.94.
Long jump — 1. Angela Taylor (St) 17-10; 2. Cayman Pagel (St) 17-6 1/2; 3. Anya Williams (St) 17-4.
Triple jump — 1. Emani Yarbrough (Ros) 35-4 1/2; 2. Liberty Quast (St) 34-8; 4. Karina Fischer (St) 33-6 1/2; 17. Scarlet Huelsmann (St) 29-10 1/2.
Shot put — 1. Sylvia Boyum (St) 36-2 1/2; 9. Karley Galowitz (St) 30-6 1/2; 17. Isabel Isaacson (St) 25-6 1/4.
Discus — 1. Katie Kelzenberg (Way) 121-3; 6. Sylvia Boyum (St) 92-1; 16. Isabeel Isaacson (St) 76-2; 17. Adriana Francis (St) 74-9.
High jump — 1. Anya Williams (St) 5-2; 5. Kayla Kajer (St) 5-0; 22. Olivia Madison (St) 4-3.
Pole vault — 1. Jayda Wilson (Ros) 12-3; T3. Abigail Junmann (St) 9-0; 8. Nora Ribolzi (St) 9-0; T9. Nora Tweed (St) 8-0.
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