Finishing 19th with 14 points, the Waunakee girls’ track and field team had a good showing at the WIAA State Track and Field Meet in La Crosse over the weekend.
Arrowhead took first, racking up 67 points to win the girls’ team title.
Grabbing the headlines, Anneka Cassel took second in the discus, with a throw of 143-1. It was quite a performance.
“Anneka Cassel finished up the meet for us with a big throw, breaking her own school record once again and placing second overall,” said Jen Grabarski, head coach for Waunakee. “She stepped up with confidence of a veteran at the state meet and had a big throw to finish her high school career.”
The event started off well for Waunakee.
“The meet started on Friday morning,” said Grabarski. “Team headed over for warmups on the track. Nice to get out there and shake out some of the nerves. Relays did handoffs and Lainey (Chancellor) got her marks while time headed for warmups in the ring as well. Every athlete that competed is within the top 24 athletes in Division 1, an impressive accomplishment all on its own.”
Chancellor placed seventh in the high jump, clearing 5-4, a season best for her. Four others reached that height at state, as DeForest’s Ally Armstrong won the event, going 5-5.
The 3,200 relay team of Carla Schwitters, Rachel Gregorich, Wipperfurth and Berger raced to fifth in 9:26.27. Waunakee’s 800 relay team of Summer Grigg, Sadie Grabarski, Lydia Reis and Reese Hurley ran to a time of 1:45.56, but they didn’t qualify for the finals. Placing 20th in the preliminaries, Waunakee’s Grigg, Grabarski, Reese and Hurely ran a time of 50.06. They also didn’t reach the finals.
“The girls 4x200 and 4x100 relays teams of summer Grigg, Sadie Grabarski, Lydia Reis and Reese Hurley ran two competitive races,” said coach Grabarski. “The girls hit handoffs and ran well. The 4x100 was a personal best for this group and just short of a new school record! They were disappointed to not make the finals for Saturday, but looked strong and are in the top 15 and top 20 in the state for the relays. We are very proud of this group and their hard work.”
Emma Raemisch made it to state in both hurdle races. Coach Grabarski said that’s “something we in Waunakee haven’t had an athlete do for many years.” Raemisch ran to No. 18 in the preliminaries of the 100 hurdles in 17.23 and No. 22 in the 300 hurdles in 48.75.
In the 800 run, Berger finished 24th in 2:27.77, while Wipperfurth ran to 10th in both the 1,600 (5:09.25) and the 3,200 (11:15.47).
“Cianna Wipperfurth had a great couple of days finishing 10th in both the 1600 and 3200,” said coach Grabarski. “Cianna was actually pushed down in the 3,200 and came back from the fall to place 10th and run a 15-second PR. This in only her first season out for track. She was also the anchor leg of the fifth-place, school-record setting 4x800 relay team of Carla Schwitters, Rachel Gregorich and Emily Berger. All four girls ran smart, competitive races and fought hard. It was a very exciting race, and we are all so happy for this group of girls.”
Boys
With athletes in three events, representatives of the Warriors’ boys’ squad gave it their best shot at state.
Two throwers competed for Waunakee, as Tim Strebel finished 16th in the discus with a throw of 148-4, while shot putter Will Lenoch was 24th, going 45-9.75.
“Tim Strebel had a solid throw in his first state meet against a super competitive field,” said coach Grabarski.
The 800 relay crew ended up 21st in the preliminaries, turning in a time of 1:30.99.
“2024 State track and field was a big success,” said coach Grabarski. “Qualifying 24 athletes in 13 events to take a great group of athletes to the big meet. Getting to the state meet is one of the biggest hurdles to get through. Once there, the rest is icing on the cake.”
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