Taking to the field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in La Crosse Friday, the Stanley-Boyd Orioles boys track team competed in competed in three events, two runs and one relay.
Competing in the 200 meter dash preliminary, Madden Mahr took 13th with a time of 22.83.
“We knew Madden needed to run near his personal record (22.22) but he didn’t have the foot speed in the preliminaries to make it to the finals,” Orioles head track coach Bob Seidl said. “The margin between 1st and 16th is small. The winner of the event, Joshua Onwunilli of Campbellsport, ran a 21.53. Madden is a junior and is already setting goals for next year.”
Also running at La Crosse was senior Lucas Walker, who placed 14th in the 1600 meter run with a time of 4:30.07.
“The distance events this year were loaded,” Seidl said. “Lucas ran a 4:27.84 in the sectional meet to qualify for State. He also knew that he needed to take time off of each lap to make it in the top six. Lucas ran hard in the first 800 of the race but could not keep up with the tough field of distance runners. He finished with a time of 4:30.07. The winner, Jack Hefty of Whitewater ran a 4:13 to capture first. 4:18.62 was sixth. This was Lucas’ senior year and he worked extremely hard. He was only three seconds off the school record (4:25.1). I’m very proud of his efforts and accomplishments.” Closing out the recap is the 4x200 meter relay, with a team composed of Rudy Kletsch, Carson Hodowanic, Cole Brenner and Madden Mahr.
“The boys 4x200 meter relay team had the best shot of placing well at State,” Seidl said. “The team of ran on Friday in the preliminaries (1:30.21) to make Saturday’s finals. In the finals the team ran 1:29.87 to place seventh.”
Saying the boys relay team was disappointed with their finish, Seidl said work on hand offs and speed would help the team next year.
“The boys were disappointed with their finish,” he said. “If they ran the same time at State as their sectional time, they would have captured fourth. A little more work on handoffs and speed next year will put them near the top. All four are Juniors or sophomores and hope to return in the event next year and break the school record they set at sectionals.”
Saying the boys team had an overall successful season, Seidl ended with a season reflection.
“They won the Western Cloverbelt Conference title, the D2 Bloomer Regional title and finished 11th out of 34 schools at the Colby Sectional,” he said. “The returning letter winners want to medal next year at State. With a lot of hard work and focus, I believe they could make that happen.”
With Oriole varsity baseball over as well after a 2 - 6 loss to Osseo-Fairchild May 23 but American Legion baseball still to come, sports aren’t necessarily over for the summer. Legion baseball kicks off Thursday June 6 with a double header at Osceola varsity baseball field, next coming to Cadott June 13 and Oriole Park June 14. Game start at Osceola is 5:00 p.m.