Stanton Invitational Marks First Meet for Patriot Tracksters
By: Nathan Bahns, a freshman at Leigh High School
On your marks…get set…go!
Track season for the Patriots started with a bang at the Stanton Invitational on Tuesday, March 30th.
Both the boys and girls have large teams this year.
On the girls’ side, there are seniors Emily Loseke, Grace Baumert, Morgan Brabec, and Kelsey Moore; juniors Natalie Brabec, Kennedy Settje, Makenna Held, Faith Indra, McKenna Stodola; sophomores Korbee Wendt, Dee Rivera, and Rebekah Kosmacek; and freshmen Macy Clausen, Sage Fernau, Gracie Eisenmann, Chloe Hanel, Tanyn Larson, Cassi Rayback, Alyssa Gurnsey, and Jolie Stoklasa.
On the boys’ team are senior Lane Kudera; juniors Eli Hays and Mitch Beeson; sophomores Drew Beeson, Kyle Holmberg, and Jackson Koehn; freshmen Dylan Higby, Trey Steffensmeier, Isaac Baumert, Cadin Brandt, Joey Steffensmeier, Samuel Pocasangre, Garrett Stodola.
There were only individual placings at this meet, and not team standings. The Patriots had lots of individual successes, including freshman Chloe Hanel capturing multiple gold medals and junior Makenna Held breaking the Patriot record in the 2-mile run.
In her first meet ever, freshman Sage Fernau said, “Overall I think we did pretty good. The weather affected us a bit, but I am super excited for the next upcoming meets this season.”
This year’s team is coached by Mrs. Briana Wietfeld (girls) and Mr. Lee Schneider (boys). They are assisted by Mr. Jeff Korus, Ms. Tyra Reardon, Mr. Jim Clarkson, and Mrs. Kim Heimann.
Coach Wietfeld said, "Patriots had a great first meet to start the 2021 season. This year we had a good amount of prep for this competitive meet. Our athletes came ready to compete and performed well. We had PRs and Patriot records broken. Freshman Chloe Hanel made her appearance known with several golds. The girls 4x1 picked up where they left off two years ago with getting first with some new members, Tanyn Larson, Chloe Hanel, and returning McKenna Stodola and Emily Loseke. Some other standouts were Kennedy Settje in long jump, Makenna Held in 2 mile, Emily Loseke in sprints, Elli Hays in triple, and Carter Hanel in discus. I am proud excited to see more athletes' successes as the season continues.”
Girls Individual Results:
High Jump: Chloe Hanel—5'0” (2nd Place), Korbee Wendt—3'10"; Long Jump: Kennedy Settje—14'11” (2nd Place), Natalie Brabec—11'6”, Tanyn Larson—13'5”; Triple Jump: Kennedy Settje—31’8” (8th place), Alyssa Gurnsey—29’3”; Discus: Gracie Eisenmann—75’6”, Macy Clausen—74’8”; Shot Put: Gracie Eisenmann—25’6”, Macy Clausen—25’10”; 100M Dash: Emily Loseke—12.66 (2nd Place), Tanyn Larson—13.18 (4th Place), McKenna Stodola—13.28 (5th Place); 110 Hurdles: Chloe Hanel—15.96 (1st Place), Faith Indra—19.07; 200M Dash: Emily Loseke—27.26 (2nd Place), Tanyn Larson—28.11 (4th Place), McKenna Stodola—29.65; 300M Hurdles: Chloe Hanel—49.62 (1st Place); 400M Dash: Korbee Wendt—1.08 (5th Place), Alyssa Gurnsey—1:14; Deandrea Rivera—1:21; 800M Run—Grace Baumert—3:44; Mile Run—Faith Indra—6:41; 2-Mile Run: Makenna Held—13.54 (2nd Place – Patriot Record), 4x100M Relay: Hanel, Loseke, Stodola, Larson—54.1 (1st Place); 4x400M Relay: Rivera, Wendt, Rayback, Gurnsey—5:05; 4x800M Relay: Held, Rayback, Fernau, Baumert—13:34; Unified Long Jump Competitors: Morgan Brabec, Kelsey Moore, Rebekah Kosmacek, Jolie Stoklasa; Unified 100M Dash Competitors: Morgan Brabec, Kelsey Moore, Rebekah Kosmacek
Boys’ Individual Results:
Long Jump: Eli Hays—18'6” (6th Place), Dylan Higby—16’10.5”, Trey Steffensmeier—16'8”; Triple Jump: Eli Hays—40’ (3rd place), Isaac Baumert—30’2”; Discus: Carter Hanel—127’9” (3rd Place); Shot Put: Mitch Beeson—37’4”, Jackson Koehn—27’10”, Samual Pocasangre—29’0”; 100M Dash: Dylan Higby—12.28, Trey Steffensmeier—12.81; 110 Hurdles: Mitch Beeson—19.75 (7th Place), Isaac Baumert—22.92; 200M Dash: Dylan Higby—25.59, Trey Steffensmeier—26.44, Joey Steffensmeier—28.28; 300M Hurdles: Mitch Beeson—49.3 (8th Place); 400M Dash: Lane Kudera—1:11, Drew Beeson—1:01, Cadin Brandt—1:11; 800M Run—Garrett Stodola—2:48; 4x100M Relay: Hays, Hanel, Higby, Holmberg—48.31 (6th Place)