Lena/STAA boys, Suring girls 1st at county track and field meet

The Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas Academy boys and Suring girls track and field teams each earned first-place finishes at the 45th Oconto County Meet on May 10 in Oconto Falls.

The Lena/STAA boys earned 112 points to edge Oconto Falls (107) and win just their second county meet ever, with the other coming in 1986. The Suring girls accumulated 97 points, with Gillett (78) placing second.

The Lena/STAA co-op was led by Sam and Kennedy Marquardt, who combined for six first-place finishes.

Sam Marquardt won the boys 100- and 200-meter dashes with times of 11.7 and 23.7 seconds, respectively. Kennedy Marquardt won the 100 (13.0), 200 (27.6), 400 (1:05.1) and long jump (14 feet, 9.5 inches) to help the girls co-op place fifth.

What made Kennedy Marquardt’s top finishes even more impressive is the fact she’s dealing with an injury. “Tonight i was just hoping for the best,” she said.

“I set a personal record in the 100 and a season record in the 200. It’s always exciting when you can place higher at big meets. It gives me a little extra motivation to keep striving for better marks.”

Max Beyer won the high jump (5-6) and Jacob Belongia claimed the top mark in the triple jump (36-11) to help the Lena/STAA boys to the team title.

The Suring girls had four top finishes to place first as a team.

Olivia Noack won the 1,600 (6:05.1), while Chantelle VandenElzen claimed the top time in the 3,200 (14:47.5) for the Eagles. Grace Fischer won the pole vault competition after clearing 7-6.

The team’s other top finish was from the 4x200 relay team, which was formed by Birdee Cramer, Kaylee Otradovec, Lily Hakes and Lillie Taylor and posted a time of 2:06.

Josh Saari and Tucker Moynihan had a pair of top individual finishes to lead the Oconto Falls boys team.

Saari was the top finisher in the 110 hurdles (16.5) and 300 hurdles (43.7). Moynihan won the shot put (43-0.25) and discus (118-11) competitions.

“I am incredibly proud with my performance tonight, with a PR (personal record) in the discus and another high throw in the shot,” said Moynihan. “As this season has gone on, I have watched my throws improve after each meet and practice, which will help with my performance at the conference and regional meets at the end of the season.”

Oconto Falls’ Joe Adams won the boys 3,200 with a time of 10:51 and was also on the 4x800 relay team that placed first in 9:46.6. Riley Treichel, Ethan Rennie and Grant Yuma filled out the relay team.

Treichel was also on the top-finishing 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams, which posted times of 50.1 and 1:46.7, respectively. Devon Dorn and Justin Spaulding were a part of both relays, with Nicholas Allen rounding out the 4x100 team and Owen Huber the 4x200 quartet.

The Gillett girls were led by a pair of top finishes from Karissa Schaal. She won the discus (109-5) and shot put (36-7.5) competitions. Sylvia Hansen won the 800 (2:31.2).

Hansen teamed up with Aubrey DeBauch, Ryann Wagner and Carleigh Kaczmarek for a top finish in the 4x400 relay (4:41.2). Amber Brehmer, Kasey Hansen, Angela Mosconi and Megan Wagner formed the top-finishing 4x800 relay (12:07.2).

The Oconto Falls girls placed third with 65 points and had two first-place finishes.

Brailyn St. Louis won the 100 hurdles with a time of 18.4. Kearra Champeau, Joana Espino, Natalie Delzer and Elsie Desterheft formed the first-place finishing 4x100 relay (1:00.5).

The Suring boys came in third behind first-place finishes from Jeremy Hensel in the pole vault (10-6) and 400 (55.7).

“I accomplished (the top finishes) by focusing on the prize,” said Hensel. “I always think to myself when I’m running or vaulting to always just push myself to the best of my ability.”

The Gillett boys came in fourth place with 52 points.

Connor and Derek Hanson each won an individual event and helped the 4x400 relay team to first place in 3:46.2. Alex and Evan Peterson filled out the relay team.

Derek Hanson won the 800 (2:04), while Connor Hanson made a late pass to win the 1,600 (4:56.5).

“With the 1600, I just did what my coach (Bill De Jung) told me — ‘trail the leader then make your move and go.’ Sticking right on his heels seemed more like a mental battle then anything else,” said Connor Hanson. “I made my move on the last lap, and my coach yelled at me to not settle in, and the fear of getting passed pushed me the hardest.”

Full results from the meet can be found at https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/431295/results.

Team scores (boys): 1. Lena/STAA 112; 2. Oconto Falls 107; 3. Suring 63; 4. Gillett 52; 5. Oconto 30.

Team scores (girls): 1. Suring 97; 2. Gillett 78; 3. Oconto Falls 65; 4. Oconto 64; 5. Lena/STAA 52.

sports@newmedia-wi.com