7 Hawks advance to track sectionals

The Shawano Community High School track and field teams are sending seven athletes to the WIAA Division 1 sectionals next week. Kia Smurawa and Kristina Kurtz led the girls teams, with third-place finishes in the long jump and 200-meter dash, respectively, in Tuesday’s regional at Bay Port. Smurawa matched her personal record with a 16-foot-7 jump. “Pretty nice,” said Shawano coach Scott Smurawa, Kia’s father. “Pretty happy with her jumps. She’s happy that she can go and jump again. She’s just a couple of inches off the school record. She’s hoping that maybe she can do that at the next meet.” Kia Smurawa just missed the cut in the triple jump, taking fifth despite going a personal-best 33-7. Sophomore Kristina Kurtz surprised with a third-place showing in the 200 dash. She had run the race only once before, but her relay times suggested she might have a good day. She finished in 28 seconds. “We thought we’d give her a shot,” Scott Smurawa said. “Normally, she runs longer distances for us. She’s a part of the 4x200, and has been having some pretty good splits in there.” Isabella Gonzalez took fourth in the high jump with a 5-0 jump. “That’s not her best jump,” Smurawa said. “She does 5-4 quite often.” Brice Bergner led the Hawks boys with a third-place finish in the 100 dash. He finished in 11.25. “Brice has been pretty solid,” Smurawa said. “That was his best time of the year. Good, solid race from him.” Bergner, along with Carlos Merino, Dan Boivin and Jake Klister, finished fourth in the 4x200 with a season best time of 1:34.81. “They ran a strong race,” Scott Smurawa said. “They’re excited to move on. We’ll see what they can do in the sectionals.” The coach thinks the group can shave a few more seconds off their time. Boivin took third in the pole vault, cracking 13 feet. “Another personal record tonight,” the coach said. “He’s tried 13 a number of times, but he hit it today.” Bay Port Regional Boys Team scoring: 1. Bay Port 170, 2. Green Bay Preble 161, 3. Ashwaubenon 99, 4. Green Bay Notre Dame 92, 5. Green Bay Southwest 59, 6. Green Bay East 42, 7. Pulaski 40, 8. Shawano 27, 9. Green Bay West Girls Team scoring: 1. Bay Port 147, 2. Green Bay Notre Dame 132.5, 3. Green Bay Preble 95.5 4. Ashwaubenon 72, 5. Green Bay East 70, 6. Green Bay Southwest 69, 7. Pulaski 56, 8. Green Bay West 27, 9. Shawano 23