5 things to know about the WIAA state track and field championships (2024)

The best athletes from the WiscNews-area will look to tear up the Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex at UW-La Crosse at the 128th annual WIAA state track field championships Friday and Saturday.

Numerous athletes returned home from last year’s state championships with hardware, including a pair of state titles, and there are a bevy of contenders eyeing gold this weekend.

Here are five things to know about this year’s championships.

Lodi’s Gavin Sargeant looking to sweep jumps

In his first year competing in triple jump last season, Gavin Sargeant became Lodi’s 18th individual state champion. The senior is in position to become the Blue Devils’ third repeat champion as he has the top seed in both the Division 2 boys triple jump and long jump.

Sargeant, who won the triple jump last year with a leap of 45 feet, 10½ inches, enters with the top mark of 46-5½. He also has the top seed of 22-6¾ in the long jump after finishing fourth last year, while teammate Bennett Nyquist is seeded sixth (21-5¾).

Fall River’s Ayden Price ran all over opponents last fall on the football field, and his speed, and jumping ability, could lead to multiple medals. Price has the No. 1 seed in Saturday’s Division 3 long jump with a top mark of 22 feet, 3 inches, a foot ahead of Horicon’s Isaac Howard, who’s seeded fifth. The Pirates senior is also seeded fourth in the 400 with a time of 50.65 seconds, as well as seventh in the 200 (22.72).

Beaver Dam Wayland’s Osaya Sule is among those standing in the way of Price getting to the medal stand in the 400. The Big Red senior, who will try to walk-on to the Penn track team, is seeded fourth in the event with a time of 22.46. The future Quaker is also seeded sixth in the 100 (11.02).

Columbus’ Wyatt Graffin will look to make the podium in both throwing events. The Cardinals sophom*ore is seeded fourth in Saturday’s Division 2 shot put with a mark of 54-11¼. He’s also seeded 10th in Friday’s discus (149-10). The Cardinals’ Caleb Stadler could join him on the medal stand as the junior is seeded fifth (1:57.13) in the Division 2 800 on Saturday.

Pardeeville’s Colin Smith is also in position to reach the podium in the 800 in Division 3. The Bulldogs senior is seeded fifth with a time of 1:57.81.

In the coed wheelchair competition, Beaver Dam’s Taylor Post has a chance at the podium in four events. The sophom*ore wheeler has the top time in the 1,600 at 6:18.18. Post alsois fifth in the 400 (1:34.21) and seventh in the 100 (25.07), while he has the seventh-best seed in the shot put with a mark of 15-9.

Portage’s Estella Brees leaping towards redemption

A first podium finish narrowly eludedEstella Breesin her state debut last season.

The Portage senior isn’t just looking to atone for those shortcomings this weekend, but instead come away with the Warriors’ third-ever state title after earning the top seed in the Division 2 triple jump.

Brees, who finished seventh by 4¼ inches last season, enters Saturday’s competition with the top mark of 37 feet, 7½ inches, which set a new Portage school record, shattering the mark of 35-5 set at state last year.

Waupun’s Lydia Aalsma has her own shot at redemption in the Division 2 400. After false starting last season, the Warriors junior is seeded second with a time of 57.25 seconds.

Columbus’ Payton Dornaus has the chance to podium twice in her state debut. The Cardinals freshman is seeded third in the 100 hurdles (15.50) as well as seventh in the 300 hurdles (46.45). Waupun’s Katrina Reinhart is seeded eighth (15.75) after earning an extra qualifier spot.

Dodgeland’s duo ofMallory Kohnand Isabella Albert can each come away with a pair of individual medals, albeit in very different events. Kohn is the top seed in the Division 3 3,200 with a time of 10:52.08, and is also seeded second in the 1,600 (5:05.11). Albert on the other hand is the No. 3 seed in the 100 (12.50) and seeded fourth in the 200 (25.93).

Area throwers also look primed for success. Baraboo’s Lily Rogers could double-dip in her first state appearance as the Thunderbirds freshman is seeded second in the Division 1 shot put (42-5¾) and fourth in the discus (137-1).

Pardeeville’s Chloe Kessenich is also in line to make the podium twice in Division 3. The Bulldogs junior is seeded third in the shot put (38-8¼) and fourth in the discus (124-3). Wisconsin Dells’ Natalie Backhaus is seeded eighth in the Division 2 shot put (38-1½).

Trailways boys, Dodge County girls relays driving towards podium

The Trailways Conference boys relays could be well-represented on the medal stand across all four relays.

Pardeeville is seeded second in the Division 3 3,200 relay with a time of 8:11.85, while Dodgeland is close behind seeded fifth (8:17.93). Randolph/Cambria-Friesland meanwhile is seeded eighth in the 800 relay (1:32.07) and 10th in the 400 relay (44.30).

Pardeeville is also seeded sixth in the 1,600 relay (3:29.73), while Waupun CWC is seeded 10th (3:30.37).

In Division 2, Lodi’s 400 relay, which includes Wisconsin football commit Mason Lane, is seeded eighth (43.45), while the Blue Devils’ 1,600 relay is seeded 11th (3:27.13) with room to get into the finals.

On the girls side, Waupun’s 1,600 relay is in good position as the Warriors are seeded second with a time of 4:04.14.

Dodgeland’s 400 relay is also seeded second (50.82), while the Trojans’ 3,200 relay is seeded 13th (10:07.09).

Boys throwers eye records

Hortonville’s Ben Smith and Waterford’s Bryce Ruland put on a show in the Division 1 boys throwing events last year, and both seniors could outdo themselves this weekend.

Smith, the reigning shot put champion, made waves earlier this year when he logged a throw of 75 feet, 1 inch at the Fond du Lac quad on May 6. The Oregon track commit’s throw is the best in the nation according to MileSplit and would shatter the current state record of 67-6 set by Green Bay Preble’s Steve Marcelle in 2005.

Ruland, an Iowa track commit, has the top seed in the discus after delivering a mark of 213 at last week’s Oak Creek sectional, over 11 feet further than his state-record winning throw of 201-11 last season. Ruland, who also leads the national ranks, is seeded above Smith (208) and could deny the future Duck a historic sweep.

Girls sprinters back for more gold

Osceola’s Eletta Uddin had a state debut to remember last season sweeping the Division 2 girls hurdle events, including setting a state record in the 300 hurdles. The sophom*ore is eyeing another sweep, only this time with a 100 hurdles state record.

Uddin (14.42) is just 0.15 seconds off the 100 record set by Fox Valley Lutheran’s Ellyse Wolfrath in 2021, while she’s seeded second in the 300 hurdles (45.16).

Amery’s Lucci Aizpurua is going for a sweep of her own in the sprint events. The Warriors sophom*ore cracked 12 seconds to win the 100 last year and has the top seed time of 12.09. Aizpurua, who took fourth in the 200 last year, is the No. 1 seed (24.86) and only one of two entering seeded under 25 seconds.