An impressive and total team effort led to a Section 5AA Title for the Becker girls track and field team last week held Tuesday and Thursday in Monticello.
“We really came to compete and came away with the section championship!” en elated coach Trish Reimer-Kealy said after the meet. “It was a great way to cap off a wonderful season and it came down to the final running event to come away with the win.”
Becker and Monticello were neck and neck going into the final event, the 4x400 relay and the Bulldogs would not be denied the hardware.
“We had to win the race to win the trophy and out girls (Katelyn Brower, Adele Changamire, Kaylyn Rickard, and Andie Changamire) ran their fastest time of the season (4:09.72).”
The win gave Becker the 124.5 to 121 win over the Magic.
Eighth grader Ella Tschida scored some huge points in the field events, as she won the shot put and placed second in the discus to earn a return trip to state.
Josie Reckelberg also qualified for the state meet by jumping 16’ 7” to place fourth, while Sophia Otto punched her ticket to the MSHSL Track Meet with a runner-up finish in the pole vault. Other athletes earning points for Becker in field events were Bella Kuschel (sixth) and Maggie Graning (eighth) in the high jump.
In Tuesday’s only running event, the 3200, Savannah Cunningham finished in seventh place to earn a medal.
The Bulldogs started off the running events on Thursday with a decisive win in the 4x800 relay, as Brower, the Changamire’s, and Sydnee Bull led from start to finish and ran a season best time of 9:51.51.
Senior Kailey Thompson then set a section record in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 15.39.
“She has become an outstanding hurdler and earned this victory,” Reimer-Kealy said. “She returns to state after last year placing 10th there.”
Other place winners included Salayna Allen (third in the 100 and eighth in the 200), and Reckelberg (fifth in the 200).
The 4x200 relay team (Abby Atwood, Raelee Lyon, Harper Miller, and Kaylyn Rickard) came in fourth with a time of 1:52.56, while Bull placed eighth in the 1600.
“Our 4x100 relay team was going in looking for a win and another trip to state and Reckelberg, Thompson, Kali Schendzielos and Allen ran a great race, with good hand offs and earned a new section record with a time of 50.02 (also a new school record).”
Andie Changamire ran a personal best time (60.30) in the 400 earning a trip to state and taking second place, while Rickard took fourth.
Schendzielos came in fifth place in the 300 hurdles.
The 800 had two Becker girls running well, as Adele Changamire placed third in a and Brower placed fifth
“Every place and every point counted and I am so proud of how these girls gave it their all to bring home the win,” Reimer-Kealy said.
Athletes going to the state meet on the 11th and 12th at STMA include: Katelyn Brower-4x800; Adele Changamire 4x800, 4x400; Sydnee Bull 4x800; Andie Changamire-4x800, 400, 4x400; Kailey Thompson- 100 hurdles, 4x100; Josie Reckelberg- long jump, 4x100; Kali Schendzielos 4x100; Salayna Allen - 4x100; Kaylyn Rickard 4x400; Ella Tschida- shot put, discus; Sophia Otto - pole vault.
