By Bill Morgan, Staff Writer
The Becker Bulldog girls track team competed at sections, then celebrated their season successes with a banquet Monday night.
Section 8AA Finals
The rain moved out and the weather cleared up last Saturday in Moorhead as the track stars headed to the field for the day’s events. The rain left some muddy areas early, but the track dried off quickly.
Becker began the day with the 4x800M relay. The team’s runners were Dani Nuest, Alli Hendrickson, Lexi Dehmer and Julia Bengtson. The girls came into the race ranked fourth and with a time of 9:45.38 the girls ran well enough to place third, just one spot away from a state meet entry.
Rocori was first and Monticello placed second. Becker’s third place finish was their top finish of the meet.
Cassidy Pleoger scored points in both the 100 and the 200 meter dashes. She placed fifth in the 100M with a time of 13.39 and seventh in the 200M with a time of 27.88.
After running hard in the 4x800M, Dehmer and Bengtson came back to run the 1600M. The wind picked up a bit by this time and the duo placed sixth and seventh with Lexi's time 5:27.21 and Julia running 5:27.52.
Madi Kerzman placed 10th in the shot put with a toss of 33'8 1/2. Anna Briggs threw 29'3 3/4 and Grace Schendel 23'10 1/2 .
Becker’s other relays saw the 4x200M team of Cassidy Pleoger, Kayden Westin, Abby Maruska and Sydney Stommes place 10th with their second best season time of 1:52.62. The 4x100M team of Sydney Stommes, Keeley Holm, Abby Maruska and Miranda O'Brien ran 54.01 and the 4x400M team of Dani Nuest, Jessica Gruenes, Lexi Dehmer and Julia Bengtson ran a time of 4:25.49.
“While no one moved on to the state meet, we feel we had a successful season and really look forward to next year,” said Head Coach Trish Reimer-Kealy.
“We will miss our seven graduating seniors in Alli Hendrickson, Kayden Westin, Miranda O'Brien, Madison Kerzman, McKenna Edling, Lauren Gizzi and Alicia Slosarek.
Banquet
The girls held their end of season awards potluck banquet Tuesday night in the high school commons. They gave out season awards and said a sad good bye to their seniors.
The team’s letter winners were: Alli Hendrickson, Madi Kerzman, Miranda O'Brien, Kayden Westin, McKenna Edling, Lauren Gizzi, Alli Garding, Victoria Kolbinger, Abby Maruska, Sydney Stommes, Lexi Dehmer, Callie Doucette, Keeley Holm, Cienna Pleoger. Madison Pleoger, Julia Bengtson, Jessica Gruenes, Abby Nelson, Cassidy Pleoger, Whitney Schug, Dani Nuest, Managers Grace Wilhelm and Jaden Kraus.
Participation awards went to: Alicia Slosarek, Zoe Leiwen, Tate Spinner Arin Hendrickson, Alyssa Gruenes, Anna Briggs, Anika Dehmer, Willow Dormanen, Rachel Larson, Maddie McDonald, Haylee Oakes, Isabel Vogel and Grace Schendel.
All conference awards went to: Cassidy Pleoger (100, 200), Keeley Holm (400), Miranda O'Brien (100M hurdles), Lexi Dehmer (800, 1600, 4x400), Julia Bengtson (1600, 4x400), Madison Kerzman (discus), Alli Hendrickson (3200, high jump), Dani Nuest (4x400), Jessica Gruenes (long jump, 4x400).
Honorable mention went to: Cassidy Pleoger, Abby Maruska, Kayden Westin, Sydney Stommes (4x200 relay), Victoria Kolbinger, Whitney Schug, Abby Nelson, Alli Hendrickson (4x800 relay), Victoria Kolbinger (3200M).
Academic all conference went to: Alli Hendrickson, Victoria Kolbinger, Abby Maruska, Sydney Stommes, Lexi Dehmer, Callie Doucette, Keeley Holm, Cienna Pleoger, Madison Pleoger, Julia Bengtson, Abby Nelson, Cassidy Pleoger, Whitney Schug and Jaden Kraus.
All state academic went to: Alli Hendrickson, Lexi Dehmer, Keeley Holm, Julia Bengtson and Cassidy Pleoger.
The girls were awarded the Minnesota High School Coaches Association Gold Award for Academic Accomplishment.
Special Awards
High point scorer: Cassidy Pleoger; Most dedicated: Alli Hendrickson; Most improved: Cienna Pleoger;
Rookie award: Dani Nuest; Bulldog spirit award: Kayden Westin.
Honor Roll (new entries): 100 meters: Cassidy Pleoger; 200 meters: Cassidy Pleoger; 400 meters: Keeley Holm, Julia Bengtson; 800 meters: Dani Nuest, Liz Mackedanz; 1600 meters: Julia Bengtson, Dani Nuest; 3200 meters: Alli Hendrickson; 100 hurdles: Miranda O'Brien, Kayden Westin; 300 hurdles: Kayden Westin, Miranda O'Brien; 4x200 relay: Cassidy Pleoger, Kayden Westin, Abby Maruska, Miranda O'Brien; 4x400 relay: Dani Nuest, Lexi Dehmer, Jessica Gruenes, Julia Bengtson; 4x800 relay: Dani Nuest, Alli Hendrickson, Lexi Dehmer, Julia Bengtson; Long jump: Jessica Gruenes, Cienna Pleoger; Triple jump: Cienna Pleoger; High jump: Alli Hendrickson ; Shot put: Madison Kerzman, McKenna Edling; Discus: McKenna Edling.
The following girls qualified for the MSHSL Raceberry Jam Honor Roll: 100 Hurdles: O'Brien and Westin; 100M: Cassidy Pleoger; 200M: Cassidy Pleoger; 1600M: Dehmer, Bengtson; 3200M: Hendrickson; High jump: Hendrickson; 4x800M relay: Nuest, Hendrickson, Dehmer, Bengtson.
This year’s captains were: Alli Hendrickson, Madi Kerzman, Kayden Westin and Miranda O'Brien.
Next year’s captains are: Victoria Kolbinger, Ay Maruska, Alli Garding and Lexi Dehmer.
“We would like to say a big thank you to all the supportive parents that we have,” said Coach Reimer-Kealy. “You are amazing. "Also thank you to Dave Niemi and Jesse O'Neill at our activities department for their help and support and Bill Morgan at the Citizen-Tribune for the great coverage of our team through the season.”
