Wednesday was the Section 8AA Prelim day in Alexandria with a few events as finals (girls discus, girls high jump, girls long jump and boys and girls 3200). The top two placers qualify and any athletes who meet the standard.

 

Finals started today (Saturday) at Rocori High School. Field events started at 9:30 a.m. and running events start at 10 a.m.

 

Hannah Schmidt once again qualified for state in the high jump as she placed third overall but she made it to state in very dramatic fashion Wednesday afternoon in Alexandria. She is coached in the high jump by her father, Paul — the boys track head coach.

 

In order to make state, Schmidt needed to jump the state standard of 5'4", which would be a new personal best for Schmidt.  She started out a bit rocky at first, missing her first two jumps at the 4'8" mark and finally making it on her third jump.  

 

From there, she was able to regroup and make the next three heights on her first jump.

 

Knowing that she had to make 5'4" to go to state — and because of those misses looming over her head — Schmidt put together two tremendous jumps on her first two attempts at 5'4", but just nicked the bar both times and the bar fell.  Down to her last jump, Schmidt  put together the best jump of her career and easily cleared 5'4" for her chance to jump again at state at Hamline for the second year in a row.

 

Schmidt also did well in her prelim of the 200 with a great start, but just missed making the finals with her PR time of 27.60 — putting her in 10th.

 

Sam Angell will be running the 100 meter hurdles in the finals today after she won her heat in a time of 16.16. All of Becker’s 100 hurdlers got their PRs (Aubree Lahr 17.44 for 13th and Haley Hubbard 18.07)

 

Sydney Stommes ran very well in her heat of the 100, coming in with a time of 13.56, which ranked her 11th overall, but it wasn’t enough to advance to the finals.

 

Each of Becker’s 800 runners also PR’d in their races. Alli Garding 2:32.45, Tate Spinner 2:39.77 and Kayden Westin 2:40.07.

 

In the 3200 meter final, Alli Hendrickson ran a personal best time of 12:00.51 for 12th place. Lexi Dehmer ran 12:17.54  (17th) and Victoria Kolbinger 13:24.81.

 

Madi Kerzman continues to do well in the discus, placing 12th with a throw of 97'1".

 

Dillon Radunz shocked the field by winning the boys shot putt with a toss of 54'3".  

 

"It was a great throw by Dillon as he picked the right moment on his first toss of the finals to take any doubt out of who was the best in shot putt,” said Coach Schmidt.  

 

“Dillon made finals with a 49' throw, but that throw (54'3") was a personal best by over four feet. It was incredible.”  

 

Schmidt gives Assistant Coach Josh Ihrke a lot of credit for mentally preparing Radunz for the event.  Radunz will throw next Friday at the state meet at Hamline.  

Luke Lahr came up just short in the 3200 run.  He ran a great race, bettering his personal best and school record by another two seconds, but finished fourth in the event.  Luke's new school record that he broke earlier this year now stands at 9:48.73.  

 

“You can't ask him to do anything more than what he did,” said Schmidt.  “He ran the best race of his career, but it just wasn't in the cards.”

 

Also making finals for the Bulldogs was Andrew Davalos in the 400 meters, where he will run out of lane seven Saturday at Rocori.  His time was 52.04, which was a top time for Davalos .   

 

“It was nice to see him run a great race as Andrew had been nursing an injury over the last two weeks,” said Schmidt.