Dodge-Point track reaches podium at state track & field

Every Dodgeville-Mineral Point 2024 state track competitor scored points at Veterans Memorial Stadium Complex (UW-La Crosse) last Friday and Saturday. They all stood on the Awards Podium too.

The girls team scored 11 points to finish 21st in Division 2.

The 4x800 team of Annie Robinson, Payton Christopher, Ellie Robinson and Regan Schuette finished 4th with a time of 9:32.19. Bloomer won in 9:23.18.

Ellie Robinson took 6th in both the 1600 and the 3200. She was timed in 5:02.11 in the 1600 and 10:48.96 in the 3200.

Twin sister Annie was 11th in the 1600 in 5:15.91 and 10th in the 3200 in 11:16.92.

Xavier’s Lillie Fouts won the 1600 in 4:49.05 while Bloomer’s Clara Horton won the 3200 in 10:30.02.

The Dodge-Point boys scored 8 points to finish 28th as a team in D2.

Their 4x800 relay team of Parker Owens, Ethan Hook, Cody Yoder and Layne Aurit took 5th in 8:05.83.

McFarland was the winner in 7:54.25.

The final points for the team came from Gavin Houtakker’s 5th place finish in the 110 high hurdles in 15.19. He had run 15.56 to qualify for the finals.

Xavier’s Ben Olvey won the event in 14.89.

Dodge-Point head coach Matt McGraw commented on the meet, “It was a great weekend at State Track and Field.  We took 13 athletes up to compete and all 13 came home with medals. Our team earned 15 total medals over the two days.  I couldn't be more proud of all the Dodge-Point Track and Field athletes with constant PRs, both teams runner up at conference, over 40 athletes qualifying for sectionals and culminating with a great state meet!”

Argyle/Pecatonica scored 4 team points to finish 47th in team scoring in Girls Division 3, on the strength of Senior Anna Tisch finishing 5th in the 300 hurdles with a time of 46.46.

Cumberland’s Andie Otto won in 45.27.

Tisch ran a 46.03 to qualify.

Her sister, Loretta Tisch, finished 14th in 49.34.

Anna Tisch also ran the 100 hurdles. She finished 12th with a time of 16.88.

The other Argyle/Pec competitor was Brooke Wellnitz in the triple jump.

The freshman went 33’7.5” to finish 14th.

Deerfield’s Rylee Berryman won the event at 38’2.75”.

Argyle/Pec coach Jason Klocek said about the experience, “I thought the ladies fought hard and gave it everything they had.

Anna had a bit of bad luck in the 100 hurdles. There was a timing mishap and she and others were about halfway down the track before they stopped. They got a brief rest and went at it again and the entire heat didn’t have the greatest set of times compared to heat 2 and she missed out on moving on, but at the end of the day she accomplished a goal of hers and that was to make state in the 100 hurdles.

“In the 300 on day 1, Anna had one heck of a race to advance, and her sister Loretta gave it everything she had and just missed moving on. I think it was a valuable experience for her and she’s going to be better for it.

“Brooke Wellnitz got going with each jump and if not for a small bit of her foot over the board would’ve easily had a season best jump and maybe put herself into finals, but it was just not in the cards. I think she also got some valuable experience and will be better next year for it.

“Anna in her 4th and final state meet left it all out there with a 5th place podium finish. As a coach, I couldn’t have asked for more out of an athlete. She gave everything she had out there and I’m so happy she got to the podium. Look forward to her future in college track and field at University of Mary. She’s a legend.”

The other area Division 3 was Iowa-Grant’s Bret Connolly.

He finished 17th in the 1600 with a time of 4:40.39.

Iola/Scandanavia’s Charlie Vater won in 4:19.73.

I-G coach Alexis Stevens said about Bret, “Bret has worked extremely hard all season to get to the state meet. He has had an amazing season: placing 2nd in the 1600 meter at the Sectional Meet in Bangor with a school record time of 4:35.88. At the SWAL Conference Meet, Bret placed 1st in the 1600 meter and 1st in the 400 meter. Bret ran a school record time of 52.99 in the 400 meter dash. He then went on to place 2nd in the 3200 meter run at Conference.  Bret was also a major factor in the 4x400 meter relay qualifying for Sectionals and running a school record time this season. Bret was named one of the SWAL Most Outstanding Male Performers at the Conference Meet. I-G is excited to see Bret continue to improve going into his senior year in Track and Field and in Cross Country.