track-and-field athletes have either run, jumped or thrown successfully enough at the district meet to punch their tickets to the state competition this year.
Wausa's state qualifiers are seniors Kate Lundberg and Cade Wake - ley; sophomores Braydon Hoesing, Preston Schlote, Mackenzie Suhr and Luke Woockman; and freshmen Rea - gan Gillilan and Matthew Schindler.
They will compete at the 2024 Ne - braska School Activities Association State Track & Field Championships, scheduled for May 17-18 for Class D at Omaha Burke Stadium.
To try and qualify for the state contest, the Vikings and Lady Vikings competed on May 8 at the District D-3 Track Meet in Hartington, where the weather was absolutely perfect for outside compe - tition.
The Wausa girls finished in third place with 81 points, behind Pender, 152 points, and Bloomfield, 115 points. The Wausa boys finished in fourth place with 57 points, behind Har - tington-Newcastle and Bloomfield, tied at 100.5 points, and Pender, 66 points.
"We really had a great day," Wausa head coach Greg Conn said. "Our kids put up some great performances in both the field and on the track. We told our kids that all we can ask is that you give your best today and we certainly saw that many times throughout the day.
"Yes, this is the district meet and everyone knows that this is the quali - fying meet for the state track meet, but I have always said that whether you qualify for the state meet or not, today is the day that you get your best times or distances, and that to me is the most important thing," he said. "Focus on your best eort and see where the chips fall." Conn noted the Vikings and Lady Vikings were not disappointed with their performances at the district meet.
"Several athletes came up with personal records and really competed well," Conn said. "We were super proud of how our kids gave their best battles the entire day.
"You know, districts are a funny animal, knowing that you have to have your best day on the only day to qualify and you just have to grit your teeth and treat it like any other meet, knowing full well it could be your last," he said.
For the Wausa girls who qualified for the state meet, Lundberg hit her personal best for the season in the shot put as she finished second with a throw of 34'-25" at the district con - test. Suhr punched her state ticket by winning the high jump with a mark of 4'-11".
"It's crazy," Lundberg said of her qualifying for the state meet for the first time. "It feels good that all my hard work finally paid o senior year to make it. This is my first time getting to experience it so I'm glad it's my senior year." Lundberg explained what she is looking forward to at the state meet.
"I'm excited to see the environ - ment of all the great athletes that made it and higher competition," Lundberg said. "I'm just really excit - ed. I get to be with Cade and all my friends." Gillilan will compete in three events at the state meet as she won the long jump with a personal record of 16'-1". She finished as the run - ner-up in the high jump with a mark of 4'-11" and she also placed second in the 400 meters with a personal-best time of 62.33 seconds.
For the Wausa boys at the district contest who will move on to the state meet, the 4-by-800-meter relay team won its event in a season-best time of 8:49.63 with Wakeley, Hoesing, Woockman and Schindler.
Wakeley noted making the state meet is a significant accomplishment. This is the second straight season he has qualified as part of the Vikings' 4-by-800-meter relay.
"It's pretty rewarding that all the hard work in the season finally paid o," Wakeley said.
Wakeley explained he is looking forward to "just being with the team and all the qualifiers that made it as well as the coaching sta while I'm still being able to be with them" at the state meet.
Individually, Woockman finished second in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 10:43.95. Finally, Schlote hit his all-time personal best in the shot put with a toss of 46'-2.75" and placed second. Both boys qualified for the state meet in their respective events.
"As mentioned before, our kids really performed well as they have all season long," Conn said. "They have learned how to overcome adversities with weather and when things just don't go their way.
"You just pick yourself up, show up to practice and do the work, and good things will happen," he said. "Congratulations to all of our athletes for a great season and congratula - tions to our state qualifiers who will compete this week in Omaha."
District D-3 Track Meet Girls’ Results:
- 400 meters: Freshman Reagan Gillilan, 62.33, second (PR).
- 800 meters: Sophomore Taylor Dawson, 2:41.89, fourth (PR).
- 100-meter hurdles: Freshman Kennedy Gillilan, 18.31, fifth; soph omore Mackenzie Suhr, 18.33, sixth.
- 300-meter hurdles: Sophomore Avery Stevens, 55.53, fifth (PR).
- 4-by-400-meter relay: Freshmen Reagan Gillilan, Kennedy Gillilan, Carlie Kleinschmit and Elle Brazel, 4:35.08, second.
- 4-by-800-meter relay: Freshman Elle Brazel, sophomore Taylor Dawson, freshman Carlie Kleinschmit and junior Kendall Story, 11:02.11, second (PR).
- Shot put: Senior Kate Lundberg, 34’25”, second (PR).
- Discus: Sophomore Tierney Alexander, 101’-05”, third.
- High jump: Sophomore Mackenzie Suhr, 4'-11", first; freshman Reagan Gillilan, 4’-11”, second.
- Long jump: Freshman Reagan Gillil- an, 16'-01", first (PR).
- Triple jump: Sophomore Mackenzie Suhr, 30’-11”, sixth (PR).
- Pole vault: Freshman Carlie Klein- schmit, 6'-06", fourth; senior Hadley Vanness, 5’-00”, sixth.
Boys’ Results:
-100 meters: Senior Jyler Petersen, 11.85, sixth.
- 200 meters: Senior Jyler Petersen, 23.86, sixth.
- 800 meters: Senior Cade Wakeley, 2:12.58, fourth (PR).
- 3,200 meters: Sophomore Luke Woockman, 10:43.95, second.
- 110-meter high hurdles: Sophomore Gaven Nipp, 18.57, fifth.
- 300-meter hurdles: Sophomore Gaven Nipp, 46.76, sixth.
- 4-by-100-meter relay: Junior Colton Baue, senior Cade Wakeley, freshman Mac Carlson and senior Jyler Petersen, 46.97, fourth.
- 4-by-400-meter relay: Senior Cade Wakeley, freshman Matthew Schindler, sophomore Gaven Nipp and senior Jyler Petersen, 3:48.54, third (PR).
- 4-by-800-meter relay: Sophomore Luke Woockman, senior Cade Wakeley, sophomore Braydon Hoesing and freshman Matthew Schindler, 8:49.63, first (PR).
- Shot put: Sophomore Preston Schlote, 46’-2.75”, second (PR). - Discus: Sophomore Preston Schlote, 126'-02", fifth; Cashe Carlson, 122'- 03”, sixth.
- High jump: Freshman Ryan Kleinschmit, 5’-07”, sixth.
- Long jump: Junior Colton Baue, 19’01.5”, fourth.
- Pole vault: Junior Colton Baue, 10’04”, fourth (PR).
