Section 7AA track: Denfeld's Carter darts to two titles

ELK RIVER, Minn. -- Josh Carter kept a Duluth high school sprint tradition alive Saturday.

The Duluth Denfeld senior became the third straight Duluthian to win the 100-meter event at the Section 7AA track and field boys meet.

Carter won the 100 in a school-record 10.98 seconds and the 400 in 50.27 seconds at Elk River High School.

In 2006, East's Garrett Cora took the section title in 10.91 and the Minnesota Class AA championship in 11.35.

In 2007, Central's Chris Anderson won the section in 10.97. In the state finals, Cora finished fifth and Anderson seventh.

"Chris Anderson and Garrett Cora inspired me a lot," said Carter, who placed second in the 200 in 22.66.

The Class AA state meet is June 6-7 at Hamline University in St. Paul. The top two finishers in each event plus those matching qualifying standards advanced Saturday.

Carter missed last year's section meet because of a two-day school suspension, but Denfeld coach Frank Huie said Carter has matured a lot in a year.

The 18-year-old now has a B scholastic average and focuses his attention onrunning.

"He is highly motivated," said Huie, who also coached Carter in football. "He didn't get his goal last year, but he worked extremely hard for [Saturday]."

Last year, the 5-foot-10, 140-pound Carter was seeded No. 1 in the 400 and No. 3 in the 100 and 200, but didn't compete because of the suspension.

"I'm just glad he made it [to state]," Huie said.

Carter was focused Saturday.

"I was asking myself on the [drive] down, 'Am I really as fast as I think I am? Am I able to run as fast as these kids?' " Carter said of his first section finals. "I didn't know what was going to happen. I kept worrying myself."

Carter recited "I'm the quickest," a line from Jamaican Asafa Powell, who set the 100-meter world record of 9.74 last September.

On Saturday, Carter got a second chance and made the most of it.

Cloquet smiles

Cloquet sophomore anchor Jes Vork smiled while she crossed the finish line first in the 800 relay.

She was happy for teammates Taylor Sautbine, Liz Litke and Kait Proulx, who helped beat St. Francis in 1:48.30 to become the first Cloquet relay team to advance to state since 2003.

"I knew we had an outside chance," Cloquet coach Tim Prosen said. "We saw a lot from Liz and Kait. They really stepped up to the level of the other two and had a great run."

After tying the school record for the event, Sautbine and Litke raced across the infield to celebrate with Vork and Proulx.

The Lumberjacks also are sending three individuals -- Vork was second in the high jump at 5 feet, 3 inches; Sautbine was second in the 100 hurdles in 16.2; and Montana Vichorek won the 300 hurdles in 47.15.

"We knew Jes had a chance, but we don't really send relays from our school," Proulx said. "So that is cool."

cagle nearly misses final

Grand Rapids junior Jessica Cagle, the defending section champion in the discus, almost didn't get out of the preliminaries.

After two scratches, she came back with a throw of 114 feet to advance to the finals.

"It was tense moment," said coach Dan Jinks. "She gave us a scare, but she recovered."

Cagle then broke her own section record at 149, topping 148-7 from last year.

Cagle had the top throw entering the 2007 Minnesota Class AA meet and placed second.

"I wasn't ready for the pressure of being No. 1," said Cagle, who also won the section shot put title Saturday at 39-5. "Now, I have to go and perform."

East sends two distancerunners to state

Duluth East senior Scott Behling and junior Reuben Verdoljak advanced to the state meet. Behling was second in the 3,200 in 9:42.81, while Verdoljak was second in the 1,600 in 4:28.10.