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Northwestern senior hurdler C.J. Thompson booked a place for himself in the Division 2 finals of both events during preliminary races at the WIAA state championship meet on Friday in La Crosse.
Thompson finished second in his 110-meter hurdles heat in 15.33 seconds and is ranked fifth overall going into Saturday's final. Later, in the 300 hurdles, Thompson ran a 41.57 and finished fifth in his heat and ninth overall.
Northwood/Solon Springs freshman Cade Lisson also booked himself a place in Saturday's program. Lisson ran fourth in his heat in the Division 3 400 meters and will carry the ninth-best time (51.54) of 10 starters.
For others, Friday represented both the beginning and the end.
Northwestern pole vaulter Cam Benesch, seeded second, got off to a rough start, missing twice at the opening height of 12 feet. He got on track to clear three levels up to 13 feet, but went out with three unsuccessful attempts at 13-6 and finished 11th.
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Tigers discus thrower Greg Ohman did not register a legal throw in three attempts.
Superior sprinter Darrel James was not able to compete in the Division 1 100 meters.
One other Douglas County performer, high jumper Monte Mayberry of Northwestern, competes Saturday.
Descombaz leads the way for Greyhounds
Senior Jackson DesCombaz continues to finish his prep career in style, qualifying for the state meet at the Section 7AAA track and field championships in Forest Lake, Minnesota.
Andover’s Cameron Heppner held off DesCombaz in the boys 800, winning in 1:57.04, with DesCombaz finishing in 1:57.70 and both runners setting personal records.
DesCombaz teamed with Oliver Miatke, Addison Kent and Benjamin Westholm on the Greyhounds’ state-qualifying 3,200 relay. Anoka won in 8:04.85 while East finished second in 8:08.86, with both relays turning in season-best performances.
Among girls, East got strong team performances in the 800, where Lydia Eaton (2:27.78), Lydia Kraker (2:34.05) and Grace Russell (2:36.79) finished fourth, eighth and ninth, respectively, and the 1,600, where Anna-Britta Helmer (5:27.54), Cora Nephew (5:31.66) and Veronica Wahman (5:32.87) finished fifth, seventh and eighth, respectively.
Andover got the boys team title while Blaine took the girls team title.
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- On Wednesday, Greyhounds junior Leif Ziring qualified for the state meet by finishing second in the pole vault. Ziring and Anoka’s Joshua Graske tied with a vault of 13 feet, 1 inch, but Graske won the jump-off.
East also got a good showing in the 3,200, with Miatke finishing fourth among boys in 9:47.47 and Wahman (12:00.72), Nephew (12:03.65) and Britta Helmer (12:11.51) finishing sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively, among girls.
