ST. MICHAEL — In a sport many consider to be more individual, relays are the ultimate team event in track and field.
Four runners have to perform well to get optimal results. One bad leg or a slightly botched exchange can be the difference between winning and missing the podium.
The local relay teams shined at the Class AA track and field meet Saturday, with Mankato East winning both state titles in the 4×800-meter, and the Mankato West boys getting a state title in the 4×400.
As a team, the East boys finished second with 57 points, while the East girls took fourth with 52 points. The West girls took ninth with 34 points, and the West boys were 14th with a score of 24.
For the East girls 4×800 team of Hayden Henning, Ady Lurken, Madison Wolle and Lauren Henkels, their winning time of 9:14.93 was the second-fastest time in the state this season. They broke their own school record that was set at the section meet last week by about four seconds.
Wolle and Henkels were both on the 4×800 team that finished third at the state meet last season.
“They weren’t satisfied with the race they ran last year, and they learned a lot,” East coach Joy Visto said. “This year (Madison) handed off to Lauren in first (place). At that point, we knew she was going to take it home for us.”
The East boys 4×800 team won a second straight state title, with the team of Evan MacLean, Jackson Henkels, Dayton Clobes and Luke Scholtes finishing with a school-record time of 7:54.14.
The group won with ease, finishing over seven seconds ahead of the second-place team.
Mankato West boys coach Alex Wischnack was hoping for a state berth when he put together the 4×400 team of Mikhi Davis, Eleazar Staley, Brenden Fahey and JonathanLi Rud a few weeks ago.
It turns out he got a state championship, as the four won at 3:23.82. It was only their third time running together.
“We didn’t see a state champion off the bat, but after their second time running together and going 3:23, we thought that was a real possibility,” Wischnack said. “Those four guys really bought into each other and trusted the training. When those two things happen, anything is possible.”
For the East girls, Rylie Hansen took second in the pole vault (12-0) and fifth in the triple jump (36-6).
In the wheelchair division, East’s Adaylia Borgmeier won the 100 (19.17), 200 (36.07) and 400 (1:11.34). The Cougars’ Madison Harbarth took second in the wheelchair 100 (23.99) and shot put (15-3 3/4).
Ruby Marble finished fourth in the 100 with a time of 12.30 for the West girls, while Alexa Bush was sixth in the shot put (38-8 1/4).
The Mankato West girls 4×100 relay team of Avery Schmitz, Ava Olson, Jaelyn Doss and Marble took third (48.69), as the did the 4×400 team of Mikaela Stenzel, Landree Quint, Aubrey Doyscher and Schmitz (4:00.46).
For the East boys, Isaiah Anderson took fourth in the 1,600 (4:14.90). Jackson Henkels finished third in the 800 (1:57.24), while MacLean (1:58.56) took sixth in the event. Carsen Schweim finished fourth in the high jump with a leap of 6-4.
West’s Jalen Smith took fourth in the boys 100 with a time of 10.92.
For the St. Peter boys, Corbin Herron won the 110 hurdles at 14.10, while Luke Banks took fourth in the discus (170-4).
Keira Friedrich finished fifth in the 800 (2:18.49) and fourth in the 1,600 (5:02.01) for the St. Peter girls. The Saints’ Ella Dirks was fourth in the 800 (2:18.49).
In the Class A girls pole vault, Le Sueur-Henderson’s Riley Sater won with a vault of 11-9.
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