The rain that arrived Wednesday afternoon in Hibbing couldn’t stop International Falls’ girls track and field team from winning the Section 7A North Sub-Section.
The Bronco girls won their Sub-Section meet for the second straight year after having the top score among the 14 teams competing Wednesday.
Falls tallied 152 points, followed by Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin (104), Mesabi East (92), South Ridge (79) and Crosby-Ironton (56.5) in the top five.
“The girls had an amazing meet (Wednesday) with the team advancing athletes in (all) but one event (the 800-meter run),” said Falls head coach Jen Erickson. “The girls forgot about their aches and pains (Wednesday) and just focused on competing.
“The team now has to take that same determination and focus they had competing (Wednesday), on to the Section meet next week in Duluth.”
The Sub-Section competition wrapped up in less-than-ideal conditions as raindrops could be felt during the 200-meter dash heats, before the rainfall picked up in intensity during the girls 3200 run.
A 30-minute weather delay took place following the boys 3200, then the meet concluded with the 4X400 relay as the rain continued and thunder could still be heard in the distance.
Individuals placing in the top seven and relay teams finishing in the top four all advance to Friday’s Section meet at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Both Bronco girls who qualified for the state meet last season will be in the running at Duluth for a possible return trip to Hamline University.
Sophomore Breanna Shofner placed first at the Sub-Section meet in both events she qualified for state in a year earlier, the 100 dash (13.31) and 200 (27.39).
“(Wednesday) was a good day for me in the 100 meters and 200 meters,” Shofner said. “The wind was a really bad head wind and I had to push myself in both races.”
Freshman Savanah Olson will also be competing at Duluth in two individual events.
Olson placed second in the event she qualified for state last year, the shot put (36 feet, 8.5 inches) — 1 1/2 inches short of the winning Sub-Section throw, and won the discus (96-8).
One Falls girl who won at the Sub-Section qualified for the Section meet in three events. Sophomore Hailey Fentem placed first in the 100 hurdles (17.32), fourth in the high jump (4-10) and sixth in the long jump (15-0).
Two other Bronco girls won an event at the Sub-Section.
Seventh-grader Lexi Erickson placed first the 3200 run (12:08.05) and fourth in 1600 (5:36.62) to qualify for the Section meet in two events.
“I felt really good in my 2-mile run and just focused on using my arms and keeping my stride throughout race,” Lexi Erickson said. “I just didn’t want to lose (Wednesday).”
Sophomore Amy Auran won the pole vault (8-6).
Freshman Maddie Filipiak qualified for the Section meet in two events after placing third in the triple jump (31-0) and seventh in the 300 hurdles (52.7).
“I fell on the last hurdle in the 300-meter hurdle race but managed to get up and cross the finish line with a seventh-place finish, just barely earning a trip to the Section meet,” Filipiak said. “It was tough to compete in triple jump after my fall in the hurdles, but I did really well jumping, too.”
Sophomore Lexi Owen came in third in both the 100 hurdles (17.91) and the 300 hurdles (50.48).
Sophomore Jaci Scholler accounted for the Falls’ other top-three individual finish by placing third in the 100 dash (14.07) and also finished fifth in the triple jump (30-7).
Among the other Falls girls qualifying individually for the Section meet:
• Eighth-grader Jessie Foreman placed fifth in the 100 hurdles (18.2).
• Eighth-grader Madeline Dahle finished seventh in the 200 dash (29.85).
• Eight-grader Abby Kostiuk placed seventh in the 400 dash (1:07.39).
The Bronco girls qualified all four of their relay teams for the Section meet.
The 4X100 relay team of Shofner, Scholler, Owen and Valandre Butler placed first in 53.21.
The 4X200 relay team of Kostiuk, Dahle, Filipiak and Scholler and the 4X400 relay team of Dahle, Auran, Kostiuk and Claire Herzig both placed second in 1:54.12 and 4:29.52, respectively.
“(Wednesday) was a great day for our team and it felt like everyone was competing at their best,” Kostiuk said. “I was so proud of our relay teams and am happy with how we finished (Wednesday).”
Auran, Rachel Foss, Lindsey Granrud and Amber Harms placed fourth in the 4X800 relay (10:48.99).
Falls boys fourth
In the boys competition, the Broncos placed fourth out of the 13 Sub-Section teams.
Virginia won with 119 points, followed by Eveleth-Gilbert (104), Crosby-Ironton (76), the Falls (67.5) and Bigfork (66) rounding out the top five.
The best individual finish for the Bronco boys came from sophomore Paul Skoglund, who placed second in the 110 hurdles (18.38).
“(Wednesday) was tough, some people did very well, and some struggled with the weather,” Skoglund said. “Overall, we did very well.”
Falls qualified all three of its boys pole vault entrants for the Section meet. Senior Kyle Askey placed third (11-0), junior Cade MacKay was fourth (11-0) and sophomore Jakob Ettestad tied for sixth (10-6).
Two Bronco boys qualified for the Section meet in two individual events apiece.
Senior Tyler House and Jason Pumper placed fourth and fifth in the triple jump in 38-9 and 38-7, respectively. Pumper added a fourth-place finish in the high jump (5-6), while House placed fifth in the 100 dash (12:48).
“The weather was pretty good for most of the day, leading to some good times and jumps,” House said.
Two other Falls boys qualified individually for the Section meet.
Junior Nick Janttie placed fifth in the shot put (42-1/2), while Marco Griffith came in fifth in the 400 dash (55.43).
“We didn’t have any firsts, but even with some rough weather we got some personal records and had a very successful meet,” Griffith said.
The Bronco boys were able to qualify two of their four relays teams for the Section meet.
The 4X100 relay team of House, Griffith, Janttie and Cody Hallin placed second in 46.93.
The 4X400 relay team of House, Griffith, Pumper and Jake Piekarski finished fourth in 3:47.34.
Section 7A
North Sub-Section
Girls team scores: International Falls 152, Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin 104, Mesabi East 92, South Ridge 79, Crosby-Ironton 56.5, Virginia 42, Mountain Iron-Buhl 39, Eveleth-Gilbert 39, Bigfork 26, Deer River/Northland 25, Aitkin 18, Ely 16, Chisholm 9, Floodwood 4.5.
Boys team scores: Virginia 119, Eveleth-Gilbert 104, Crosby-Ironton 76, International Falls 67.5, Bigfork 66, Mesabi East 63, Chisholm 53, Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin 51.5, Deer River/Northland 36, Ely 30, South Ridge 21, Aitkin 10, Floodwood 2.
