Every team point mattered last Friday when the Bronco girls track and field team brought back the Section 7A runner-up trophy to International Falls.
Esko won the meet with 124.5 points, followed by the Falls at 73, less than a point ahead of Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin (72.83).
“That was awful close...,” said Bronco girls head coach Jen Erickson. “I hate to look at the point totals — I always wait until they announce them, because you never know what’s going to happen.”
Falls’ girls would have been assured of at least another point by finishing the final track event, the 4X400-meter relay, in which the Broncos were one of the eight teams to compete. However, a false start disqualified the Falls, which had been seeded sixth but ended up with no points in the event.
“When the 4X400 false-started, I just thought, ‘You know, third place,’” Erickson said. “But the triple jump results came in and gave us just enough of a lead to come in front (of Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin).”
Falls sophomore Jaci Scholler leaped 31 feet, 2 inches in the triple jump to place sixth, 1 1/2 inches ahead of Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin senior Jasma Steph in seventh to give the Broncos a point more than the Titans.
Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin did not qualify for the Section meet in the 4X400 relay.
Falls sophomore sprinter Breanna Shofner accounted individually for 20 team points by winning both the 100 dash (12.89) and 200 (26.42).
Scholler added a seventh-place finish in the 100 (13.59).
“It was stressful (competing in multiple events at the Section meet and) having to be, like, somewhere all the time, but it was fun,” Scholler said.
Shofner and Scholler teamed up with sophomore Lexi Owen and seventh-grader Valandre Butler for 8 points when they placed runner-up in the 4X100 relay (51.6).
Owen also placed eighth individually in the 300 hurdles (50.6).
“I’m happy (to be able to compete at state in the 4X100 relay),” Owen said. “I don’t like the hurdles as much this year.”
Owen said she hopes the relay team will be able to improve upon its Section time at the state meet.
In addition to the top-two individuals in each event qualifying for state, a Minnesota State High School League rule change that took effect for this year now makes it possible for the top-two relay teams in each Section to also advance.
In previous years, only the Section’s top relay team automatically qualified for state.
“You just see the excitement (over the rule change) — not just on our team, but every team,” Erickson said. “Two relays get to go. That’s an extra four people — six people with the alternates.
“You just can see the enthusiasm with the teams and even the coaches. That was something that would have been nice for the High School League to have done years ago.”
Falls freshman Savanah Olson accounted for 14 team points by placing second in the discus (109-5) and third in the shot put (36-3).
Two Harbors senior Stephanie McGregor won the discus (118-2), while two throwers from Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin, freshman Chastan Jade and senior Tessa Wright, finished ahead of Olson in the shot put with respective throws of 39-0 and 38-7.25.
Falls’ other individual state qualifier, sophomore Hailey Fentem, contributed 13 team points by placing second in 100 hurdles (16.53) fifth in the high jump (4-9) and eighth in the long jump (14-10.5).
The Broncos’ 4X200 relay team of Scholler, Abby Kostiuk, Madeline Dahle and Maddie Filipiak picked up 4 points by placing fifth in 1:51.89. Esko won in 1:46.02.
Falls sophomore Amy Auran also recorded 4 points by ending up in a three-way tie for fourth in the pole vault (8-0). Esko sophomore Erika Shady won with a vault of 9-6.
Broncos seventh-grader Lexi Erickson scored 3 points placing sixth in the 3200 run (12:16.78) after coming 2-tenths of a second short of scoring a point in the 1600 (5:38.73) with a ninth-place finish.
Falls’ 4X800 relay team of Auran, Rachel Foss, Lindsey Granrud and Amber Harms added a point by placing eighth in 10:46.23. Mesabi East won in 9:44.32, a hundredth of a second ahead of Esko.
Section 7A Track and Field
Girls team scores: Esko 124.5, International Falls 73, Greenway/ Nashwauk-Keewatin 72.83, Mesabi East 60, Proctor 59, South Ridge 59, Two Harbors 54, Crosby-Ironton 35, Hinckley-Finlayson 22.33, Cromwell 20, Duluth Marshall 17, Virginia 15.33, Carlton 13, Cook County 10, Aitkin 9, Moose Lake/Willow River 9, Eveleth-Gilbert 9, East Central 7, Deer River/Northland War Eagle 6, Mountain Iron-Buhl 6, Lakeview Christian Academy 4, Ely 4, Floodwood 3, Barnum 3, Silver Bay 2, Chisholm 2, Bigfork 1, Wrenshall 1.
