MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (April 18–25)
PREP TRACK & FIELD: 56th Annual Platteville Relays
By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal / Fennimore Times / Boscobel Dial
Host Hillmen battle overcome snow flurries, frigid temps to win boys' and girls' titles at Platteville Relays
PLATTEVILLE — Saturday’s 56th annual Platteville Relays was like none of the 55 that preceded it.
Likely the coldest Relays in history — with temperatures hovering around 40 degrees throughout the day as snow flakes fell off an on — the relays-only meet turned into a combo indoor/outdoor meet Saturday at UW–Platteville’s Track and Field Complex.
All four jumping events (long jump, triple jump, high jump and pole vault) were held inside the Williams Fieldhouse due to heavy winds. The rest of the meet was held outside, with the shot put and discus the only field events held outdoors.
The host Hillmen braved the frigid temperatures outside, which cause three teams to pull out of the meet, to win both team titles.
Platteville scored 90 points to edge Galena (89) by a single point for the boys’ title. Lancaster and Cuba City tied with 85 points, followed by the Tri-State Home School Falcons (43), Iowa–Grant (42), Belmont (26) and Cassville/Potosi (7).
The Platteville girls scored 106 team points and shared the girls’ team title with Lancaster (106). Galena finished a distant third place with 68.5 points, followed by Cuba City (40), Iowa–Grant (36), Tri-State Home School (25), Belmont (14) and Cassville/Potosi (5).
“We were thrilled to win both titles,” said Serres, who is retiring from teaching at the end of the year, but still expects to coach “somewhere” next season. “You always want to perform at your home meet. The girls and boys teams really dug in and battled right to the end. The girls tied Lancaster for the team title and the boys pulled off a one-point victory over Galena. It just shows you that every place and point matter.”
Besides beside being the coldest Platteville Relays Serres can remember in his 40 years of coaching at PHS, Saturday was also the first time the meet not held at the high school.
“We had one year when it snowed, but by the time the meet started it was in the 50s, but Saturday, it never got above the low 40s,” said Serres. “We were extremely proud of our teams. We were warriors when it came to the cold, wind, and snow. Our theme this year is ‘Joe’ in remembrance of (former assistant coach) Joe Schambow. And one thing we talked about was not whining or complaining. We didn’t have any of that.”
This year’s Relays was held at UW–Platteville because the old Platteville High School track has already been removed as part of the multimillion sports complex project, which is scheduled to be completed in late October.
“We cannot thank UWP, specifically Chris Rotzenberg (head track coach) and Kara McCarville (athletic director) for being so generous with their time and help in setting up the meet,” said Serres.
This year’s Platteville team is practicing at the high school most of the time, but also is using the track and jump pits and throwing circles at UW–Platteville a few times a week after the Pioneer track team has finished its practice.
“It has been a challenge,” said Serres of this year’s practice situation. “It gives me a great appreciation for the schools that do not have a track to workout on. The kids are adapting, but you really have to change some of your training methods. Imagine practicing basketball without actually having a real court or baskets to shoot at. At the same time, what an opportunity to change your mindset and meet a challenge head on.”
Senior Quinn Wright, Casen Udelhofen and Nick Burkard teamed with sophomore Andrew Donner to win the boys 4x400 relay at 3:37.91.
Udelhofen, Donner, sophomore Logan Day and senior Ashton Thompson won the boys 800 sprint medley relay (1:38.08), and Thompson teamed with sophomore Eli Langmeier to score 10 team points by winning the 2x110 shuttle hurdle relay (35.70).
On the girls’ side, seniors Emma Rooney (12:27.11) and Paige Kerkenbush (13:58.88) joined up to win the 3,200 relay run.
Junior Ketura Goomey and sophomore Sadie Schwartz won the girls’ 2x100 shuttle hurdle relay at 37 seconds. Juniors Olivia Millsap (97’5”) and Emelia Theleman (87’2”) teamed up to win the girls discus relay event.
Platteville Hillmen Relays
(from Saturday, April 22 @ UW–Platteville)
(Boys)
Team scores — 1.Platteville 90, 2.Galena 89, 3.Lancaster 85, 3.Cuba City 85, 5.Tri-State Home School 43, 6.Iowa–Grant 42, 7.Belmont 26, 8.Cassville/Potosi 7.
Platteville top finishers (top 8)
2x3,200 relay — 4.Platteville (Brian Richter 11:51.36, Erik Granbandt) 12:07.24, 6.Platteville B (Antonio Denucci 12:36.54, Daniel Wells 13:48.54). 2x100 relay — 6.Platteville (Tyler Sasse, Myron Reuter) 24.71. 4x100 relay — 4.Platteville (Logan Day, Ashton Thompson, Sasse, Kale Richards) 47.59, 8.Platteville B (Rueter, Tate Zuehlke, Troy Klauer, Zeke Schwartz) 50.41, 8.Platteville C (Caleb Digman, Jeremiah Tosi, Tymir Vickers, Gavin Koeller) 53.37. 4x400 relay — 1.Platteville (Quinn Wright, Andrew Donner, Casen Udelhofen, Nick Burkard) 3:37.91, 4.Platteville B (Cash Peterson, Noah Deis, Liam Davis, Ben Stange) 4:02.09, 7.Platteville C (Klauer, Richards, Lucas Taber, Zade Plumb) 4:06.66. 4x800 relay — 2.Platteville (Wright, Udelhofen, Donner, Z. Plumb) 8:55.33, 7.Platteville B (Taber, Richter, Grabandt, Davis) 9:44.07, 8.Platteville C (Noah Schulenburg, Stange, Deis, Burkard) 9:57.79. 800 sprint medley relay — 1.Platteville (Day, Thompson, Donner, Udlehofen) 1:38.08, 7.Platteville B (Schwartz, Zuehlke, Gavin Koeller, Peterson) 1:55.16. 1,600 distance medley relay — 4.Platteville (Klauer, Day, Burkard, Wright) 4:08.98, 5.Platteville B (Zuehlke, Richards, Deis, Davis) 4:14.56. 2x110 hurdle relay — 1.Platteville (Thompson, Eli Langmeier) 35.70. Pole vault relay — 2.Platteville (Mike Loeffelholz 10’0”, Schwartz 10’0”). Long jump relay — 3.Platteville (Day 18’9”, Sasse 18’2.5”). Triple jump relay — 3.Platteville Digman 35’11.25”, Reuter 34’11.25”), 8.Platteville B (Langmeier 31’11”, Isaiah Herbst 31’11”. Shot put relay — 2.Platteville (John Baxter 45’1”, Brendan Millard 39’2.5”). Discus relay — 4.Platteville (Mason Troester 113’7”, Millard 87’4”), 7.Platteville C (Nolan Stauffacher 89’6”, Ethan Roepsch) 88’1”.
(Girls)
Team scores — 1.Platteville 106, 2.Lancaster 106, 3.Galena 68.5, 4.Cuba City 40, 5.Iowa–Grant 36, 6.Tri-State Home School 25, 7.Belmont 14, 8.Cassville/Potosi 5.
Platteville top finishers (top 8)
2x3,200 relay — 1.Platteville (Emma Rooney 12:27.11, Paige Kerkenbush 13:58.88), 2.Platteville B (Shaena Prestegard 13:52.27, Leana Borkovec 14:17.87). 2x100 relay — 3.Platteville (Mack Champion, Desaray Washington) 27.47, 5.Platteville B (Emma Brunton, Addison Schneider) 29.87. 4x100 relay — 3.Platteville (Washington, Lizzie Poller, Addie Popp, Brunton) 56.18, 5.Platteville B (Remington Dorota, Addie McNeill, Olivia Tyson, Sarah Dreger) 56.89. 4x400 relay — 2.Platteville (E. Rooney, Isabelle Rooney, Josie Yurs, Kendra Stastny) 4:37.35, 5.Platteville B (Borkovec, Jasmine Pham, Prestegard, Kerkenbush) 5:12.46. 4x800 relay — 2.Platteville (Yurs, Stastny, E. Rooney, I. Rooney) 10:31.96, 4.Platteville B (Alli Bird, Ally Debuhr, Borkovec, Prestegard) 11:44.45. 800 sprint medley relay — 5.Platteville (Washington, Poller, Popp, Schneider) 2:10.65, 6.Platteville B (Violet Ivanov, Nandini Chauhan, Emily Schroeder, Prestegard) 2:16.50. 1,600 medley relay — 2.Platteville (Grace Stombaugh, Brunton, I. Rooney, Yurs) 4:52.41, 4.Platteville B (Schneider, Sarah Dreger, Kerkenbush, Stastny) 5:02.43. 2x100 hurdle relay — 1.Platteville (Ketura Goomey, Sadie Schwartz) 37.00, 3.Platteville B (Madison Freed, Schroeder) 44.27. High jump relay — 1.Platteville (Stombaugh, I. Rooney) J4’8”. Pole vault — 2.Platteville (Champion 8’6”, 4.Dreger 8’0”. Long jump relay — 4.Platteville (Kaelyn Sasse 13’10”, Popp 13’9”), 5.Platteville B (Poller 13’2”, Brunton 12’11”), 6.Platteville C (Dorota 12’11”, McNeill 12’2”). Triple jump relay — 3.Platteville (Champion 30’11.25”, Popp 27’10”). Shot put relay — 3.Platteville (Olivia Millsap 28’6.5”, Emelia Theleman 28’4”), 7.Platteville C (Sadie Pouthour-Miller 25’2”, Nicole Kelley 23’6”), 8.Platteville B (Jenna Leibfried 24’4.75”, Mya Kreul 22’6”). Discus relay — 1.Platteville (Millsap 97’5”, Theleman 87’2”), 4(tie).Platteville C (Pouthouer-Miller 75’1”, Jenna Leibfried 71’7”), 6.Platteville B (Sophia Gruetzmacher 65’0”, Kreul 65’0”).
